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Qatar


Doha's West Bay skyline in the evening.
Doha's West Bay skyline in the evening with a traditional Arabic dhow (boat) in the foreground. Qatar's capital is located on Doha Bay in the central east of the peninsula.
Image: moofushi

 
Location map of Qatar. Where in the world is Qatar?
Location map of Qatar
Qatar Flag
Flag of Qatar



Destination Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, a Nations Online country profile of the emirate in the Persian Gulf.

Qatar is situated on a peninsula that extends from the Arabian Peninsula approximately 190 km (120 mi) north into the Persian (or Arab) Gulf. Qatar's only land border is with Saudi Arabia. The country shares maritime borders with Bahrain, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The country covers an area of 11,586 km² (4,473 sq mi); compared, Qatar is about 1.25 times larger than Cyprus or somewhat larger than Puerto Rico. Qatar's landscape is mostly flat desert except in the southwest, where undulating dunes form and flatten towards Khawr al Udayd, the so-called Inland Sea, a bay of the Persian Gulf. Only 1% of the country is used as arable land.

The emirate (an Arabic Islamic monarchy) has a population of about 3 million people (in 2022); Qatari nationals represent only a minority (less than 15%) in the Gulf state. The capital and largest city is Doha (Ad Dawhah, est. population 800,000). Official language is Arabic (Gulf Arabic). English is the second language and lingua franca, especially in commerce and tourism. Hindi and Urdu are also widely spoken.

 

State of Qatar | Dawlat Qatar | دولة قطر


Background:
Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate, noted mainly for pearling, into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995.
In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)

Other Gulf States: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

Qatar is a member state of the League of Arab States.
 

 


Country Profile


Official Name:
دولة قطر Dawlat Qatar
short form: Qatar
int'l long form: State of Qatar
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like a guitar.

ISO Country Code: qa, QAT

Actual Time: Mon-Mar-18  01:37
Local Time =
UTC +3h

Country Calling Code: +974

Capital City: Doha (Ad Dawhah)

Other Cities:
Umm Said, Al-Khor, Dukhan, Ruwais

...show more



 


Official Sites of Qatar

Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

Amiri Diwan of the State of Qatar
The building of the Amiri Diwan of the State of Qatar. It houses the sovereign body and the seat of the ruler of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Sixth Ruler of the State of Qatar. The Amiri Diwan represents the political center of Qatar.
Image: Amiri Diwan of the State of Qatar


Official Sites of Qatar
Qatar is a constitutional emirate and an absolute Islamic state. The desert country has been ruled as a hereditary monarchy by the House of Thani since Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani signed a treaty with the British in 1868, which recognized the independence of Qatar. Real independence from the United Kingdom was only obtained in 1971.
Parties do not exist, and union activities are subject to strict regulations.

The Emir as the monarch, is the head of state, the head of the executive and the legislative power, and the government is answerable to him alone. He is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

State religion is Islam. According to Qatar's constitution, Sharia law is the main source of Qatari legislation. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar. The decision to award Qatar the hosting of the 2022 World Cup has been heavily criticized due to its labor laws and laws criminalizing same-sex sexual activity.



Qatar Government

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Official Websites of Qatar

royal Amiri Diwan - State of Qatar
The Amiri Diwan is the seat of Qatar's government. The government complex houses the offices of the Emir, the Crown Prince, and the Prime Minister, and there are several buildings for the Council of Ministers. The complex is the ceremonial and administrative center of Qatar.

Government Communications Office of Qatar
Official website of Qatar's Government Communications Office (GCO). "The GCO works to be the principal source of news and information related to the government of Qatar."

Hukoomi
Hukoomi is the official gateway to all information and services you need to live, work or stay in Qatar.


Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar.


Diplomatic Missions
Permanent Mission of Qatar to the UN
Qatar's representation to the United Nations.
Embassy of Qatar in Washington DC
The Embassy of Qatar in the US.
Embassy of Qatar in Cairo
The Embassy of Qatar in Egypt.
Foreign Diplomatic Missions to Qatar and Qatar's Missions Abroad
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides addresses of the Diplomatic Missions.

Statistics
Planning and Statistics Authority
The Central Statistical Office of Qatar

Weather
Qatar Meteorology Department
National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology.
 

 


Maps of Qatar



Qatar Map showing Municipalities of Qatar
Map of Qatar (click the map to enlarge)
Image: © nationsonline.org


Maps


Map of Qatar
Political Map of Qatar.
Google Earth Google Earth Qatar
Searchable map/satellite view of Qatar.
Google Earth Google Earth Doha
Searchable map/satellite view of Qatar's capital city.


