Geography

Qatar occupies a small peninsula that juts northward into the Persian Gulf from the coastline of the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar is bordered to the southwest by Saudi Arabia. The Gulf of Bahrain lies to the west, separating Qatar from the Saudi Arabian coast and from the small island nation of Bahrain. The Persian Gulf is to the north and east. Qatar has an area of 4,416 square miles (11,437 square kilometers), including a number of nearby small islands.

The land of Qatar is mainly flat. The only hills are along the western coast. Most of Qatar's area consists of sandy dunes, rolling desert, salt flats, and dry plains. Sandstorms often strike the country. The weather is hot and humid during the summer, with temperatures as high as 122° F (50° C). The winter days are sunny and warm, but nights can approach freezing levels. Little rain falls, but there is enough groundwater for growing fruits and vegetables.

Plants and animals

Only a limited number of desert grasses, shrubs, and plants grow in Qatar's dry environment. Some desert animals can be found in the country, including insects, geckos, skinks, desert hares, and the jumping rodents called jerboas. The Arabian oryx, a white gazelle that once lived in the region, now exists only in captivity. Many different kinds of birds are found in Qatar, including sparrows, parakeets, gulls, and cormorants.

People and culture

Qataris, or ethnic Arabs born in Qatar, are a minority in the country's population. Most of the people of Qatar are immigrant workers who came to the country to work in the oil industry. The largest of these groups are Arabs from neighboring countries, Pakistanis, Indians, and Iranians. Arabic is the official language, but English is widely used as a second language. Like neighboring Arab countries, Qatar is an Islamic state. However, it is not as strict in its observance of Islam as is Saudi Arabia.

The Qatari people are descendants of desert nomads known as Bedouins. Traditional Bedouin culture continues to influence life in modern Qatar. Bedouin arts such as rug weaving, poetry writing, and singing are still practiced. Men normally wear traditional white robes in public. Following Islamic law, women usually cover themselves in public with a black veil, even while dressing in modern Western clothing. Their traditional dress is often decorated with gold or silver embroidery.

Economy

Qatar's economy is heavily dependent on oil. Petroleum and petroleum products account for most of the country's revenue and exports. Qatar's oil reserves are limited, however, and the country has taken steps to make its economy more diverse. In the 1990s Qatar began to develop its huge natural gas deposits. The country's major manufactured goods apart from oil include chemicals, steel, and cement. Qatar has also become an important banking center in the Persian Gulf region.

Farming is only a small part of Qatar's economy because so little of the land is suitable for growing crops. Much food must be imported. However, irrigation allows farmers to grow fruits and vegetables such as dates, melons, tomatoes, eggplants, and squash.

History

For centuries the land that is now Qatar was a quiet territory of nomadic groups and small fishing villages. During the 18th century families migrated to the region from their homes farther west and north on the Arabian Peninsula. In 1783 the most powerful of these families conquered the island of Bahrain and became the ruling family there. They also continued to claim part of Qatar, though after they conquered Bahrain Qatar was actually ruled by a series of leaders known as sheikhs. During this period the area was known for piracy, which especially concerned the British.

In 1867 a dispute between the Bahraini ruling family and the people of Qatar turned into a war. Doha was virtually destroyed in the conflict. In the following year the British intervened by signing a treaty with a powerful local ruler, Muhammad al-Thani. As a result of the treaty, power eventually passed from the Bahraini family to that of al-Thani. The al-Thani family continued to rule Qatar into the 21st century.

Forces of the Ottoman Empire occupied Qatar in 1871. During World War I (1914–18), as the Ottoman Empire collapsed, Qatar came under the protection of Britain. By that time piracy in the region had virtually stopped. The economy of Qatar then depended almost entirely on pearl diving, fishing, and camel breeding. After oil was discovered in 1939, however, the country rapidly modernized. Qatar achieved independence from Britain in 1971.

As oil revenues rose, disputes within the ruling al-Thani family grew. In 1972 Sheikh Khalifah al-Thani came to power after overthrowing his cousin. In 1995 Sheikh Khalifah was ousted by his son, Sheikh Hamad. Population (2000 estimate), 599,000.