[13] East Riffa is also becoming more popular with locals and expats due to the number of new developments and projects being launched, which in turn has grown its real estate market.

[15] The project includes artificial lakes, an international school,[16] commercial districts, supermarkets, and will have access to the recently opened Royal Women's University.

East Riffa has previously been known as one of the most dangerous areas in Bahrain,[17] particularly because of the political tension and unrest within Sunni-Shia clashes due to the sectarian conflict, along with anti-government protests and demonstrations where as many as hundreds of injuries would occur, some of those injuries even resulting in death,[18] much like its neighboring village Ma'ameer.

These clashes and protests dates back to the 1990s after the Gulf War,[19][20] but received the most media coverage during the Arab Spring in 2011.

[29][30] This has caused many Shias, along with Ibadis, to instead migrate to East Riffa where they can find available and affordable housing,[31][32][33] which in turn has unfortunately caused political tension and unrest between Sunnis and Shias due to the sectarian conflict,[34] along with sectarian polarization between Sunnis and Ibadis.

West Riffa also is home to well-known springs, Al Hunaynya and Umm Ghwayfa, once considered to be Bahrain's purest and finest water.