Map of the Arabian Peninsula
Political map of the Arabian Peninsula.
Map of the Persian Gulf
Political map of the Persian Gulf.
Map of Northern Africa and the Middle East
Political Map of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Middle East.
profile Map of Western Asia
Map of Western Asia and the Middle East region.

Political Map of Asia
Reference map of Asia.
 

 


News of Qatar



Newsstand- newspaper, kiosk of Qatar
News from Qatar


Media in Qatar
The wealthy Gulf emirate has built a media empire whose influence is felt throughout the Arab world and beyond. However, reporting on domestic issues remains a real challenge for journalists, as Al-Jazeera and the domestic media very rarely criticize the state and the government. [RSF]


Press Agencies
Qatar News Agency (QNA)
The state-run Qatar News Agency (QNA) was established on 25 May 1975 by Emir Decree.


Arabic language newspapers online
Al-Raya
Qatar News (in Arabic)
Al-Sharq
Daily News (in Arabic)


Business
Financial Times - Qatar
Qatar-related business news by the Financial Times.

English language newspapers
DohaNews
Online news site with the latest news from Qatar and surrounding areas.
Gulf News
Daily English language newspaper published in Dubai covers news from the Gulf region.
Gulf Times
National and international news.
The Peninsula Qatar
International and Qatar-related news.

Wikipedia W List of newspapers in Qatar
Wikipedia's list of newspapers in Qatar.

International news sources
BBC Qatar
Qatar-related news by the BBC.

The Guardian
Revealed: Qatar's World Cup 'slaves'.


TV
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera (The Peninsula) is a Qatari state television station with international reach based in Doha. Al Jazeera Arabic was founded in 1996 and was the first independent news channel in the Arab world. Al Jazeera English was launched in November 2006.

Qatar Television
Qatar TV is a public television station in Qatar, owned and operated by the government of Qatar.


 

 


Arts & Culture of Qatar


The new building of the National Museum of Qatar resembles a desert rose.
Exterior of Qatar's new National Museum in Doha with Ahmed Al Bahrani's 20 m high sculpture Flag of Glory in the foreground. According to the museum's website: "The National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) gives voice to Qatar's rich heritage and culture." The design of the museum is inspired by desert rose crystals. The dark dot in the sky is a fighter plane on approach to the nearby airport.
Image: Gilbert Sopakuwa


Qatar Arts & Culture


Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage
Portal of the ministry responsible for administering Qatar's cultural policies and programs.

Katara Cultural Village
The Cultural Village Foundation is Qatar's project for multicultural activities. Katara hosts international, regional, and local festivals, workshops, performances, and exhibitions.

Qatar Digital Library
The Qatar Digital Library's growing archive covers the modern history and culture of the Gulf and wider region and is available online.


Museums
Aerial view of Qatar's Olympic and Sports Museum
Qatar's newest museum, the Olympic and Sports Museum.
Image: Qatar Museums

Qatar Museums
Umbrella organization of Qatar's museums, such as the National Museum of Qatar, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum and the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).

National Museum of Qatar
The museum's collection includes important objects and artifacts representing Qatar's unique history and culture. The National Museum of Qatar is located on the Doha Corniche.

Msheireb Museums
Msheireb Museums is a project by Msheireb Properties that celebrates the histories of four historic heritage houses in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha, the capital city of Qatar.

3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum
The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum in Doha is Qatar's newest museum.



Art

Silver Mask in the Museum of Islamic Art.
Silver Mask in the Museum of Islamic Art. I can't help but be reminded of the mask from V for Vendetta.
Image: Peter Dowley

Museum of Islamic Art
The institution in Doha is considered one of the most important museums of Islamic art on the Arabian Peninsula.


Arab Museum of Modern Art
The Arab Museum of Modern Art is the second art museum in the Emirate of Qatar and the first museum of modern art in the Arabian Basin.


Anima Gallery
Qatari exhibitions and art consulting. The gallery represents artists working in various styles and mediums, featuring original paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and limited edition prints.








Festivals
Qatar National Day parade with camels
Qatar National Day parade.
Image: Mohamod Fasil

Qatar International Art Festival
Art meets commerce or vice versa. The Qatar International Art Festival in Doha takes place in autumn and offers artists from all over the world a stage and the opportunity for creative exchange.

