Qatar

Qatar << KUHT uhr or KAH tahr or GAH tahr >> is a small Arab country in southwestern Asia. It occupies a peninsula that juts from eastern Arabia into the Persian Gulf (commonly known as the Arabian Gulf in Arab countries). Doha is Qatar’s capital and largest city.

Over two-thirds of Qatar’s people were born in other countries. The native-born people are called Qataris. Until the 1940’s, most Qataris worked tending camels, fishing, or diving for pearls. Today, most work in cities or oil fields.

Qatar’s economy depends largely on oil and natural gas. Since the 1950’s, the government has earned a large amount of income from oil exports and has used it to develop Qatar. Qatar ranks among the richest nations in terms of average income per person. The government provides free education, free health care, and housing for the poor.

Qatar became a protectorate of the United Kingdom in 1916. It gained full independence in 1971.

Government.

Qatar is an emirate. An emir (prince) rules the country. The emir is a member of the al-Thani family, which has ruled Qatar since the mid-1800’s. He appoints a Council of Ministers and an Advisory Council. The government allows no political parties. A central Municipal Council, elected by the people, advises on the provision of municipal services.

In 2003, Qataris voted in favor of a new constitution, which became effective in 2005. The constitution established a 45-member Shura Council (parliament) in which 30 members are elected by the people and 15 members are appointed by the emir. The constitution allows both men and women to vote and hold office. Parliamentary elections were first held in 2021.

People.

Oil was discovered in Qatar in 1939. By the 1950’s, the oil industry was providing more jobs than had ever been available in Qatar before. As a result, thousands of people moved to Qatar from other Arab countries.

Arabs make up most of the population of Qatar. Arabic is the official language, but many business executives and government officials use English when they deal with people from other countries. Islam is the state religion.

Most of Qatar’s people live in or near Doha in modern houses or apartments. Some Qataris wear Western clothing, but most prefer traditional Arab garments.

The government requires children from the ages of 6 to 16 to go to school. Almost all adults can read and write.

Land and climate.

Most of Qatar’s land is stony desert. Barren salt flats cover the south.

Summer temperatures sometimes rise above 120 °F (49 °C), but the winter is cooler. Qatar seldom gets more than 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain a year.

Qatar has little natural water. It must distill most of its drinking water, which comes from the sea. The people grew few crops until the late 1950’s, when the government dug wells and made crop growth possible.

Economy.

Oil is Qatar’s most important product and chief export. The export of petroleum and petroleum products provides most of Qatar’s income. The government encourages the development of other industries so Qatar will not have to depend entirely on oil. The government owns and operates the oil wells and refineries; flour mills; a fishing fleet; and plants that produce cement, fertilizers, petrochemicals, plastics, and steel.

Agriculture plays a small role in Qatar’s economy, and the country must import most of its food. Qatar also imports chemicals, machinery, and transportation equipment. The country’s chief trading partners include China, India, Japan, South Korea, and other Asian countries.

Doha has a port and an international airport. Roads link Doha to the rest of Qatar and to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The government finances a satellite TV station called Al-Jazeera that broadcasts throughout much of the world.

History.

People have lived in what is now Qatar for thousands of years. Before oil was discovered, they made a living by raising camels, fishing, or diving for pearls.

The people of Qatar had no strong government until the late 1700’s, when the Wahhābis, an Islamic sect from Saudi Arabia, took control of the country. During the mid-1800’s, sheiks (Arab chiefs) of the al-Thani family became the leaders of Qatar’s tribes. The Ottomans extended their territory to Qatar during the late 1800’s. In 1916, Qatar became a British protectorate.

Exploration for oil in Qatar began in 1930. The government granted a 75-year drilling right to the foreign-owned Qatar Petroleum Company in 1935. The company first found oil in 1939 in western Qatar. But World War II began that year and delayed oil exportation until 1949.

Qatar became an independent nation in 1971. In 1972, Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani, the deputy ruler, became emir after peacefully overthrowing his cousin, Emir Ahmad bin Ali al-Thani. In the mid-1970’s, the government took ownership of Qatar’s petroleum industry. In 1981, Qatar and other states of eastern Arabia formed the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to work together in such matters as defense and economic projects.

In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. After the invasion, Qatar allowed the United States and other allied forces to use a Qatari air force base to attack the Iraqi forces. As part of the GCC, Qatar took part in the bombing of Iraqi military targets and in the ground offensive to liberate Kuwait in early 1991.

Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the crown prince, peacefully overthrew his father, Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani, in 1995 to become emir. The new ruler had long served as Qatar’s defense minister. Emir Hamad handed power to his son, Crown Prince Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, in 2013.

In 2017, several members of the GCC—Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and began a land, sea, and air blockade of the nation. The four nations accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and maintaining close ties with Iran. Qatar denied the allegations. The blockade damaged both Qatar’s economy and Arab unity. In January 2021, after months of negotiations, the four GCC members restored ties with Qatar and ended the blockade.

Qatar held its first parliamentary elections in October 2021. The people elected 30 members of the Shura Council, a 45-member parliament established by the Constitution of 2005. The emir appoints 15 members of the Shura Council.

In 2010, Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament. It became the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup.

See also Doha; Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); Persian Gulf War of 1991.