Difference between revisions of "Qatar" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
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This article is being saved for Mike Butler, per Mary Anglin. Will import most current data soon. Thank you.
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{{Infobox Country or territory
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|native_name                = <big> دولة قطر </big><br/>''Dawlat Qatar''
 +
|conventional_long_name      = State of Qatar
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|common_name                = Qatar
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|image_flag                  = Flag of Qatar.svg
 +
|image_coat                  = COA of Qatar.svg
 +
|image_map                  = LocationQatar.png
 +
|national_motto              =
 +
|national_anthem            = ''[[As Salam al Amiri]]''
 +
|official_languages          = [[Arabic]]
 +
|capital                    = [[Doha]]
 +
|latd=25 |latm=18 |latNS=N |longd=51 |longm=31 |longEW=E
 +
|largest_city                = capital
 +
|government_type            = [[Constitutional Monarchy]]
 +
|leader_title1              = [[List of emirs of Qatar|Emir]]
 +
|leader_name1                = [[Hamad bin Khalifa|Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani]]
 +
|leader_title2              = [[List of prime ministers of Qatar|Prime Minister]]
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|leader_name2                = [[Hamad bin Jassem|Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr Al Thani]]
 +
|sovereignty_type            = [[Independence]]<sup>2</sup>
 +
|established_event1          = from the {{nowrap|[[Bahrain]]}}
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|established_date1          = <br/>[[September 3]] [[1971]]
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|area_rank                  = 164th
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|area_magnitude              = HMO!!!!!
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|area                        = 11,437
 +
|areami²                    = 4,416
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|percent_water              = negligible
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|population_estimate        = 841,000 <!--UN WPP 2007 estimate—>
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|population_estimate_rank    = 158th<sup>1</sup>
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|population_estimate_year    = July 2007
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|population_census          = 744,029<sup>[http://www.planning.gov.qa/Qatar-Census-2004/pubulation-eng/Tabels/Pubulation/T01.htm]</sup>
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|population_census_rank      = 159th
 +
|population_census_year      = 2004
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|population_density          = 74
 +
|population_densitymi²      = 192 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
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|population_density_rank    = 121st
 +
|GDP_PPP                    = $25.01 billion <!--IMF—> 
 +
|GDP_PPP_rank                = 102nd
 +
|GDP_PPP_year                = 2005
 +
|GDP_PPP_per_capita          = $31,397
 +
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank    = 11th
 +
|GDP_nominal                = $42.463 billion
 +
|GDP_nominal_rank            = 62nd
 +
|GDP_nominal_year            = 2005
 +
|GDP_nominal_per_capita      = $49,655
 +
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 7th
 +
|HDI                        = {{decrease}} 0.844
 +
|HDI_rank                    = 46th
 +
|HDI_year                    = 2004
 +
|HDI_category                = <font color="#009900">high</font>
 +
|currency                    = [[Qatari riyal|Riyal]]
 +
|currency_code              = QAR
 +
|country_code                =
 +
|time_zone                  = AST
 +
|utc_offset                  = +3
 +
|time_zone_DST              = (not observed)
 +
|utc_offset_DST              = +3
 +
|cctld                      = [[.qa]]
 +
|calling_code                = 974
 +
|ISO_3166-1_alpha2          = QA
 +
|ISO_3166-1_alpha3          = QAT
 +
|ISO_3166-1_numeric          = 634
 +
|sport_code                  = QAT
 +
|vehicle_code                = Q
 +
|footnote1                  = Rank based on 2005 estimate.
 +
|footnote2                  = Ruled by the [[Al Thani]] family since the mid-1800s.
 +
}}
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 +
'''Qatar''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]:'''<big> قطر </big>'''; {{IPA2|ˈqɑ̱.tˁɑ̱r}}<ref>The pronunciation of ''Qatar'' in [[English language|English]] varies; see [[List of words of disputed pronunciation#Q|List of words of disputed pronunciation]] for details.<br/>In terms of English phonemics, the vowels sound halfway between short ''u'' {{IPA|/ʌ/}} and broad ''a'' {{IPA|/ɑ/}}. The ''q'' and the ''t'' have no direct counterparts, but are closest to the unaspirated allophones of English ''k'' and ''t''. However, since these allophones cannot occur in these positions in English, in this context they will sound more like English ''g'' and ''d''. So the closest pronunciation, according to English phonemics, to the original Arabic might be {{IPA|[ˈɡɑd.ə(r)]}} or {{IPA|[ˈɡʌd.ə(r)]}}.</ref>), officially the '''State of Qatar''' (Arabic:'''<big> دولة قطر </big>''' [[Transliteration|transliterated]] as '''''Dawlat Qatar'''''), is an [[emirate]] in the [[Middle East]] and [[Southwest Asia|Western Asia]], occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly [[coast]] of the larger [[Arabian Peninsula]]. It is bordered by [[Saudi Arabia]] to the south; otherwise the [[Persian Gulf]] surrounds the [[state]].
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==History==
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{{main|History of Qatar}}
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After domination by the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] and [[British Empire|British]] empires for centuries, Qatar became an independent [[state]] on [[September 3]], [[1971]].
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Although the [[peninsula]]r land mass that makes up Qatar has sustained humans for thousands of years, for the bulk of its history the [[arid]] [[climate]] fostered only short-term settlements by [[nomad]]ic tribes. [[Clan]]s such as the [[Al Khalifa]] and the [[House of Saud|Al Saud]] (which would later ascend thrones of [[Bahrain]] and [[Saudi Arabia]] respectively) swept through the Arabian peninsula and camped on the coasts within small [[fishing]] and [[Pearl hunting|pearling]] villages.
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[[Image:00850008.JPG|left|thumbnail|Desert in Qatar]]
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The British initially sought out Qatar and the Persian Gulf as an intermediary vantage point ''en route'' to their [[Colonialism|colonial]] interests in [[India]], although the discovery of [[Petroleum|oil]] and other [[hydrocarbon]]s in the early [[twentieth century]] would re-invigorate their interest. During the [[nineteenth century]], the time of Britain’s formative ventures into the region, the [[Al Khalifa]] clan reigned over the Northern Qatari peninsula from the nearby island of [[Bahrain]] to the west.
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Although Qatar had the legal status of a [[Dependent territory|dependency]], resentment festered against the Bahraini Al Khalifas along the eastern seaboard of the Qatari peninsula. In 1867, the Al Khalifas launched a successful effort to quash the Qatari rebels sending a massive naval force to [[Al Wakrah|Wakrah]]. However, the Bahraini aggression was in violation on the 1820 Anglo-Bahraini [[Treaty]]. The diplomatic response of the British  to this violation set into motion the political forces that would eventuate in the founding of the [[state]] of Qatar. In addition to censuring Bahrain for its breach of agreement, the British [[Protectorate]] (per Colonel [[Lewis Pelly]]) asked to [[Negotiation|negotiate]] with a representative from Qatar. The request carried with it a tacit recognition of Qatar’s status as distinct from Bahrain. The Qataris chose as their negotiator the respected [[entrepreneur]] and long-time resident of [[Doha]], [[Muhammed bin Thani]]. His clan, the [[Al Thani]]s, had taken relatively little part in Persian Gulf politics, but the diplomatic foray ensured their participation in the movement towards [[independence]] and their dominion as the future ruling family, a [[dynasty]] that continues to this day. The results of the negotiations left Qatar with a new-found sense of political selfhood, although it did not gain official standing as a British [[protectorate]] until 1916.
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[[Image:Doha Palace.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Emiri Diwan.]]
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The reach of the [[British Empire]] diminished after the [[Second World War]], especially following [[Indian Independence movement|Indian independence]] in 1947. Pressure for a British withdrawal from the Arab emirates in the Persian Gulf increased during the [[1950s]], and the British welcomed [[Kuwait]]'s declaration of independence in 1961.  When Britain officially announced in 1968 that it would disengage politically, though not economically, from the Persian Gulf in three years' time, Qatar joined Bahrain and seven other [[Trucial States]] in a [[federation]]. Regional disputes however, quickly compelled Qatar to resign and declare independence from the coalition that would evolve into the seven-[[imarat]] [[United Arab Emirates]]. In 1971, Qatar became an independent [[Sovereignty|sovereign]] state.
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[[As of 2005|Since 1995]], Emir [[Hamad bin Khalifa|Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani]] has ruled Qatar, seizing control of the country from his father [[Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani]] while the latter vacationed in [[Switzerland]]. Under Emir Hamad, Qatar has experienced a notable amount of sociopolitical [[liberalization]], including the [[Women's suffrage|enfranchisement of women]], a new constitution, and the launch of [[Al Jazeera]], the controversial Arabic language [[satellite television]] news channel. Qatar ranks as the eleventh richest country in the world per capita [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita].
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Qatar served as the headquarters and one of the main launching sites of the [[US invasion of Iraq]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5437.htm] in 2003.
