Manama, the capital of Bahrain, is the country's largest city and the economic, transportation, trade and cultural center of the country. It is located in the middle of the Persian Gulf. It covers an area of 30 square kilometers with a population of around 260,000, occupying about one- third of the total population of Bahrain. Manama is also an important financial center, an important port and a transit point for trade in the Gulf region. It is known as the "Pearl of the Persian Gulf".