Qatar

Qatar is a country located in West Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula.

The peninsula is mostly surrounded by the Persian Gulf. To the south, Qatar shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia. The Gulf of Bahrain, which is an inlet of the Persian Gulf, separates the country from Bahrain. Most of the land is made of flat, low-lying desert. The capital city is Doha. More than 80% of the country's inhabitants live in Doha.

The history of human habitation in Qatar goes back 50,000 years.

During the Stone Age, people lived on the peninsula and used various tools. Later, during the Ubaid period, people built coastal settlements. One important site is Al Da'asa on the western coast. Some historians believe the Sumerians may have originated from this region. In the second millennium BC, people traded with the Kassites.

Archaeologists found crushed snail shells and potsherds on the Al Khor Islands. This suggests Qatar was an early site for shellfish dye production. During the Sasanian Empire, the region traded precious pearls and purple dye.

Islam became the dominant religion in the region after 628 AD. This happened after the prophet Muhammad sent an envoy to a ruler in eastern Arabia. During the Abbasid period, Qatar became a major center for pearl trading. Ships traveling from Basra to India and China often stopped at Qatari ports. These travelers brought goods like Chinese porcelain and West African coins. Archaeological remains from the 9th century show that people built high-quality homes. In the town of Murwab, researchers found over 100 stone houses and an Abbasid fort.

Control of the peninsula changed many times through the centuries. The Portuguese empire had influence in the area during the 16th century. A Portuguese map from 1563 shows a "city of Qatar" as a fortress.

Later, the Ottoman Empire ruled parts of the region. In 1825, the House of Thani was established with Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani as the first leader. In 1868, a peace treaty was negotiated by Colonel Lewis Pelly. This treaty recognized Qatar as a separate entity from Bahrain.

Qatar became a British protectorate in 1916 and gained full independence in 1971.

Today, Qatar is a hereditary monarchy. It is ruled by the House of Thani.

The current emir is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The emir holds nearly all executive, legislative, and judicial authority. He appoints the prime minister and the cabinet. The Consultative Assembly, or Shura Council, can block legislation. However, the emir appoints all members of this council. In 2024, the country moved to abolish elections for the Assembly. The council is now a fully appointed body.

The economy of Qatar is very wealthy due to its natural resources. It holds the world's third-largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves.

Qatar is one of the largest exporters of liquefied natural gas. This wealth has led to a very high GDP per capita. In fact, it is the fourth-highest in the world.

The population was about 2.6 million in early 2017. Most of these people were not Qatari citizens. There were 2.3 million expatriates and migrant workers.

Qatar is also the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide per capita.

Qatar has become a significant player in global affairs. It is a major non-NATO ally of the United States. The country is also a middle power in the Arab world. Its influence is boosted by the Al Jazeera Media Network.

Qatar is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The country has seen rapid growth in its modern infrastructure. You can see this in the high-rise buildings and the Pearl-Qatar.

Even the name "Qatar" has many possible origins. It may come from a type of transaction called muqāṭarah. Or, it might come from the word for a camel train.