SITRAH

town, in the state and emirate of Bahrain, on Sitrah island, in the Persian Gulf. An oil port, Sitrah handles not only the entire petroleum production of Bahrain but is also an export centre for oil fields in northeast Saudi Arabia. A submarine and land pipeline runs northwest about 36 miles (58 km) across the Gulf of Bahrain and Bahrain island, from ad-Damman on the Saudi mainland to Sitrah. The town has extensive tank farms; the country's oil refinery is 2.5 miles (4 km) southeast, on Bahrain island near 'Awali. Laid out in the 1960s, Sitrah has a rectangular street pattern, with modern buildings. Because of shallow offshore waters, the pipeline runs along a marine causeway, extending almost 2.75 miles (4.5 km) into the gulf; at its end is a wharf at which oceangoing tankers dock. Aluminum from the smelter near ar-Rifa' on Bahrain island is also exported from Sitrah. Sitrah island, elongate in shape, has an area of 3.8 square miles (10 square km) and is the fourth largest island of the Bahraini archipelago. Lying just east of Bahrain island, Sitrah island is separated from it by a narrow tidal channel. Before the discovery of oil on Bahrain (1932), Sitrah island's well-watered northern section had the principal settlements; it was known for its luxuriant date palms. Pop. (1981) 9,618.