Qatar: Geography, Location, and Rulers

Geography & Location

• This lecture covers the Geography and location of Qatar, its geostrategic importance, demography, flag and rulers.

Location and Size

• Qatar has been historically known as 'Katara', 'Guttur', or 'El-Katr'.
• Qatar is a peninsula situated in the southern Arabian Gulf.
• It's located midway between the mouth of the Shatt Al Arab waterway to the northwest and the Strait of Hormuz (north of Oman) at the Gulf’s eastern end.

Borders and Proximity

• Qatar shares a border with only one country: Saudi Arabia to the southwest.
• It is close to Bahrain to the northwest, the United Arab Emirates to the southeast and Iran.

Geographic Information

• Region: Middle East
• Total Area: $4,473$ square miles ($11,586$ square kilometers)
• Land Boundaries: $37$ miles ($60$ kilometers)
• Irrigated Land: $50$ square miles ($129$ square kilometers)
• Border Countries: Saudi Arabia ($60$ km)
• Coastline: $350$ miles ($563$ kilometers)
• Geographic Coordinates: $25$° $30$ N, $51$° $15$ E
• Terrain: Mostly flat and barren desert with loose sand and gravel.
• Highest Point: $103$ meters
• Highest Point Location: Qurayn Abu al Bawl
• Lowest Point: Persian Gulf at $0$ meters
• Natural Resources: Petroleum, natural gas, fish
• Time Zone: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Cities in Qatar

• Al Shamal
• Al Khor
• Umm Salal
• Al Daayen
• Al Rayyan
• Ad Dawhah (Doha)
• Al Wakrah
• Al Shahaniya

Qatar Geostrategic Location

• Qatar's location and geographical features have significantly shaped its political and social characteristics.
• It serves as a passageway for communication between Asia, Africa, and Europe.
• Historically, it was a crossing point for Arab tribes.
• The Gulf waters surrounding Qatar have made the sea a primary source of living through fishing, pearling, trade routes, and maritime transportation.
• It facilitated connection between the east and west of the Arabian Gulf, which played an important role in the civilizational communication.
• Connection with the civilization of Majan (Oman), across the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea through the eastern coast.
• The western coast represented the gateway that communicates with the civilization of Dilmun (Bahrain), and the civilization Ubaidiya in Mesopotamia and Persia.

Geographical Context

• Qatar is located between two large neighbors:
  • Iran, sharing the world’s largest gas field (North Field, also known as the North Dome or South Pars, in the Persian Gulf).
  • Saudi Arabia, with which it shares its sole land border to the south.

Demography

• The social structure of Qatar's population historically consisted of Bedouin (badu) and settled people (hadar), both organized tribally.
• As of April 30, 2022, the population of Qatar was approximately $2,477,000$, based on United Nations data.
• Citizens represent $12.7$% of the population, while foreigners constitute $87.3$%.

Qatar’s Flag

• The lecture will cover the symbolism of the colors in Qatar’s flag.
• It will discuss who proposed the colors of the flag.
• The meaning of "Al Adam."
• When the flag was changed and which ruler chose the current flag.

Rulers of Qatar

• Sheikh Mohammad Bin Thani (1868-1878)
• Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammad (1878-1913)
• Sheikh Abdullah Bin Jassim Al Thani (1913-1949)
• Sheikh Ali Bin Abdulla Al Thani (1949-1960)
• Sheikh Ahmed Bin Ali Al Thani (1960-1972)
• Sheikh Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Thani (1972-1995)
• Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani (1995-2013)
• Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani (June 25, 2013-Present)