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In 2005, a [[Suicide attack|suicide-bombing]] killed a British teacher at the Doha Players Theatre, shocking a country that had not previously experienced acts of [[terrorism]]. It is not clear if the bombing was committed by an organized terrorist group, and although the investigation is ongoing there are indications that the attack was the work of an individual, not a group.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
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==Administrative divisions==
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{{main|Municipalities of Qatar}}
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[[Image:Qatar governorates numbered english.png|right|100px]]
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Qatar is divided into ten ''[[municipality|municipalities]]'' (Arabic: ''[[baladiyah]]''), also occasionally translated as ''[[governorates]]'' or ''[[provinces]]'':
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#[[Ad Dawhah]]
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#[[Al Ghuwariyah]]
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#[[Al Jumaliyah]]
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#[[Al Khawr]]
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#[[Al Wakrah]]
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#[[Ar Rayyan]]
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#[[Jariyan al Batnah]]
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#[[Ash Shamal]]
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#[[Umm Salal]]
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#[[Mesaieed]]
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#[[Old Airport]]
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==Economy==
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[[Image:Modern Doha.jpg|left|thumbnail|200px|Qatar's great wealth is most visible in its capital, Doha.]]
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{{main|Economy of Qatar}}
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Before the discovery of oil the economy of the Qatari region focused on [[fishing]] and [[pearling]]. After the introduction of the [[Japan]]ese [[cultured pearl]] onto the world market in the [[1920s]] and [[1930s]], Qatar's pearling industry faltered. However, the discovery of [[oil reserves]], beginning in the [[1940s]], completely transformed the nation's economy. Now the country has a high [[standard of living]], with many social services offered to its citizens and all the amenities of any modern nation.
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Qatar's national income primarily derives from oil and [[natural gas]] [[export]]s. The country has oil estimated at 15 billion barrels (2.4&nbsp;[[Cubic kilometre|km³]]), while gas reserves in the giant north field (South Pars for Iran) which straddles the border with Iran and are almost as large as the peninsula itself are estimated to be between 800-900tcf (Trillion Cubic Feet - 1tcf is equal to around 80 million barrels of oil equivalent). Qataris' [[wealth]] and [[standard of living]] compare well with those of [[Western Europe]]an nations; Qatar has the highest [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] per capita in the Middle East.{{Dubious}} With no [[income tax]], Qatar is also one of the two least-taxed sovereign states in the world.
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While oil and gas will probably remain the backbone of Qatar's economy for some time to come, the country seeks to stimulate the private sector and develop a "[[knowledge economy]]". In 2004, it established the [[Qatar Science & Technology Park]] to attract and serve [[technology]]-based companies and entrepreneurs, from overseas and within Qatar. Qatar also established "education city" which consists of international colleges. For the 15th Asian Games in Doha, it established a "sports city" [[Image:Aspire_Tower.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|The [[Aspire Tower]], built for the [[2006 Asian Games|Asian Games]], is visible across Doha.]] consisting of Khalifa stadium, the [[ASPIRE Academy, Qatar|Aspire Sports Academy]], aquatic centres, exhibition centres and many other sports related buildings and centres. Qatar also plans to build an "entertainment city" in the future.
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Qatar is aiming to become a [[role model]] for economic and social transformation in the region. Large scale [[investment]] in all social and economic sectors will also lead to the development of a strong financial market.
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The [[Qatar Financial Centre]] (QFC) provides financial institutions with a world class financial services platform situated in an economy founded on the development of its hydrocarbons resources. It has been created with a long term perspective to support the development of Qatar and the wider region, develop local and regional markets, and strengthen the links between the energy based economies and global financial markets.
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Apart from Qatar itself, which needs to raise the capacity of its financial services to support more than $130 billion worth of projects, the QFC also provides a conduit for financial services providers to access nearly $1 trillion of investment across the GCC as a whole over the next decade.
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The largest project ever in Qatar, the new town of [[Lusail]], is under construction.
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==Geography==
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[[Image:Qa-map.PNG|right|thumbnail|Map of Qatar]]
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{{main|Geography of Qatar}}
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The Qatari [[peninsula]] juts 100 miles<!--Format per WP:MOSNUM—> (160&nbsp;km) into the [[Persian Gulf]] from Saudi Arabia and is slightly smaller than Connecticut. Much of the country consists of a low, barren [[plain]], covered with [[sand]]. To the southeast lies the spectacular ''Khor al Adaid'' ("Inland Sea"), an area of rolling sand dunes surrounding an [[inlet]] of the Gulf.
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The highest point in Qatar occurs in the Jebel Dukhan to the west, a range of low [[limestone]] [[outcrop]]s running north-south from Zikrit through [[Umm Bab]] to the southern border, and reaching about 295&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|feet]] (90&nbsp;m) [[Above mean sea level|ASL]]. This area also contains Qatar's main onshore [[Oil field|oil deposits]], while the [[natural gas field]]s lie offshore, to the northwest of the peninsula.
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==Population==
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{{main|Demographics of Qatar}}
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Nearly all Qataris profess [[Islam]]. Besides ethnic [[Arab]]s, much of the population migrated from various nations to work in the country's [[Petroleum industry|oil industry]]. [[Arabic language|Arabic]] serves as the official language. However English as well as many other languages are spoken in Qatar.
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[[Expatriate]]s form the majority of Qatar's residents. The petrochemical industry has attracted people from all around the world. Most of the expatriates come from [[South Asia]] and from non-oil-rich Arab nations. Because a large percentage of the expatriates are male, Qatar has the most heavily skewed sex ratio in the world, with 1.88 males per female [http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact2005/geos/qa.html].
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In 2004, the country had a total population of approximately 744,000, of whom approximately 200,000 were believed to be citizens.<ref>http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51608.htm</ref> Of the citizen population, [[Shi'a]] Muslims account for approximately 10 percent and [[Sunni]] Muslims comprise the remaining 90 percent. The majority of the estimated 544,000 non-citizens are individuals from South and South East Asian and Arab countries working on temporary employment contracts along with their accompanying family members. They are of the following faiths: [[Sunni]] and [[Shi'a]] Muslims, [[Christians]], [[Hindus]], [[Buddhists]], and [[Baha'is]]. Most foreign workers and their families live near the major employment centers of Doha, Al Khor, Messaeed, and Dukhan.
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The Christian community is a diverse mix of [[India]]ns, [[Filipino people|Filipinos]], [[Europeans]], [[Arabs]], and [[United States|Americans]]. It includes [[Catholic]], [[Orthodox]], [[Coptic]], [[Anglican]], and other [[Protestant]] denominations. The [[Hindu]] community is almost exclusively Indian, while [[Buddhists]] include South and East Asians. Most [[Baha'is]] in Qatar may come from nearby Iran. Religion is not indicated on national identity cards and passports, nor is it a criterion for citizenship in Qatar according to the Nationality Law. However, Qatari citizens are either Sunni or Shi'a Muslims with the exception of a Baha'i and Syrian Christian and their respective families who were granted citizenship. Shi'a, both citizens and foreigners, may attend a small number of Shi'a mosques.
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There is some limitation of the religious liberty of Christians.
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No foreign missionary groups operate openly in the country.
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==Culture==
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{{main|Culture of Qatar}}
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{{seealso|Music of Qatar}}
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Qatar explicitly uses [[Wahhabi]] law as the basis of its government, and the vast majority of its citizens follow this specific Islamic doctrine. [[Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab]] founded Wahhabism, a puritanical version of Islam which takes a literal interpretation of the [[Qur'an]] and the [[Sunnah]]. In the eighteenth century, Abd Al-Wahhab formed a pact with the al-Saud family, the founders of Saudi Arabia.
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In the early twentieth century, when the Al-Thanis realized that converting to the doctrine of their larger neighbor might bode well for the survival of their regime, they imported Wahhabi Islam from Saudi Arabia to Qatar. Perhaps as an effect of the importation, Wahhabism takes a more tolerant form in Qatar than in Saudi Arabia, though it still governs a large portion of Qatari mores and rituals. For example, almost all Qatari women wear the black [[abaya]] (also donned in Saudi Arabia); the government, however, does not impose the style universally. The [[abaya]] is mainly passed down from generation to generation and is still present because of the traditional values of the country.