Doha International Book Fair
The Doha International Book Fair

Doha Film Institute
The Doha Film Institute is a non-profit cultural organization that supports the growth of the Qatari film community; it also hosts the annual Ajyal Film Festival.

Qatar Photographic Society
Galleries, Slide Show and Publications. It seems that the institution is permanently closed.



Katara Mosque in the Katara Cultural Village in Doha.
The Katara Mosque, sometimes referred to as the Blue Mosque of Katara, is an ornately designed mosque in the Katara Cultural Village in Doha.
Image: Minas Stratigos
 

 


Business & Economy of Qatar



Doha's skyline of West Bayseen from the corniche
Doha's corniche, the city's waterfront promenade with the skyline of West Bay, the Central Business District of Qatar. In the hazy background, the pyramid-shaped Sheraton Hotel. Doha is a primate city, meaning it is by far the largest and most important city in the country, the center of everything.
Image: Omar Chatriwala


Economy of Qatar


Oil factories in Mesaieed Industrial Area
Oil factories in Mesaieed Industrial Area in southern Qatar.
Image: Alex Sergeev

The onshore Dukhan oil field was discovered in 1940, and Qatar joined the Middle East's oil club. Qatar's oil exports began in 1949, and oil revenues became the country's main source of income, while the pearl trade became less important.

Qatar is one of the world's richest economies in terms of per capita income, mainly due to its natural gas and oil resources. The state of Qatar is the world's third-largest gas producer and the largest producer of liquefied natural gas (110 million tons per year, according to Qatar Gas) and exports 75% of its production.

Banks
Qatar Central Bank
The Central Bank of Qatar.

Qatar National Bank
The National Bank of Qatar.

Commercial Bank of Qatar
The Commercial Bank of Qatar

Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Official website of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Qatar Investment Authority
QIA is a state-owned sovereign investment fund.


Major Companies in Qatar

Industry
Nehmeh
Nehmeh group of companies is one of the oldest and most established multi-disciplined business enterprises in the State of Qatar.

Nakilat
Nakilat (Qatar Gas Transport Company Limited) is a Qatari shipping and maritime company. Its LNG shipping fleet is the largest in the world, comprising 69 vessels.

Qatar National Cement Company
Qatar National Cement Company is a cement manufacturer based in Umm Bab. It was the first cement company established in the country.

United Development Company
UDC is Qatar's leading construction company engaged in various industry sectors such as real estate development and construction, hydrocarbon and energy, hospitality and leisure, and infrastructure and utilities.


Oil & gas
Qatargas
Qatargas is a Qatari company and the world's largest liquefied natural gas company. It annually produces and supplies 42 million metric tons of LNG through its four companies (Qatargas 1, Qatargas 2, Qatargas 3, and Qatargas 4) worldwide.

Gulf Drilling International
Gulf Drilling International Limited (GDI) is a Qatari Shareholding Company based in West Bay, Doha.

QAPCO
Qatar Petrochemical Company and one of the world's largest producers of low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

QatarEnergy
Qatar Petroleum is a state-owned Qatari company headquartered in Doha. The company operates all oil and gas activities in Qatar, including exploration, production, refining, transportation and storage.


Cars
Elibriea Automotive
The first car by Qataris which is designed and built almost entirely in Qatar.


Elibriea sportscar prototype
The Elibriea prototype - Qatar's Supercar? A flux capacitor is not included.
Image: Elibriea


Transportation
Civil Aviation Authority of Qatar
The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) is responsible for civil aviation affairs.

Airline
Qatar Airways
The national carrier of the Arabian Gulf State of Qatar.

Airports
Doha International Airport
Official website with information about schedules, facilities, and services.

Hamad International Airport
The official website of the Hamad International Airport.


Rail
Qatar Rail
Qatar Railways Company is a railroad company under construction in the Emirate of Qatar. At the end of 2009, Deutsche Bahn was awarded the contract to build a 325-kilometer rail network for passenger and freight transport in Qatar.
 

Interior of the Hamad International Airport
The Lamp Bear inside Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.
Image: kk nationsonline.org
 

 


Tourism in Qatar



Aerial view of The Pearl, an artificial Island on reclaimed land in the northern part of Doha.
Aerial view of The Pearl-Qatar in Doha, Qatar. The Pearl is a 400-hectare (4 km²) large artificial island about 330 m off the mainland. The empty space in this image from 2018 is now occupied by the St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island hotel. Room rates start at US$ 668 per night, with breakfast not included.
Image: duncan cumming


Destination Qatar - Travel and Tour Guides



Advertisement

Discover Qatar: Doha, Almaha Sanctuary, Al Jassasiya, Khor Al Udaid Beach, Al Bida Park, Palm Tree Island, Sealine Beach Resort, Al-Gharriyya Resort, Al Thakira Mangrove Forest, Khor Al-Adaid area (desert dunes at the lake, known in the region as the "Inland Sea").

