The political leadership of Qatar has been working over recent decades to position the country as a powerful economy and influential sovereign entity, well prepared to address future challenges. With a relatively small population and substantial revenue generated from having the third-largest proven natural gas reserves globally, Qatar has one of the world’s highest GDP per capita, at nearly $84,900 at current prices and $118,150 in purchasing power parity in 2024, according to IMF estimates.
Prior to 2010 the country was primarily known for its vast gas reserves; however, Qatar’s global profile received a major boost in 2010 when it won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which took place in November and December of that year. Qatar is leveraging its natural resources to become a knowledge-based, diversified economy. Building on the success of the sports event, Qatar aims to attract more foreign direct investment inflows, foster the expansion of its private sector, and further develop non-oil growth engines such as tourism, sports, financial services, technology, real estate and logistics.
However, the population decreased slightly after 2019, as some migrant workers returned home following the completion of the 2022 FIFA World Cup construction projects. The Covid-19 pandemic also contributed to this drop, leading to some foreign workers returning to their home borders closed around the world in the early months of the health crisis. In the aftermath of the health crisis and the sports event this downward trend has slowed, with each year since 2022 recording a slight increase in population.
History
Qatar became a self-governing country on September 3, 1971 after declaring independence from the UK. However, it celebrates Qatar National Day on December 18 to mark the unification of all Qatari tribes in 1878 under Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, who is regarded as the founder of the state. Although a relatively young country, the peninsula on which Qatar is located has a long history of human habitation, with archaeological finds dating back to the Ubaid civilisation of Mesopotamia, which flourished in what is modern-day Iraq and Syria between the 7th and 4th millennia BCE.
In the late 3rd and early 2nd millennia BCE the area came under the influence of the Dilmun civilisation, which covered the northern Gulf, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the eastern portions of Saudi Arabia. This era was marked by the development of pearl diving and trading, which would later become mainstays of the developing Gulf economies. Both the Babylonians and the Assyrians exerted influence over the region following this era. All territories, including Qatar, had contact with the Seleucid Empire, a successor of the empire built by Alexander the Great.
The Persians established control in the Gulf around 250 BCE, and the country became a prominent regional trading hub, producing pearls and dye, while also acting as an important trans-shipment centre. The Persians maintained control of the area until the early years of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad first sent an envoy to the region in 628 CE, and eastern Arabia was one of the first areas that adopted the religion during the 7th century. A number of Islamic dynasties flourished in the region during the medieval period. During the 16th and 17th centuries both the Portuguese and the Ottomans fought for control of the Arabian Peninsula. The Bani Khalid Arab tribal federation took over in 1670. Al Zubarah, Qatar’s UNESCO World Heritage site, was established at that time as a trading and commercial city on the north-west coast.
Autonomy
Qatar’s capital, Doha, was originally founded as Al Bidda in 1825 at a time when the British were beginning to increase their influence across the Middle East, which had strategic importance as a crossroads between Europe and India. British officials eventually acknowledged Qatar and Bahrain as distinct entities, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Al Thani as the ruler of Qatar. In 1893 Sheikh Mohammed’s son, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, staved off an Ottoman attack at the fort of Al Wajbah with an army of several thousand men. This resulted in the acknowledgement of Qatar’s autonomy by the Ottoman sultan. Although it officially remained part of the Ottoman Empire, the event is considered by many as one of the key moments in the foundation of Qatar as an independent state.
As the Ottoman Empire declined in the early 20th century, Qatar, like many of its neighbours, became a British protectorate. In 1971 the anticipated British withdrawal was finalised and Qatar became independent. In June 1995 Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani came into power, with a new constitution approved by referendum in 2003 and entering into force in 2005. A range of social reforms have since taken place, and the role of women in public life has greatly increased over recent years. On June 25, 2013 Sheikh Hamad handed the throne over to his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who remains in power.
Geography
Qatar is located on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula and extends approximately 160 km out into the Gulf, with its only land border being a 60-km stretch shared with Saudi Arabia, which was officially demarcated in 2001. Qatar also shares maritime borders with Bahrain to the north, Iran to the north-east and the UAE to the south-east. The peninsula lies approximately 30 km from the main island of Bahrain, and Bahrain’s Hawar Islands are only 1.5 km from the Qatari coast. A decision by the International Court of Justice in 2001 acted to resolve a long-standing dispute between the two countries pertaining to the status of the islands.
Another equally important maritime boundary with Iran cuts through the world’s largest natural gas field, meaning that around 60% of the field – known in Qatar as the North Field – lies in Qatari territorial waters. The remainder of the field is referred to as the South Pars Field and is under Iranian control. A number of islands surround the country’s mainland, the most important of which is Halul Island, as it serves as a loading and storage terminal for neighbouring offshore oilfields. The island is the closest inhabited island to the maritime border with the UAE.
