Oman vs Bahrain: Overview
| Indicator | Oman | Bahrain |
|---|---|---|
| National Vision | Vision 2040 | Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 |
| Stock Exchange | MSX | Bahrain Bourse |
| GDP per capita (USD) | ~$22,000 | ~$~30,000 |
| Currency | OMR | BHD |
| Sovereign Rating | BB+/Ba1 | Speculative (B2/B+) |
Economic Indicators
| Indicator | Oman | Bahrain | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Oil GDP Share | ~70.5% | — | — |
| Fiscal Balance (% GDP) | +2.8% | — | — |
| Gross Debt (% GDP) | ~35% | — | — |
| Real GDP Growth (2023) | ~1.1% | — | — |
| Inflation | ~1-2% | — | — |
Institutional Quality
| Indicator | Oman | Bahrain | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPI Rank (2024) | 50 | — | — |
| HDI (2022) | 0.847 | — | — |
| Ease of Doing Business | ~68 | — | — |
| Global Innovation Index | ~60 | — | — |
Strategic Differentiation
Oman’s advantages vs Bahrain:
- Neutral diplomatic position (unique in GCC)
- Outside Strait of Hormuz (Salalah, Duqm port positions)
- Green hydrogen resource base (solar + land + deep-water port)
- Authentic nature and culture tourism differentiation
- Improving institutional trajectory (CPI, commercial courts)
Bahrain’s advantages vs Oman:
- Larger economy and market (scale)
- More developed capital markets and private sector ecosystem
- Higher GDP per capita and fiscal buffers
- More advanced diversification in certain sectors
Investment Implications
The Oman vs Bahrain comparison reveals complementary investment opportunities:
- Oman offers: Earlier-stage opportunities with higher upside, green hydrogen first-mover positions, logistics infrastructure plays (IMEC, Duqm), and tourism differentiation in an uncrowded premium market
- Bahrain offers: Deeper liquidity, more established private sector, larger domestic consumer market
For investors seeking GCC exposure, both markets offer distinct risk-return profiles. Oman’s Vision 2040 trajectory suggests the risk premium vs more established GCC markets should compress over the 2025-2040 period.
This is a Layer 2 premium benchmarking page.