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[[Shi'a]]s comprise just over 10% of the Muslim population{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. Most of Qatar is Muslim.
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==Qatari law==
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When contrasted with other [[Arab]] states such as [[Saudi Arabia]], for instance, Qatar has comparatively liberal laws, but is still not as liberal as some of its neighbors like [[UAE]] or [[Bahrain]]. Women can drive in Qatar, whereas they may not legally drive in Saudi Arabia.
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The country has undergone a period of liberalization and modernization after the current Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, came to power after becoming Emir in place of his father. Under his rule, Qatar became the first Persian Gulf country where women gained the right to vote.<ref>http://www.channel4.com/more4/news/news-opinion-feature.jsp?id=527<br />(mms://a1187.v15478d.c15478.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1187/15478/v0004/origin.channel4.com/news/2007/02/08_saudi.wmv)</ref>  Also, women can dress mostly as they please in public (although in practice local Qatari women generally don the black [[abaya]]). Before the liberalization, it was taboo for men to wear [[shorts]] in public. The laws of Qatar tolerate [[alcoholic beverage|alcohol]] to a certain extent. However, public bars and nightclubs in Qatar operate only in expensive hotels, much like in the emirates and [[Bahrain]], though the number of establishments has yet to equal that of [[UAE]]. Qatar has further been liberalized due to the 15th Asian Games, but is cautious of becoming too liberal in their law making the country a viable weekend immigration from their western neighbor. Overall Qatar has yet to reach the more western laws of Dubai or Bahrain, and though plans are being made for more development, the government is cautious.
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==Education==
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{{main|Education in Qatar}}
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In recent years Qatar has placed great emphasis on [[education]]. Along with the country’s free healthcare to every citizen, every child has free education from [[kindergarten]] through to [[university]]. The country has one university, the [[University of Qatar]], and a number of higher educational institutions. Additionally, with the support of the [[Qatar Foundation]],  some major [[United States|American]] universities have opened branch [[campus]]es in [[Education City, Qatar]]. These include [[Carnegie Mellon University]], [[Georgetown University]], [[Texas A&M University]], [[Virginia Commonwealth University]] and [[Cornell University]]'s [[Weill Cornell Medical College|Weill Medical College]]. In 2004, Qatar established the [[Qatar Science & Technology Park]] at Education City to link those universities with industry. Education City is also home to a fully [[School accreditation|accredited]] [[International Baccalaureate]] school, [[Qatar Academy]].
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In November 2002, the Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani created the [http://www.english.education.gov.qa/section/sec/ Supreme Education Council]. The Council directs and controls education for all ages from the [[Nursery school|pre-school]] level through the university level, including the [http://www.english.education.gov.qa/ "Education for a New Era"] reform initiative.
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The Emir's third wife, [[Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned]], has been instrumental in new education initiatives in Qatar. She chairs the Qatar Foundation and is on the board of Qatar's Supreme Education Council. As she took the initiative in the foundation of new campus called College of the North Atlantic (CNA-Q) by the Canadian nationals and got inaugurated in the later year 2005.
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==Communications==
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Qatar has a modern Telecommunication system centered in Doha. Tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat. People can call to Qatar using their submarine cable, satellite or using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol); however, [[Qtel]] has interfered with VoIP systems in the past, and Skype's website has been blocked before.
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Qtel's ISP branch, Internet Qatar, uses SmartFilter to block websites they deem inappropriate to Qatari interests and morality.
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[[Al Jazeera]] (Arabic: الجزيرة‎, al-ğazīrä, [al.dʒaˈziː.ra], meaning "The Island") is a television network headquartered in [[Doha]], Qatar. Al Jazeera initially launched as an [[Arabic]] news and current affairs [[satellite]] TV channel of the same name, but has since expanded into a network of several specialty TV channels.
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==Military==
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Qatar's Military is made of soldiers from other Arabian Peninsula countries. This Middle Eastern Alliance is called the United Persian Gulf Fighters. It includes soldiers from Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Oman. The bulk of the soldiers come from Oman, but the headquarters is set in Doha, Qatar.
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==Notes and references==
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<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
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==See also==
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{{columns
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|width=220px
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|col1 =
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* [[2006 Asian Games|2006 Asian Games in Doha]]
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* [[Al Jazeera|Al Jazeera television]]
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* [[ASPIRE Academy, Qatar|ASPIRE sports academy]]
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* [[Communications in Qatar]]
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* [[Foreign relations of Qatar]]
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* [[List of cities in Qatar]]
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|col2 =
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* [[List of Qatar-related topics]]
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* [[Military of Qatar]]
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* [[Public holidays in Qatar]]
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* [[The Scout and Guide Association of Qatar|Scouting and Guiding]]
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* [[Transport in Qatar]]
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* [[Politics of Qatar]]
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}}
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==External links==
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{{external links}}
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{{sisterlinks|Qatar}}
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'''Government'''
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* [http://english.mofa.gov.qa/ Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
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* {{ar icon}} [http://www.moe.edu.qa/Arabic/ Ministry of Education]
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* [http://www.english.education.gov.qa/ Supreme Education Council - "Education for a New Era" Reform Initiative]
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* [http://www.moi.gov.qa/ Ministry of Interior]
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* [http://www.islam.gov.qa/ Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair]
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* [http://www.planning.gov.qa/ The Planning Council]
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* [http://www.qfc.com.qa/ Qatar Financial Centre Authority]
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'''News'''
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* [http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage/ Al-Jazeera]
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* {{ar icon}} [http://www.al-watan.com/ Al Watan]
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* [http://www.gulf-times.com/ Gulf Times] newspaper
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* [http://qatarjournal.com/ Qatar Journal] newspaper
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* [http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/ The Peninsula] newspaper
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* [http://www.qatar-tribune.com/ Qatar Tribune] newspaper
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* [http://www.Smartqatar.com/ business news] smartqatar.com - ''Qatar'']
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'''Overviews'''
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*[http://www.explore-qatar.com Main Portal of the State of Qatar]
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*[http://www.britannica.com/nations/Qatar Encyclopaedia Britannica, ''Qatar'' - Country Page]
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*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/791921.stm BBC Country Profile - ''Qatar'']
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*[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/qa.html CIA World Factbook - ''Qatar'']
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*[http://www.state.gov/p/nea/ci/c2418.htm US State Department - ''Qatar''] includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
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'''Directories'''
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*[http://www.smartqatar.com smartqatar.com Search engine specialized in Qatar Business,companies,products, - Qatar]
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*[http://www.dohamap.info Interactive Map Directory - Doha]
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*[http://www.qatarliving.com/qatarblogsproject Qatar Blogs Project ''Qatar'']
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*[http://www.al-bab.com/arab/countries/qatar.htm Arab Gateway - ''Qatar'']
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*[http://dmoz.org/Regional/Middle_East/Qatar/ Open Directory Project - ''Qatar'']
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*[http://www.qatar-links.com Qatar Links]
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*[http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Qatar/ Yahoo! ''Qatar'']
 +
*[http://www.qatarliving.com/map/node ''Places in Doha'']
 +
*[http://www.qatarabia.com ''Future events in Doha'']
 +
 