Accommodation, hotels, attractions, festivals, events, tourist boards, tours, and much more.

Fun Activities
Among the fun activities in the emirate are sunset desert safaris, camel rides, sandboarding (like snowboarding only on sand), dune bashing (try to prevent your 4WD from tipping over on the dune), taking selfies at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort, watching the palace guard on camels, explore the Pearl Island in Doha, an artificial island built on one of Qatar's previous major pearl diving sites. Shopping spree at Souq Waqif, one of Doha's ancient traditional markets.


Note: Anyone visiting the State of Qatar between 1 November 2022 and 23 December 2022 must have an approved Hayya Card prior to entry.


Qatar Tourism
Experience Qatar, the official Qatar country travel and tourism site, offers information about the country and also publishes Qatar entry rules.

Best things to do in Qatar
Tips for organizing your vacation in Qatar by the Times UK. The article contains affiliate links.

Qatar National Hotels
Accommodation information by QNHC Qatar National Hotels Company.

Wikivoyage Logo Wikivoyage: Qatar
The free worldwide travel guide in many languages about traveling in Qatar.

Discover Qatar
Guide to Qatar by Qatar Airways.

Doha online
Portal site with information on Qatar and Doha.

Hotels
Mandarin Oriental, Doha
Luxury hotel in Doha.

Marsa Malaz Kempinski
5-star luxury Doha hotel with a private beach.

Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels by Tivoli
Authentic Arabic boutique hotel.


Souq Waqif is a souk (an Arab market or bazaar) in Doha
Souq Waqif is a souk (an Arab market or bazaar) in Doha, Qatar. The souk is popular for its stalls selling traditional clothing, handicrafts, and souvenirs. Dozens of restaurants and terraces for smoking shisha are waiting for customers. Although the market was founded at the end of the 19th century, it was renovated in 2006, preserving the traditional architectural style.
Image: Diego Delso



Travel and safety advice related to Qatar and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Travel advice and travel warnings from various government institutions from different countries. You will find information such as entry requirements during the tournament, booking accommodation, transportation, local laws and customs, entering Qatar from neighboring countries, etc.


Australia Australia

Travel Advisories - The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Latest travel advice you will find in this Australian Travel Advice Index.



Canada Canada

Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Comprehensive country travel advice and country travel reports. Foreign Affairs Canada publishes reports for over 200 destinations around the world. (in English and French).



France France

France Ministère des Affaires étrangères - Conseils aux voyageurs
Global travel warnings (in French).



Germany Germany

Auswärtiges Amt, Länder- und Reiseinformationen
Sicher Reisen: Travel Warnings of the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany for Qatar (in German).



Italy Flag Italy

Viaggiare Sicuri
Consigli di viaggio. Il sito è pubblicato dall'Unità di crisi del Ministero degli Esteri in collaborazione con l'ACI, fornisce le ultime informazioni su tutti i paesi del mondo.
The site is published in Italian by the Foreign Ministry's Crisis Unit and provides the latest information on all world countries.



Spain Spain

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain provides travel advice for all countries.
Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores España
Servicios Consulares y Recomendaciones de Viaje.



United Kingdom United Kingdom

Foreign & Commonwealth Office Country Advice
FCO's country-specific travel advice for Qatar.


US Flag United States

U.S. Travel State Gov: Qatar International Travel Information
Travel Warnings are issued when the United States Department of State decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country.





 

 

What is Qatar known for?


Arabian Oryx in the desert. The Oryx is the national animal of Qatar.
Arabian Oryx in the desert. The Oryx is the national animal of Qatar.
Image: Adobe Stock - SELIMBT



Al Jazeera and Qatar Airways are presumably the most internationally recognized Qatari brands. What is not quite as well known is that Qatar is among the countries with the world's largest stocks of petroleum and natural gas. The country is home to the world's largest single natural gas field (offshore North Dome field).

Common to other Arab countries is the use of dhows (wooden sailing ships), dromedaries (camels), falconry, prayer rugs, the traditional (white) male garb (Dischdascha, Thawb) and the Arabic language and script.


