Bahrain is the only country in the world to have banned the cultivation of artificial pearls. The kingdom is home to a historic port, an ancient souk and residences of ancient trading families.
Unesco has inscribed on its World Heritage List as the "last complete example of the cultural tradition of pearl" The Danat Center in the capital Manama is one of the few laboratories specialized in pearl analysis. It is also conducting research to determine the impact of climate change on the quality of the pearls, as well as their value.