 +
Stadium]
 +
*[http://gallery.lifeonthespot.com/main.php?g2_itemId=628 Qatar Corniche Fish Market]
 +
*[http://www.qatarliving.com/image User-Submitted Pictures of Qatar]
 +
 
 +
'''Other links'''
 +
*[http://www.qatarchatter.com QatarChatter.com] Complete information site on Qatar from What's On to the latest on the economy including restaurant reviews, etiquette guides and news
 +
*[http://www.qatarliving.com Qatar Living] Online community with maps, galleries and discussion groups for visitors and residents of Qatar
 +
*[http://kimkerett20.info/qatar_constitution.htm Qatar Constitution]
 +
*[http://www.dohamap.info Interactive Map Site for Doha, Qatar] (uses satellite imagery via Google)
 +
*[http://www.thedohadebates.com/ The Doha Debates]
 +
*[http://www.qatar.cmu.edu/alhannah/ Al Hannah Practical Guide to Living in Doha] Wiki hosted at CMU Qatar with useful information for expatriates in the region
 +
*[http://www.professores.uff.br/hjbortol/arquivo/2006.1/applets/qatar_en.html Qatar's location on a 3D globe (Java)]
 +
 
 +
{{Template group
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|title = Geographic locale
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|list  =
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{{Countries and territories of the Middle East}}
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{{Countries of Southwest Asia}}
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{{Countries of Asia}}
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{{Countries bordering the Persian Gulf}}
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{{Countries and territories bordering the Indian Ocean}}
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}}
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{{Template group
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|title = International membership
 +
|list  =
 +
{{Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG)}}
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{{Arab League}}
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{{UN Security Council|state=collapsed}}
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{{Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)|state=collapsed}}
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{{Monarchies|state=collapsed}}
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{{Semitic-speaking nations}}
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}}
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{{credit|134540780}}

