Jidda Islands are a group of three small uninhabited islets in Bahrain, lying to the west of Bahrain Island and just north of Umm an Nasan in the Persian Gulf. They are 17.5 km west of the capital, Manama, on Bahrain Island.

History

In 1930 Jidda became the location of one of Bahrain's prisons. Majeed Marhoon, Abdulhadi Khalaf and several other political activists spent time in the prison in the 1960s and 1970s. It later became the private property of Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and is currently closed to the public.

Geography

The main island is made of limestone cliffs. It is believed that blocks of rock cut from the island were used in the Barbar temple on Bahrain Island. The small Mini Bahrain is an artificial island on the south shore made to look exactly like the big Bahrain island.

Demography

The island has a palace, gardens, a helipad, a mosque and several other facilities made for the prime minister and his family, although the island is uninhabited and Sheikh Khalifa himself lived in Riffa, Bahrain Island until his death in November 2020.

Administration

The island belongs to the Northern Governorate of Bahrain.

Transportation

It is connected to Umm an Nasan by a 1.75 km causeway.

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