Qatar Bahrain Friendship Bridge: The Longest Bridge in the World

After years of delay it looks like work on the Qatar Bahrain Friendship bridge is finally ready to begin. The bridge, when it is finished, will be 4 kilometres longer than the current longest bridge in the world, the new Chinese Shanghai-Ningbu bridge, coming in at a total of 40 kilometres of just under 25 miles.

Due to its enourmous length, the bridge will not be built in one piece but between a series of artificial islands connected by 22 bridges and viaducts. These bridges will include two 400 metre cable-stayed bridges over shipping areas. There will also be a central island/stopping area for drivers to rest at. The bridge, which is estimated to cost 2 billion dollars, will cut the current driving time of 5 hours to just 30 minutes. A railway is also under discussion. It is estimated the bridge will be finished by 2012 - but don't hold your breaths!

Qatar and Bahrain came close to war in 1986, with shots being fired and prisoners taken. The obstensible reason was the disputed Huwar islands, but people in this region have long memories and friction can be traced back hundreds of years.

Bahrian's ruling Khalifa family originally controlled Qatar, but abandoned the island for the greener Bahrain. They continued to claim tribute, while Qataris pirates plundered Bahrain in turn. In the nineteenth century the Khalifa family laid waste to Doha and Al Wakra. The British stepped in, establishing Qatar as a seperate state and as a protectorate of the British.

Bahrain continued to claim parts of Qatar as its own, and it was building up a disputed reef that lead to the 1986 friction. A ten year Hague action finally settled that: the Hawar Islands were given to Bahrain but all claims of Bahraini sovereignity over any of mainland Qatar was scuppered for ever.