Revision as of 02:19, 2 June 2007


دولة قطر
Dawlat Qatar
State of Qatar
Flag of Qatar Coat of arms of Qatar
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: As Salam al Amiri
Location of Qatar
Capital Doha
25°18′N 51°31′E
Largest city capital
Official languages Arabic
Government Constitutional Monarchy
 - Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
 - Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr Al Thani
Independence2  
 - from the Bahrain
September 3 1971 
Area
 - Total 11,437 km² (164th)
4,416 sq mi 
 - Water (%) negligible
Population
 - July 2007 estimate 841,000
 - 2004 census 744,029[1] (159th)
 - Density 74/km²
192/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate
 - Total $25.01 billion
 - Per capita $31,397
GDP (nominal) 2005 estimate
 - Total $42.463 billion
 - Per capita $49,655
HDI  (2004) Red Arrow Down.svg 0.844 (high)
Currency Riyal (QAR)
Time zone AST (UTC+3)
 - Summer (DST) (not observed) (UTC+3)
Internet TLD .qa
Calling code +974

Qatar (Arabic: قطر ; IPA: [ˈqɑ̱.tˁɑ̱r][1]), officially the State of Qatar (Arabic: دولة قطر transliterated as Dawlat Qatar), is an emirate in the Middle East and Western Asia, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the larger Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south; otherwise the Persian Gulf surrounds the state.