Qatar is almost entirely surrounded by the waters of the Gulf. The peninsula is low-lying, with the highest point – Qurayn Abu Al Bawl – being just 103 metres above sea level. The majority of the country is composed of predominantly flat desert, covered by loose sand and rock. Khor Al Udaid, which is known as the Inland Sea, is a large natural water inlet that is surrounded by sand dunes. It is a largely uninhabited nature reserve, which serves as the country’s most widely renowned natural tourist attraction.
Climate
Qatar has a hot and humid summer, and a relatively mild winter. The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority classifies December to February as winter and May to September as summer. According to the authority, mean maximum temperatures from 1962 to 2013 ranged from 22°C to 41.9°C. The highest recorded temperature was 50.4°C in July 2010 and the lowest on file was 1.5°C in February 2017. The mean temperatures over the past 45 years were 35.3°C and 17.4°C for July and January, respectively.
With no surface freshwater and depleting aquifers, Qatar is a water-scarce country with an average annual rainfall of 77 mm. The government has stated that groundwater is extracted almost four times faster than the rate at which it can recharge naturally, at 220m cu metres per year in comparison to a replenishment rate at close to 60m cu metres per year. Groundwater is used almost exclusively for agricultural purposes. Given the extreme weather conditions, the limited arable land and water scarcity in the country, Qatar imports much of the food it requires, although in recent years it has worked to become self-sufficient in several segments. The majority of water for residential, commercial and industrial use comes from desalination plants.
In December 2018 Qatar launched the Water Security Mega Reservoirs Project, which will extend water storage capacity by up to seven days, in line with anticipated demand for 2026. Qatar has also been a leading member of the Global Dryland Alliance, a UN-supported collaborative undertaking to ensure that dryland countries are food-secure. The executive council of the alliance – which has 11 founding members – held its first session in February 2018 in Doha, where the organisation is headquartered.
Population
According to the Planning and Statistics Authority, which publishes quarterly demographic figures, the total population of the country was just under 2.9m as of December 2023. The gender breakdown was 73% male and 27% female. Meanwhile, 74.7% of the population was between 25 and 64 years of age, while 12.8% was younger than 15, 10.9% was between the ages of 15 and 24, and 1.5% was older than 65.
Approximately 41.7% of the population lived in the municipality of Doha, down from 46.9% in 2010. Al Rayyan, the largest municipality in Qatar by area, had the second-highest number of residents, at some 827,000. Almost completely surrounding Doha and serving as a suburban area for the capital city, Al Rayyan has a number of notable sites, including the Aspire Zone, Education City and the Industrial Area.
The country’s third major population centre is located directly south of the capital. Al Wakrah Municipality, home to the city of Al Wakrah, had a population of around 265,000 in 2020. Al Khor Municipality, home to Al Khor City, is situated in the north-east and had a population of 140,000. Both cities are close to large industrial areas and the majority of their residents work within these zones. Al Wakrah, close to Mesaieed Industrial City, is a manufacturing centre hosting Qatar Fertiliser Company, Qatar Petrochemical Company, Qatar Fuel Additives Company and Qatar Steel. Al Khor, close to Ras Laffan City, is the centre of the oil and gas sector, home to industry giants Qatargas and RasGas.
Language
Arabic is the official language of the country, although English is also widely spoken and, given the sizeable non-Arabic-speaking population, is often used as the de facto language of everyday communication. A number of other languages are also represented in the large communities from the Indian subcontinent and South-east Asia. However, employment contracts and commercial contracts are normally required to be drawn up in Arabic, and in the case of any dispute, the Qatari authorities will refer to the Arabic version. It is therefore important that any contracts be issued in both Arabic and English.
In January 2019 the Council of Ministers passed Law No. 7 of 2019 on the protection of the Arabic language. The regulation states that all ministries, government agencies and non-governmental organisations are required to use Arabic for meetings, documents, contracts, transactions, correspondence and advertisements with translations into other languages permitted as necessary. Concerned bodies had until mid-June 2019 to make the changes, and fines for non-compliance can reach up to QR50,000 ($13,700). The aim of the law is to protect Qatar’s cultural identity and ensure that younger generations of Qataris can speak Modern Standard Arabic, as rapid globalisation had resulted in a high number of youth who chose not to use Arabic as their primary language.
Religion
Qatar’s official religion is Islam. The region has adhered to Islam since the 7th century CE, when the religion spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula. The national religion follows the Sunni branch of Islam, and is in many respects similar to that of neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Around 90% of Qatar’s population is Sunni and there is a minority Shia population. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and national law recognises the Abrahamic religions. A register is maintained of approved Christian denominations granted legal status, which are Catholic, Anglican, Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic, Maronite, Filipino Evangelical and Indian Christian. The approved Christian denominations have facilities in a religious complex that is located in Mesaimeer, Al Rayyan.
