Qatar

Region: Middle East

Official language: Arabic

Population: 2,552,088 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Qatari(s) (noun), Qatari (adjective)

Land area: 11,586 sq km (4,473 sq miles)

Capital: Doha

National anthem: "Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (The Peace for the Anthem), by Sheikh Mubarak Bin Saif Al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser Obaidan

National holiday: National Day, December 18, (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, September 3 (1971)

Population growth: 0.71% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +3

Flag: The flag of Qatar is maroon with a vertical white strip on its hoist (left) side, the edge of which is serrated.

Independence: September 3, 1971 (from the UK)

Government type: absolute monarchy

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic law (in family and personal matters)

The State of Qatar is a sheikhdom in southwestern Asia. The country gained independence from Great Britain in 1971. Located on the eastern border of Saudi Arabia and northwest of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar is situated on a peninsula that juts into the Persian Gulf. Its citizens are primarily but not exclusively Sunni Arabs who belong to the Wahhabi sect of Islam.

Qatar is a desert country with little water and very hot temperatures, particularly in the summer months. It has extensive oil and gas resources that have made the nation very wealthy, and it is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Apart from the oil and gas industries, traditional occupations in Qatar include pearl gathering, fishing, agriculture, and livestock herding. Islam forms the basis for the society's laws and social infrastructure, including its health care and education systems.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography. 

People and Culture

Population: Qatari citizens are a minority in their own country, with 88.4 percent of the population foreign expatriates according to 2015 estimates. Qatari nationals are primarily Arabs who are Sunni Muslims. Islam is the official religion of the country, with the Wahhabi sect being the country's largest. Wahhabism is a conservative and orthodox form of Islam. It was founded by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in the eighteenth century. Muslims who belong to this sect are obliged to remain obedient to a number of rules governing prayer, religious rituals, and the observance of religious holidays such as Ramadan. They must give to charity and abstain from consuming alcohol.

Most Qataris work in either the government or industrial sectors. The majority of the population lives in the capital, Doha.

The immigrant and foreign worker population of Qatar consists mainly of Indians and other South Asians. Egyptians, Pakistanis, Iranians, Jordanians, Palestinians, as well as a small community of United States citizens are also present in the country. Although the official language of the country is Arabic, many people speak English, and it is often used for administrative and business purposes.

Qatar's HDI value for 2022 is 0.875— which put the country in the Very High human development category—ranking positioned it at 40 out of 193 countries and territories.

Indigenous People: Qatar has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The original inhabitants were Arab tribes that migrated from surrounding areas on the Arabian Peninsula. They made their living through fishing and pearling, and settled near coastal areas. It is believed that migration to Qatar was caused by the need for grazing land, water, fishing ports, and for religious reasons.

Three major migrations of mostly Bedouin peoples occurred from the mid-eighteenth through the early nineteenth centuries. The first took place in the 1760s, and consisted of tribes that moved in from Kuwait. Later, the growth of Wahhabi Islam prompted more people to migrate from the Saudi province of al-Hasa and from other nearby countries. Descendents of these early tribes, including the Awamir, Manasir, and Bani Hajir, still live in Qatar.

Education: Qatar's policies toward education reflect its desire for a skilled working class that can effectively manage its natural resources and industry. All education is funded by the government, which also pays for books, clothing, and transportation. The government encourages students to travel abroad for higher education and will fund students who do so with scholarships and awards. English and Arabic languages, science, and religious instruction are considered some of the most important areas of study.

The educational system is divided into primary, preparatory, secondary, and higher education. Children generally begin attending school at the age of six and must stay in school for nine years. The University of Qatar is one of the country's major educational institutions. It was founded in 1973, and focuses primarily on the sciences. Qatar has an average literacy rate of 93.5 percent (2017 estimate), with nearly equal rates of literacy between men and women.

Health Care: The Qatari government provides free health care services for its citizens. Public health care includes medical exams, hospitalization, and pharmaceutical costs. Other important public services include immunization and school health services. The average life expectancy was 80.03 years in 2024.

The Rumaillah General Hospital is one of the country's most sophisticated medical institutions, and provides services such as radiography, physiotherapy, and pathology. The World Health Organization (WHO) has played an important role in modernizing the Qatari health care system and in training medical personnel.

Food: Qatar's cuisine is similar to that of other Arab countries. Many recipes are made from staple foods such as rice, cracked wheat, dates, and lamb, sheep, or goat meat. Fresh fruit and vegetables and grilled meats are mainstays of the Qatari diet. Dairy foods are also important, including yogurt or laban, and cream cheese, which is called labneh in Arabic.