History

After domination by the Ottoman and British empires for centuries, Qatar became an independent state on September 3, 1971.

Although the peninsular land mass that makes up Qatar has sustained humans for thousands of years, for the bulk of its history the arid climate fostered only short-term settlements by nomadic tribes. Clans such as the Al Khalifa and the Al Saud (which would later ascend thrones of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively) swept through the Arabian peninsula and camped on the coasts within small fishing and pearling villages.

Desert in Qatar

The British initially sought out Qatar and the Persian Gulf as an intermediary vantage point en route to their colonial interests in India, although the discovery of oil and other hydrocarbons in the early twentieth century would re-invigorate their interest. During the nineteenth century, the time of Britain’s formative ventures into the region, the Al Khalifa clan reigned over the Northern Qatari peninsula from the nearby island of Bahrain to the west.

Although Qatar had the legal status of a dependency, resentment festered against the Bahraini Al Khalifas along the eastern seaboard of the Qatari peninsula. In 1867, the Al Khalifas launched a successful effort to quash the Qatari rebels sending a massive naval force to Wakrah. However, the Bahraini aggression was in violation on the 1820 Anglo-Bahraini Treaty. The diplomatic response of the British to this violation set into motion the political forces that would eventuate in the founding of the state of Qatar. In addition to censuring Bahrain for its breach of agreement, the British Protectorate (per Colonel Lewis Pelly) asked to negotiate with a representative from Qatar. The request carried with it a tacit recognition of Qatar’s status as distinct from Bahrain. The Qataris chose as their negotiator the respected entrepreneur and long-time resident of Doha, Muhammed bin Thani. His clan, the Al Thanis, had taken relatively little part in Persian Gulf politics, but the diplomatic foray ensured their participation in the movement towards independence and their dominion as the future ruling family, a dynasty that continues to this day. The results of the negotiations left Qatar with a new-found sense of political selfhood, although it did not gain official standing as a British protectorate until 1916.

The Emiri Diwan.

The reach of the British Empire diminished after the Second World War, especially following Indian independence in 1947. Pressure for a British withdrawal from the Arab emirates in the Persian Gulf increased during the 1950s, and the British welcomed Kuwait's declaration of independence in 1961. When Britain officially announced in 1968 that it would disengage politically, though not economically, from the Persian Gulf in three years' time, Qatar joined Bahrain and seven other Trucial States in a federation. Regional disputes however, quickly compelled Qatar to resign and declare independence from the coalition that would evolve into the seven-imarat United Arab Emirates. In 1971, Qatar became an independent sovereign state.

Since 1995, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has ruled Qatar, seizing control of the country from his father Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani while the latter vacationed in Switzerland. Under Emir Hamad, Qatar has experienced a notable amount of sociopolitical liberalization, including the enfranchisement of women, a new constitution, and the launch of Al Jazeera, the controversial Arabic language satellite television news channel. Qatar ranks as the eleventh richest country in the world per capita [2].

Qatar served as the headquarters and one of the main launching sites of the US invasion of Iraq [3] in 2003.

In 2005, a suicide-bombing killed a British teacher at the Doha Players Theatre, shocking a country that had not previously experienced acts of terrorism. It is not clear if the bombing was committed by an organized terrorist group, and although the investigation is ongoing there are indications that the attack was the work of an individual, not a group.[citation needed]

Administrative divisions

100px

Qatar is divided into ten municipalities (Arabic: baladiyah), also occasionally translated as governorates or provinces:

  1. Ad Dawhah
  2. Al Ghuwariyah
  3. Al Jumaliyah
  4. Al Khawr
  5. Al Wakrah
  6. Ar Rayyan
  7. Jariyan al Batnah
  8. Ash Shamal
  9. Umm Salal
  10. Mesaieed
  11. Old Airport

Economy

Qatar's great wealth is most visible in its capital, Doha.

Before the discovery of oil the economy of the Qatari region focused on fishing and pearling. After the introduction of the Japanese cultured pearl onto the world market in the 1920s and 1930s, Qatar's pearling industry faltered. However, the discovery of oil reserves, beginning in the 1940s, completely transformed the nation's economy. Now the country has a high standard of living, with many social services offered to its citizens and all the amenities of any modern nation.

Qatar's national income primarily derives from oil and natural gas exports. The country has oil estimated at 15 billion barrels (2.4 km³), while gas reserves in the giant north field (South Pars for Iran) which straddles the border with Iran and are almost as large as the peninsula itself are estimated to be between 800-900tcf (Trillion Cubic Feet - 1tcf is equal to around 80 million barrels of oil equivalent). Qataris' wealth and standard of living compare well with those of Western European nations; Qatar has the highest GDP per capita in the Middle East.[dubious — see talk page] With no income tax, Qatar is also one of the two least-taxed sovereign states in the world.