Sand as far as the eye can see. Large mobile dunes surround the Inland Sea of Khor Al-Adaid. Khor Al-Adaid natural reserve is on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites Tentative List for Qatar.



Qatar is famous for:

Lusail Stadium in Lusail will host the final game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar's second largest city, which is part of the Doha metropolitan area. The stadium will host the final game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Image: Shane Smith (Courtesy of Qatar Tourism)


Qatar is known for being one of the richest countries in the world (in terms of GDP per capita at constant prices). [gfmag]



FIFA World Cup 2022
Qatar is host to the FIFA World Cup 2022.
It is the first World Cup football tournament held in the Arab world. It is the first football world championship to be held at the end of the year rather than in the summer. It will also be the first World Cup where beer sales are banned in the stadiums.



Liquified Natural Gas
Qatar is among the TOP 3 countries with proven natural gas reserves. [WP]



Jewelled Falcon at the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha
Jeweled Falcon at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar.
Image: Osama Bhutta


Falcons

The falcon is the national bird of Qatar. Nomadic Bedouins introduced the ancient tradition of hunting with hawks and falcons to the people of Qatar, and the art is still passed down from one generation to the next. One can purchase falcons in downtown Doha at falcon souqs or through private dealers.



Camels

Camels, or more precisely dromedaries (lat.: Camelus dromedarius), are ubiquitous on the Arabian Peninsula. The "desert ships" are specially bred and used for camel races and serve as milk and meat supplier. The Qatari tradition of camel races is steeped in history - but today, there are robot riders in the saddle.



The most famous pigeon towers in Qatar can be seen at Katara Cultural Village
The most famous pigeon towers (temporarily closed) in Qatar can be seen at Katara Cultural Village.
Image: Oliver Romo Miranda


 
Pigeon Towers

The famous Pigeon Towers in Katara Cultural village are a popular photo motif.



Doha Corniche

The Doha Corniche is Qatar's most famous seafront promenade; it stretches for several kilometers along the bay in Doha. The main road connects the central business district with the south of the city and Doha's international airport.



No taxes

There are a small number of countries in the world with zero federal income tax, and Qatar is one of them. It is presumably because the government has a revenue surplus from oil and gas exports. You will need a Qatar Work Residence Permit for a permanent stay in the country.



Small Country

The small Qatar Peninsula juts north into the Persian Gulf. Qatar, one of the richest countries in the world per capita, is one of the smaller nations in the world (it would fit almost three times into Belgium).



Petroglyphs, rock carving at Jebel Jassassiyeh, Qatar
A rock carving in Jebel Jassassiyeh.
Image: Qatar Museums

The Pearl

The Pearl is a 400-hectare artificial island about 330 meters off the east coast of the mainland. The artificial islet is located about 20 km north of Doha Airport and about 16 km northeast of the center of Doha's Central Business District.



Al Jassasiya Rock Carvings

Jebel Jassassiyeh is an area of low limestone hills in northeastern Qatar with early petroglyphs, settlements and shards of pottery (15th century).
The carvings in the fossil dunes include geometric shapes, animals, and boat shapes. It is Qatar's most extensive rock art site, with over 900 carvings scattered across more than 580 numbered sites. These rock carvings are similar to those found at the Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt.



East-West/West-East -- sculpture by Richard Serra in Qatar's Brouq nature reserve.
East-West/West-East -- sculpture by Richard Serra in Qatar's Brouq nature reserve.
Image: Shane Smith - Courtesy of Qatar Tourism


East-West/West-East

The breathtaking sculpture in the Brouq nature reserve on the Zekreet Peninsula spans over a kilometer and comprises four steel plates, each over fourteen meters in height.

To guarantee perfect alignment, Serra examined the topography of the land and enhanced the vast, desolate space in the heart of the desert. The result is spectacular, contemporary and timeless.