Because of its coastal location, many Qatari recipes include seafood. Different seafood dishes are prepared with lobster, crab, shrimp, tuna, kingfish, and red snapper. Hummus, which is made from chickpeas and tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds), and tabouleh, made from parsley, mint, and wheat, are traditional dishes. Ghuzi is roast lamb served with rice and nuts, and khoussa mahshi is stuffed zucchini. For desert, some Qataris eat umm ali (a kind of pudding) and a cheesecake-like desert called esh asaraya.

Arts & Entertainment: The arts in Qatar are largely based on Bedouin culture, especially traditional Bedouin poetry. Because the Bedouin were nomadic people, there is not as much emphasis on the fine arts as there is on oral literature and dance. One form of traditional dance, the al-Arda, is performed on Friday afternoons in the capital, and is specially performed during the Independence Day holiday. The Lewa dance has been influenced by East African culture, and involves both male and female dancers. There are also a number of dances only performed by women, such as the Khammary.

Many dances are accompanied by percussion instruments such as the al-ras drum. Music is also performed using tambourines, cymbals, and the Arabian flute. Traditional stringed instruments include the oud and the rebaba. Qatar's major museum is the National Museum of Qatar in Doha. It houses artifacts and art that are important to Qatari culture, history, and society.

Some well-known Qatari writers include Abdel Rahman al-Mannai, a playwright who is famous for the play Umm Zinn (The most beautiful). The country is also known for its artistic jewelry design and Bedouin handicrafts, including sadew, in which carpets are woven from dyed goat or sheep hair.

Sports are popular in the country, which has facilities for tennis, soccer, golf, swimming, and horse racing. Arabian horses are prized in Qatar, and equestrian events and competitions are frequently held there. Sailing and scuba diving are favorite activities in coastal waters. Training and hunting with falcons is a traditional Qatari sport; it originated with Bedouin tribes that used the birds to hunt for food.

Holidays: Qatar celebrates its independence on Independence Day, which is observed annually on September 3. However, the celebrations are typically spread over a three-day period. Streets and public buildings are decorated, and the al-Arda dance is performed. There are also military parades and other festivities. Other public holidays revolve primarily around the Islamic faith, including the celebration of Ramadan.

Environment and Geography

Topography: The peninsula of Qatar is around 160 kilometers (100 miles) long and 88 kilometers (55 miles) wide. The landscape is predominantly flat desert country, although there is some variation in the landscape. The country also includes some offshore islands in the Persian Gulf, such as Halul. Doha, the capital, is located midway down the eastern coast.

In the west, the land rises slightly up to a central plateau. There are also some cliffs on the eastern coast that rise above sea level. Large sand dunes can be found in the southeastern part of the country, created from sand that blows from the desert. Qatar's western hills, or jebels, which are located above its major oilfields, reach up to 99 meters (325 feet) in altitude. The country has an irregular coastline. Salt flats, or sabkha, are located toward the western end of the peninsula.

Natural Resources: While it is an otherwise barren and resource-poor country, Qatar has rich petroleum reserves; however, it is estimated that these could be depleted sometime in the mid-twenty-first century. Large gas fields are located off the northeastern coast of the country, and are important to the country's economic future. Qatar's fisheries are its only other economically important resource.

Plants & Animals: Few animals live in Qatar's desert interior. Some of the larger mammals that can be found there are the jerboah, or desert rat, and gazelles, which are becoming rare. Reptiles and amphibians such as toads, monitor lizards, sand boas, and tortoises can be found in the country's desert habitats. Large animals such as sheep, goats, cattle, and camels inhabit grazing areas. Cattle are mostly maintained in the north, while camel herds are found primarily in the south.

There is a diverse bird population in Qatar, particularly along the coast. Some common birds include flamingos, cormorants, osprey, hoopoes, kestrels, and plovers. Hunting with falcons is a traditional pastime in the country. There is an increasing awareness of the need for wildlife conservation in Qatar.

Over 130 desert plants can be found in Qatar, including the desert apple and desert hyacinth. Lycium shawii, a low-growing shrub, produces red flowers and berries. Ziziphys nummularia is a favorite plant of the Bedouin people; it produces flowers that are shaped like stars. Many of the plants native to Qatar produce fragrant flowers and fruit.

Climate: Qatar has a subtropical desert climate and a desert environment. There is very little precipitation, and most rain falls during December. Precipitation averages around 75 millimeters (2 inches) annually. Winter in Qatar lasts from December through March, and is characterized by colder weather, high humidity, and increased rainfall. Summer tends to be very hot, and lasts from June through September.

Summer temperatures average 37 degrees Celsius (98 degrees Fahrenheit) but can reach 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). In the winter, the temperature remains around 26 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit) but can drop to 7 degrees Celsius (44 degrees Fahrenheit). The spring and fall often have the most comfortable temperatures and weather.

The major winds that affect the country are the shamal, a winter wind that brings rain, and the sharqui, a dry summer wind that accompanies hot weather.