While oil and gas will probably remain the backbone of Qatar's economy for some time to come, the country seeks to stimulate the private sector and develop a "knowledge economy". In 2004, it established the Qatar Science & Technology Park to attract and serve technology-based companies and entrepreneurs, from overseas and within Qatar. Qatar also established "education city" which consists of international colleges. For the 15th Asian Games in Doha, it established a "sports city"

File:Aspire Tower.jpg
The Aspire Tower, built for the Asian Games, is visible across Doha.

consisting of Khalifa stadium, the Aspire Sports Academy, aquatic centres, exhibition centres and many other sports related buildings and centres. Qatar also plans to build an "entertainment city" in the future.

Qatar is aiming to become a role model for economic and social transformation in the region. Large scale investment in all social and economic sectors will also lead to the development of a strong financial market.

The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) provides financial institutions with a world class financial services platform situated in an economy founded on the development of its hydrocarbons resources. It has been created with a long term perspective to support the development of Qatar and the wider region, develop local and regional markets, and strengthen the links between the energy based economies and global financial markets.

Apart from Qatar itself, which needs to raise the capacity of its financial services to support more than $130 billion worth of projects, the QFC also provides a conduit for financial services providers to access nearly $1 trillion of investment across the GCC as a whole over the next decade.

The largest project ever in Qatar, the new town of Lusail, is under construction.

Geography

Map of Qatar

The Qatari peninsula juts 100 miles (160 km) into the Persian Gulf from Saudi Arabia and is slightly smaller than Connecticut. Much of the country consists of a low, barren plain, covered with sand. To the southeast lies the spectacular Khor al Adaid ("Inland Sea"), an area of rolling sand dunes surrounding an inlet of the Gulf.

The highest point in Qatar occurs in the Jebel Dukhan to the west, a range of low limestone outcrops running north-south from Zikrit through Umm Bab to the southern border, and reaching about 295 feet (90 m) ASL. This area also contains Qatar's main onshore oil deposits, while the natural gas fields lie offshore, to the northwest of the peninsula.

Population

Nearly all Qataris profess Islam. Besides ethnic Arabs, much of the population migrated from various nations to work in the country's oil industry. Arabic serves as the official language. However English as well as many other languages are spoken in Qatar.

Expatriates form the majority of Qatar's residents. The petrochemical industry has attracted people from all around the world. Most of the expatriates come from South Asia and from non-oil-rich Arab nations. Because a large percentage of the expatriates are male, Qatar has the most heavily skewed sex ratio in the world, with 1.88 males per female [4].

In 2004, the country had a total population of approximately 744,000, of whom approximately 200,000 were believed to be citizens.[2] Of the citizen population, Shi'a Muslims account for approximately 10 percent and Sunni Muslims comprise the remaining 90 percent. The majority of the estimated 544,000 non-citizens are individuals from South and South East Asian and Arab countries working on temporary employment contracts along with their accompanying family members. They are of the following faiths: Sunni and Shi'a Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Baha'is. Most foreign workers and their families live near the major employment centers of Doha, Al Khor, Messaeed, and Dukhan.

The Christian community is a diverse mix of Indians, Filipinos, Europeans, Arabs, and Americans. It includes Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic, Anglican, and other Protestant denominations. The Hindu community is almost exclusively Indian, while Buddhists include South and East Asians. Most Baha'is in Qatar may come from nearby Iran. Religion is not indicated on national identity cards and passports, nor is it a criterion for citizenship in Qatar according to the Nationality Law. However, Qatari citizens are either Sunni or Shi'a Muslims with the exception of a Baha'i and Syrian Christian and their respective families who were granted citizenship. Shi'a, both citizens and foreigners, may attend a small number of Shi'a mosques. There is some limitation of the religious liberty of Christians. No foreign missionary groups operate openly in the country.

Culture

Qatar explicitly uses Wahhabi law as the basis of its government, and the vast majority of its citizens follow this specific Islamic doctrine. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab founded Wahhabism, a puritanical version of Islam which takes a literal interpretation of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. In the eighteenth century, Abd Al-Wahhab formed a pact with the al-Saud family, the founders of Saudi Arabia.

In the early twentieth century, when the Al-Thanis realized that converting to the doctrine of their larger neighbor might bode well for the survival of their regime, they imported Wahhabi Islam from Saudi Arabia to Qatar. Perhaps as an effect of the importation, Wahhabism takes a more tolerant form in Qatar than in Saudi Arabia, though it still governs a large portion of Qatari mores and rituals. For example, almost all Qatari women wear the black abaya (also donned in Saudi Arabia); the government, however, does not impose the style universally. The abaya is mainly passed down from generation to generation and is still present because of the traditional values of the country.

Shi'as comprise just over 10% of the Muslim population[citation needed]. Most of Qatar is Muslim.

Qatari law

When contrasted with other Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, for instance, Qatar has comparatively liberal laws, but is still not as liberal as some of its neighbors like UAE or Bahrain. Women can drive in Qatar, whereas they may not legally drive in Saudi Arabia.

The country has undergone a period of liberalization and modernization after the current Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, came to power after becoming Emir in place of his father. Under his rule, Qatar became the first Persian Gulf country where women gained the right to vote.[3] Also, women can dress mostly as they please in public (although in practice local Qatari women generally don the black abaya). Before the liberalization, it was taboo for men to wear shorts in public. The laws of Qatar tolerate alcohol to a certain extent. However, public bars and nightclubs in Qatar operate only in expensive hotels, much like in the emirates and Bahrain, though the number of establishments has yet to equal that of UAE. Qatar has further been liberalized due to the 15th Asian Games, but is cautious of becoming too liberal in their law making the country a viable weekend immigration from their western neighbor. Overall Qatar has yet to reach the more western laws of Dubai or Bahrain, and though plans are being made for more development, the government is cautious.

