Qatar
Asia · Western Asia
Overview
Qatar is a small peninsula nation on the Persian Gulf, sharing a land border only with Saudi Arabia, with its coastline otherwise entirely surrounded by the waters of the Gulf. The country holds one of the world's largest proven natural gas reserves, wealth that has rapidly transformed a traditional society once based on pearl diving and trade into a modern, high-income state since the mid-20th century. Qatar was a British protectorate until 1971, and the country is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by the Al Thani dynasty since the mid-19th century. The official language is Arabic, and a significant portion of the population consists of foreign workers, who make up the vast majority of the total population.
Doha, the capital, with modern skyscrapers, including the skyline of the West Bay district, and the National Museum of Qatar, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and inspired by the shape of desert rose crystals, serves as the country's political and economic center. Souq Waqif, Doha's traditional market, carefully restored to preserve the atmosphere of the historic trading quarter, offers spices, textiles, and local craft products. The Museum of Islamic Art, also designed by I. M. Pei, houses one of the region's most significant collections of Islamic art. The archaeological site of Al Zubarah, the ruins of an abandoned 18th- and 19th-century trading and pearling town, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2013.
Qatar's inland desert areas, including Khor Al Adaid, also known as the "Inland Sea," where desert sand dunes meet the sea directly, can be explored through jeep tours and desert camping. The Persian Gulf coastline, particularly the artificial Pearl Island and Qatar's coral reefs, offers excellent opportunities for coastal relaxation and diving. Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2022, an event that brought significant investment into the country's sports infrastructure, including Lusail Stadium, which remains a tourist attraction today. Local cuisine blends Arab and Persian influences, with machboos, spiced rice with meat or fish, as a signature dish, often served with dates and Arabic coffee.
Map
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Browse all UNESCO sites →Al Zubarah Archaeological Site
The walled coastal town of Al Zubarah in the Persian Gulf flourished as a pearling and trading centre in the late 18th century 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 harbour and 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 which 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.
Data: UNESCO WHC · CC BY-SA 4.0
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Qatar?
The capital of Qatar is Doha.
What is the area of Qatar?
The area of Qatar is 11,586 km².
What is the population of Qatar?
The population of Qatar is 2,857,822.
What is the currency of Qatar?
The currency of Qatar is Qatari riyal (QAR).
What is the official language of Qatar?
The official language of Qatar: Arabic.
What side of the road does Qatar drive on?
Qatar: Right-hand traffic.
Is Qatar a member of the United Nations?
Yes, Qatar is a member of the United Nations.