Economy

In 1935, oil was discovered in Qatar. However, it was not until the 1970s that the country was able to transform its most important natural resource into a successful industry. Today, Qatar is a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). In the 1990s, the country experienced a recession and recovery due to fluctuations in oil prices. While its oil supplies are beginning to decline, it has made up for any economic decline with its large natural gas reserves.

Among Qatar's major trading partners are Japan, India, China, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. In 2023, the gross domestic product (GDP) was US$308.522 billion, and per capita GDP was $116,200—one of the highest in the world.

Industry: The petroleum and natural gas industries are by far the most important sectors of the Qatari economy, accounting for over half of GDP and the overwhelming majority of export earnings. These industries transformed Qatar from an impoverished country into a wealthy one starting in the mid-twentieth century.

In addition to petroleum refineries and natural gas pipelines, Qatar's industrial infrastructure includes production facilities for fertilizer, steel, petrochemicals, cement, and ammonia. Diversifying the economy in preparation for the eventual dwindling of oil and gas reserves is an important priority for the Qatari government.

The pearl industry, while historically an important economic sector in Qatar, fell into decline when cultured pearls were introduced in Japan in the 1930s. Similarly, Qatar's fishing industry, which was once the largest among the Persian Gulf countries, has declined over the years. However, it still remains an important source of employment.

Agriculture: Although it is a privatized industry, agriculture in Qatar is heavily supported by the Ministry of Industry and Agriculture, which began to modernize and develop farming and animal husbandry in the early 1970s. The government provides services such as plowing and pesticide treatment, and also donates free seeds to farmers.

Before the 1960s, nearly all of Qatar's agricultural produce had to be imported. One of the country's goals after gaining independence was to become agriculturally self-sufficient; however, most food still must be imported. Growing plants and animals in Qatar is difficult and costly because of the lack of water and arable land. Land often must be reclaimed from the desert through irrigation before it is useful for farming. By the 2020s, agriculture remained a small portion of the Qatari economy.

Tourism: In order to promote tourism, the Qatari government established the Qatar Tourism Authority. The goal of this organization is to create policy relating to tourism. The country has an exhibition center, hotels, beach resorts, and museums. Qatar hosted the Asian Games in 2006. In 2010, it was decided that Qatar would be the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup football (soccer) tournament; construction began on the facilities needed for the competition in the following years, though much of this work was shrouded in controversy amid allegations that workers were being treated inhumanely at the sites.

Government

Before the formation of the State of Qatar in 1971, powerful Arab families headed by sheikhs traditionally ruled the country as absolute monarchs. In 1872, the region fell under the control of the Ottoman Empire. Later, in a 1916 treaty, Qatar became a protectorate of Great Britain until it became independent on September 3, 1971. During the protectorate, Britain had a number of administrative powers in Qatar as well as control over the administration of the country's finances.

The discovery of oil and the transformation of the working class from fishermen to skilled industrial workers shifted the political atmosphere of the country. By 1956, oil workers began striking for better wages and working conditions, and anti-British, anti-government sentiment began to rise. The country's leaders perceived the strikes as a threat to national security, and a new police force was instituted as a result.

Today, in its movement from an absolute, repressive government toward a modest degree of democracy, Qatar guarantees certain civil rights, such as freedom of the press. The people were allowed to vote in a referendum on the country's first constitution in 2003; after receiving public approval, the constitution was ratified in 2004. The country's first national legislative elections were scheduled for 2013, but were postponed.

Currently, the Qatari government is a constitutional emirate set up along patriarchal family lines. The ruling family since the nineteenth century has been the Al Thani family. The emir is the chief of state and is granted absolute power; however, he is subject to Islamic law, or sharia. The prime minister is head of government. The emir's Advisory Council and religious elders help the leader to make political decisions. Political parties and trade unions are illegal in Qatar, and detailed information about government revenues and expenditures are not made public. The country's treatment of migrant workers, who fill many jobs in construction and other key sectors of the Qatari economy, has drawn criticism from labor activists.

The Qatari government has had tense relations with several neighboring Arabic countries as it tries to influence regional politics by funding various Islamist groups such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. Though the Riyadh Agreement of 2014 eased these tensions somewhat, in 2017 Qatar was accused of violating the agreement by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, all of whom severed their diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar.

Interesting Facts

• The myth of the unicorn is thought to be based on the Arabian white oryx, which has become part of wildlife conservation efforts in Qatar. The oryx is also the national symbol of the country.
• When Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, it became the first Arab nation to be selected to host the hugely popular global soccer tournament.
• Al Jazeera, the preeminent Arabic television broadcasting network, is based in Qatar.
• In the 2010s, Sheika al-Mayassa al-Thani collected numerous works of art, both Western and Islamic, for the Qatar Museums.

Bibliography

"Qatar." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 16 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/qatar/. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, 2022, 13 Mar 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

"Qatar Country Profile." BBC News, 7 Sept. 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14702226. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.