Education

In recent years Qatar has placed great emphasis on education. Along with the country’s free healthcare to every citizen, every child has free education from kindergarten through to university. The country has one university, the University of Qatar, and a number of higher educational institutions. Additionally, with the support of the Qatar Foundation, some major American universities have opened branch campuses in Education City, Qatar. These include Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University, Texas A&M University, Virginia Commonwealth University and Cornell University's Weill Medical College. In 2004, Qatar established the Qatar Science & Technology Park at Education City to link those universities with industry. Education City is also home to a fully accredited International Baccalaureate school, Qatar Academy.

In November 2002, the Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani created the Supreme Education Council. The Council directs and controls education for all ages from the pre-school level through the university level, including the "Education for a New Era" reform initiative.

The Emir's third wife, Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, has been instrumental in new education initiatives in Qatar. She chairs the Qatar Foundation and is on the board of Qatar's Supreme Education Council. As she took the initiative in the foundation of new campus called College of the North Atlantic (CNA-Q) by the Canadian nationals and got inaugurated in the later year 2005.

Communications

Qatar has a modern Telecommunication system centered in Doha. Tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat. People can call to Qatar using their submarine cable, satellite or using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol); however, Qtel has interfered with VoIP systems in the past, and Skype's website has been blocked before.

Qtel's ISP branch, Internet Qatar, uses SmartFilter to block websites they deem inappropriate to Qatari interests and morality.

Al Jazeera (Arabic: الجزيرة‎, al-ğazīrä, [al.dʒaˈziː.ra], meaning "The Island") is a television network headquartered in Doha, Qatar. Al Jazeera initially launched as an Arabic news and current affairs satellite TV channel of the same name, but has since expanded into a network of several specialty TV channels.

Military

Qatar's Military is made of soldiers from other Arabian Peninsula countries. This Middle Eastern Alliance is called the United Persian Gulf Fighters. It includes soldiers from Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Oman. The bulk of the soldiers come from Oman, but the headquarters is set in Doha, Qatar.

Notes and references

  1. ↑ The pronunciation of Qatar in English varies; see List of words of disputed pronunciation for details.
    In terms of English phonemics, the vowels sound halfway between short u /ʌ/ and broad a /ɑ/. The q and the t have no direct counterparts, but are closest to the unaspirated allophones of English k and t. However, since these allophones cannot occur in these positions in English, in this context they will sound more like English g and d. So the closest pronunciation, according to English phonemics, to the original Arabic might be [ˈɡɑd.ə(r)] or [ˈɡʌd.ə(r)].
  2. ↑ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51608.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.channel4.com/more4/news/news-opinion-feature.jsp?id=527
    (mms://a1187.v15478d.c15478.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1187/15478/v0004/origin.channel4.com/news/2007/02/08_saudi.wmv)

See also

  • 2006 Asian Games in Doha
  • Al Jazeera television
  • ASPIRE sports academy
  • Communications in Qatar
  • Foreign relations of Qatar
  • List of cities in Qatar
  • List of Qatar-related topics
  • Military of Qatar
  • Public holidays in Qatar
  • Scouting and Guiding
  • Transport in Qatar
  • Politics of Qatar



External links

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Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links. Please remove this tag when this is done. (talk)


Government

News

Overviews

Directories

Stadium]

Other links

Geographic locale
Countries and territories of the Middle East

Bahrain · Egypt · Iran · Iraq · Israel · Jordan · Kuwait · Lebanon · Oman · Palestinian territories · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Syria · United Arab Emirates · Yemen

Sometimes included: Afghanistan • Algeria • Libya • Morocco • Tunisia • Cyprus • Turkey

Countries of Southwest Asia

Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bahrain · Cyprus · Georgia · Iran · Iraq · Israel · Jordan · Kuwait · Lebanon · Oman · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Syria · Turkey · United Arab Emirates · Yemen

Countries of Asia

Afghanistan · Armenia · Azerbaijan1 · Bahrain · Bangladesh · Bhutan · Brunei · Cambodia · China, People's Republic of · China, Republic of (Taiwan)2 · Cyprus · Egypt3 · Georgia1 · India · Indonesia4 · Iran · Iraq · Israel · Japan · Jordan · Kazakhstan1 · Korea, Democratic People's Republic of · Korea, Republic of · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Malaysia · Maldives · Mongolia · Myanmar · Nepal · Oman · Pakistan · Philippines · Qatar · Russia1 · Saudi Arabia · Singapore · Sri Lanka · Syria · Tajikistan · Thailand · Timor-Leste (East Timor)4 · Turkey1 · Turkmenistan · United Arab Emirates · Uzbekistan · Vietnam · Yemen3

For dependent and other territories, see Dependent territory and List of unrecognized countries.

1 Partly or significantly in Europe.  2 The Republic of China (Taiwan) is not officially recognized by the United Nations; see Political status of Taiwan.
3 Partly or significantly in Africa.  4 Partly or wholly reckoned in Oceania.

Template:Countries bordering the Persian Gulf

Countries and territories bordering the Indian Ocean
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Oceania Australia · Christmas Island · Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Islands Bahrain · British Indian Ocean Territory · Christmas Island · Cocos (Keeling) Islands · Madagascar · Maldives · Mauritius · Mayotte · Seychelles · Sri Lanka
International membership

Template:Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG) Template:Arab League

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Template:Semitic-speaking nations

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