Qatar is a peninsula with a 563-km coastline jutting along the western coast of the Arabian Gulf. The country shares an 87 km land border with Saudi Arabia to the south. Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran are nearby.
The country is characterized by its flat and arid desert scape. Qatar has a desert climate with year-round sunshine, hot summers and mild winters. The average monthly temperatures range from 17°C in January to 36°C in July, sometimes reaching highs of 40°C+ during the summer months. Average annual rainfall is 70 mm per year, and falls in brief showers between October and March, rarely hindering outdoor activities.
Archaeological evidence points to signs of human habitation on the Qatar Peninsula around 4000 years BC. For centuries, Qatar was largely populated by Bedouin tribes and a few fishing villages.
Qatar’s modern history begins in 1766 with the establishment of the town of Al-Zubārah, which became an important economic outpost. Before the discovery of oil and gas changed the fortunes of the gulf state, the economy was built around fishing, pearl diving and trading.
A British Protectorate from 1916, the modern state of Qatar was born on September 3, 1971, when it proclaimed its independence. Since then, the country has undergone rapid growth.
(Source: Qatar Tourism Authority)