The Villaggio Mall, Italian style shopping center in Qatar
The Villaggio Mall is a shopping center located in the Aspire Zone in the western part of Doha, the capital of Qatar. The interior was designed in Italian style, including a 150-meter canal with gondolas.
Image: Jaseem Hamza


 


UNESCO World Heritage Sites


Al Zubara Fort, Qatar
Al Zubara Fort is a historic Qatari military fort built on the northwestern coast of the peninsula under Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani in 1938 to serve as a Coast Guard station. Today the fortress is one of Qatar's tourist attractions.
Image: Raytohgraphy


UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Qatar
There is one UNESCO World Heritage Site in Qatar, and one site on the Tentative List (see UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in Qatar)


World Heritage Site Al Zubarah Archaeological Site
The walled coastal town of Al Zubarah in the Persian Gulf flourished as a pearling and trading center in the late 18th and early 19th centuries before it was destroyed in 1811 and abandoned in the early 1900s. Founded by merchants from Kuwait, Al Zubarah had trading links across the Indian Ocean, Arabia, and Western Asia. A layer of sand blown from the desert has protected the remains of the site’s palaces, mosques, streets, courtyard houses, and fishermen’s huts; its harbor, double defensive walls, a canal, walls, and cemeteries. Excavation has only taken place over a small part of the site, which offers an outstanding testimony to an urban trading and pearl-diving tradition that sustained the region’s major coastal towns and led to the development of small independent states that flourished outside the control of the Ottoman, European, and Persian empires and eventually led to the emergence of modern-day Gulf States. [UNESCO]


National Monuments Sites in Qatar

Ruwayda
Ruwayda is a ruined city in the north of Qatar. It stretches for 2.5 km along the coast and is one of Qatar's largest archaeological sites, also housing the country's largest fort. The city was probably inhabited from 1500 until late 1700.

Al Wajbah Fort
Al Wajbah Fort is one of the oldest forts in Qatar. The fort is located in the Al Wajbah area of ​​Al Rayyan, about 15 kilometers west of Doha. This fort was built in 1893 and was once the site of an important battle called the Battle of Al Wajbah.

Al Jumail
Al Jumail is an abandoned village inhabited by the Alkubaisi tribe in northeast Qatar located in the municipality of Al Shamal. It was an important town in the northern peninsula before the 21st century.


Al Jumail, abandoned pearling and fishing village, Qatar
The pearling and fishing village of Al Jumail, also known as the fisherman's village, is a small traditional but abandoned village on the northwest coast of Qatar. It was originally inhabited by people of the Al Kubaisi tribe. Al Jumail offers a glimpse into life before Qatar's spectacular oil and gas-fueled economic boom.
Image: Manjri Saxena



Education in Qatar



Qatar National Library Doha
Building of the Qatar National Library, Doha.
Image: trevor.patt


Ministry of Education and Higher Education
Official website of the ministry, the highest official authority on all educational affairs in the State of Qatar.

Major universities in Qatar

Hamad Bin Khalifa University
Hamad Bin Khalifa University is a public university located within Education City in Doha, the capital city of Qatar.

Georgetown University in Qatar
University Georgetown in Qatar

Doha College
The British international school in Doha, a not-for-profit organization, is sponsored by the British Embassy.

University of Qatar
The official website of Qatar University, the country's only state university was founded in 1977.
 
Library
Qatar National Library
The Official website of the National Library of Qatar.


 


Environment & Nature



Desert south of Doha
In the desert south of Doha, the inevitable tire tracks are left by tiresome dune bashers.
Image: Steven Byles

Government institutions
Ministry of Municipality and Environment
The former Supreme Council for the Environment & Natural Reserves (SCENR) is now part of the ministry. Official website with information about the ministry and Qatar's environmental agenda.

Non-profit organizations
Friends Of The Environment Center
Official website of Friends Of The Environment, most information is in Arabic.

Environment in Qatar
Qatar Foundation rubric about the country's environment.

Global Dryland Alliance
The Global Dryland Alliance is a collaborative undertaking of members and partners to make dryland countries' food secure.

Qatar Green Building Council Villa
The Global Dryland Alliance is a collaborative undertaking of members and partners to make dryland countries' food secure.

 

 


Qatar History



Doha Bay in 1904 with a fleet of dhows in the waning years of the pearl industry.
This 1904 image of Doha Bay shows a fleet of dhows in the waning years of the pearl industry.
Image: Hermann Burchardt - Hakaimagazine


History of Qatar
The country's modern history began in 1766 with the founding of the city of Al-Zubārah. The city became an important economic outpost. On 3 September 1971, the modern state of Qatar was established with the declaration of independence (from the UK).

Qatar History
Article about Qatar's history by Welcome Qatar magazine.

Qatar History
A timeline of Qatar's history, provided by the country's tourism authority.

Timeline of Qatar's history
BBC page with a chronological overview of events in the history of Qatar.

History of Qatar
Wikipedia entry on Qatar's history.

House of Thani
Wikipedia article about the family ruling Qatar since the eighteenth century.
 


 


 



 
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