Qatar — map and facts

#### About Qatar Qatar is a small sovereign emirate occupying a peninsula that juts northward from the Arabian Peninsula into the Persian Gulf. Despite its modest geographic footprint, Qatar has become one of the wealthiest nations in the world per capita, driven by vast reserves of natural gas and oil. Doha serves as the capital and is home to the vast majority of the country's approximately 3 million residents, of whom roughly 85 percent are expatriate workers from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and other parts of the world. Qatar is governed as an absolute monarchy under the ruling Al Thani family, which has held power since the mid-nineteenth century. The country has pursued an ambitious foreign policy and international profile, hosting major media organizations, international summits, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first Middle Eastern country to host the tournament. Islamic traditions and customs underpin Qatari society and law.

#### Geography and Landscape Qatar occupies a low-lying limestone peninsula extending approximately 160 kilometers from north to south and about 80 kilometers at its widest point east to west, with a total area of roughly 11,586 square kilometers. The terrain is predominantly flat and arid, consisting mainly of salt flats, sandy desert, and gravelly plains. The Khor Al Adaid, or Inland Sea, in the southeast is a striking natural feature where sea inlets penetrate deep into the desert, creating a UNESCO-recognized landscape. The coastline stretches approximately 563 kilometers and features coral reefs and shallow waters that historically supported pearl diving. Qatar's summers are extremely hot and humid, with temperatures regularly exceeding 45 degrees Celsius, while winters are mild and dry. Rainfall is minimal, averaging less than 80 millimeters annually. The country has virtually no rivers or permanent freshwater sources, relying instead on desalination plants for its water supply.

#### History Qatar's territory has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with evidence of human settlement dating back thousands of years along its coastline. For much of its history, Qatar was a relatively minor area under the influence of various regional powers, including the Umayyad Caliphate and later the Ottoman Empire. The Al Thani tribe consolidated control over the peninsula during the nineteenth century. Britain established a protectorate over Qatar in 1916 through a treaty that gave the United Kingdom control over Qatar's foreign affairs in exchange for protection. Qatar declared independence on 3 September 1971, following the withdrawal of British forces from the Persian Gulf region. The discovery of oil in 1940 and the subsequent development of the world's third-largest natural gas reserves, particularly the North Field shared with Iran, fundamentally transformed Qatar's economy and society. Rapid modernization and urbanization accelerated from the 1970s onward, culminating in Qatar's emergence as a major global actor in the early twenty-first century.