Given the demographics of the labour force, there are also large Hindu and Buddhist communities. Non-Abrahamic faiths are not allowed to establish houses of worship, although they can worship privately. Qatar’s government is widely viewed as employing a consistent policy of non-interference for matters of religious freedom, under the provision that one’s practice does not infringe on the public order.
Ruling Family
Qatar is an absolute monarchy and, as with constitutional monarchies, power is vested in the Amir, who operates as the head of state. The position is currently held by Sheikh Tamim, who first assumed his position on June 25, 2013 when his father, Sheikh Hamad, handed power over to him. Having ruled for almost two decades, Sheikh Hamad is widely credited with overhauling the state and expanding Qatar’s global influence. Sheikh Tamim has continued the work of raising the country’s international profile, while boosting efforts to diversify the local economy.
On the global stage, Qatar has positioned itself as a trusted and impartial mediator in international conflicts. It played a key role in negotiations between the former Afghan government, the Taliban and the US in 2020-21, and was serving as a mediator to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as of February 2024. Its diplomatic efforts are backed by foreign aid and overseas charitable efforts, the latter of which are spearheaded by Qatar Charity, an international charitable organisation established in 1992 for the development and support of communities in need.
In today’s landscape, NGOs are recognising the imperative of inter-sectoral collaborations to uphold their commitment to humanitarian and developmental efforts. For instance, forging integrative and mutually beneficial partnerships with telecoms companies has enabled some organisations to efficiently reach a broader donor base. Additionally, collaborations with risk management firms can play a key role in identifying and mitigating potential operational risks.
Executive System
The head of government is the prime minister, who is appointed by Amiri decree and is the second-most-powerful official. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani currently serves as prime minister, as well as minister of foreign affairs, and was appointed in March 2023. The main executive body of government is the Council of Ministers, which serves as the Cabinet, with ministers being appointed by the head of state. The body is led by the prime minister, and ministers report directly to the head of state. The Cabinet was reshuffled in January 2020, in a move that represented only the second change since Sheikh Tamim assumed power from Sheikh Hamad in mid-2013.
There was another reshuffle in October 2021, bringing 13 ministerial changes. Two women were appointed as ministers – Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi was appointed as the minister of education and higher education, while Mariam Al Misnad was appointed as minister of social development and family. The change also resulted in the creation of a new Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, as well as the division of the Ministry of Transport and Communications into the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Communications and ICT; and the Ministry of Culture and Sports into the Ministry of Sports and Youth, and the Ministry of Culture.
In January 2024 Sheikh Tamim announced a fresh Cabinet reshuffle, with new ministers appointed at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Ministry of Sports and Youth, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Municipality. Sultan bin Saad bin Sultan Al Muraikhi was also appointed as minister of state for foreign affairs, to serve under the prime minister and minister of foreign affairs.
Legislative System
The constitution places legislative authority under the purview of the Advisory Council, also known as the Shura Council, which was established in 1972. According to the 2003 constitution, the Advisory Council should be a unicameral body made up of 45 individuals, with onethird being appointed by the head of state and the other two-thirds elected. However, until recently the Advisory Council was still operating as per pre-constitutional law, with all members appointed by the Amir.
In late October 2019 Sheikh Tamim ordered that a committee be established to organise the country’s first elections of the council. Given the government restructuring following the handing over of power and responsibility from Sheikh Hamad in 2013, the Advisory Council’s term had been subsequently extended to 2016, 2019 and mid-2021. Qatar’s first legislative elections were held on October 2, 2021. The turnout for the election of 30 members of the 45-seat body was 63.5%. The Amir appointed the remaining 15 members of the council. The legislative body has three primary functions: reviewing and approving the state’s budget; overseeing the performance of state ministries; and proposing legislation that will require approval from the Amir before being passed into law.
Proposed legislative changes are shared with the Council of Ministers for review, and the Council of Ministers may also propose legislation to the Advisory Council, although the Advisory Council is not legally obliged to either incorporate their reviews or comments, or to vote on any proposed legislation. The Advisory Council serves a term of four calendar years from the date of its first meeting, and the next elections are expected in 2025.
Elsewhere, the Central Municipal Council was set up in 1998 and is composed of 29 members who represent 29 constituencies across the country. Members are elected to four-year terms by citizens, must be over the age of 18 and must reside within their constituency. They monitor the implementation of legislation, decrees and regulations, and oversee the management of municipal affairs. The last Central Municipal Council elections were conducted on June 22, 2023.
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