Qatar History
Think Tanks
HISTORY
Wikipedia.Human
habitation of Qatar dates back to 50,000 years ago.[37] Settlements and
tools dating back to the Stone Age have been unearthed in the
peninsula.[37] Mesopotamian artifacts originating from the Ubaid period
(c. 6500–3800 BC) have been discovered in abandoned coastal
settlements.[38] Al Da'asa, a settlement located on the western coast of
Qatar, is the most important Ubaid site in the country and is believed
to have accommodated a small seasonal encampment.[39][40]
Kassite
Babylonian material dating back to the second millennium BC found in Al
Khor Islands attests to trade relations between the inhabitants of
Qatar and the Kassites in modern-day Bahrain.[41] Among the findings
were 3,000,000 crushed snail shells and Kassite potsherds.[39] It has
been suggested that Qatar is the earliest known site of shellfish dye
production, owing to a Kassite purple dye industry which existed on the
coast.[38][42]
In
224 AD, the Sasanian Empire gained control over the territories
surrounding the Persian Gulf.[43] Qatar played a role in the commercial
activity of the Sasanids, contributing at least two commodities:
precious pearls and purple dye.[44] Under the Sasanid reign, many of the
inhabitants in Eastern Arabia were introduced to Christianity following
the eastward dispersal of the religion by Mesopotamian Christians.[45]
Monasteries were constructed and further settlements were founded during
this era.[46][47] During the latter part of the Christian era, Qatar
comprised a region known as 'Beth Qatraye' (Syriac for ""house of the
Qataris"").[48] The region was not limited to Qatar; it also included
Bahrain, Tarout Island, Al-Khatt, and Al-Hasa.[49]
In
628, Muhammad sent a Muslim envoy to a ruler in Eastern Arabia named
Munzir ibn Sawa Al Tamimi and requested that he and his subjects accept
Islam. Munzir obliged his request, and accordingly, most of the Arab
tribes in the region converted to Islam.[50] In the middle of the
century, the Muslim conquest of Persia would result in the fall of the
Sasanian Empire.[51]
Early and late Islamic period (661–1783)
Qatar
was described as a famous horse and camel breeding centre during the
Umayyad period.[52] In the 8th century, it started benefiting from its
commercially strategic position in the Persian Gulf and went on to
become a centre of pearl trading.[53][54]
Substantial
development in the pearling industry around the Qatari Peninsula
occurred during the Abbasid era.[52] Ships voyaging from Basra to India
and China would make stops in Qatar's ports during this period. Chinese
porcelain, West African coins and artefacts from Thailand have been
discovered in Qatar.[51] Archaeological remains from the 9th century
suggest that Qatar's inhabitants used greater wealth to construct higher
quality homes and public buildings. Over 100 stone-built houses, two
mosques, and an Abbasid fort were constructed in Murwab during this
period.[55][56] When the caliphate's prosperity declined in Iraq, so too
did it in Qatar.[57] Qatar is mentioned in 13th-century Muslim scholar
Yaqut al-Hamawi's book, Mu'jam Al-Buldan, which alludes to the Qataris'
fine striped woven cloaks and their skills in improvement and finishing
of spears.[58]
Much
of Eastern Arabia was controlled by the Usfurids in 1253, but control
of the region was seized by the prince of Ormus in 1320.[59] Qatar's
pearls provided the kingdom with one of its main sources of income.[60]
In 1515, Manuel I of Portugal vassalised the Kingdom of Ormus. Portugal
went on to seize a significant portion of Eastern Arabia in
1521.[60][61] In 1550, the inhabitants of Al-Hasa voluntarily submitted
to the rule of the Ottomans, preferring them to the Portuguese.[62]
Having retained a negligible military presence in the area, the Ottomans
were expelled by the Bani Khalid tribe in 1670.[63]
Bahraini and Saudi rule (1783–1868)
In
1766, members of the Al Khalifa family of the Utub tribal confederation
migrated from Kuwait to Zubarah in Qatar.[64][65] By the time of their
arrival, the Bani Khalid exercised weak authority over the peninsula,
notwithstanding the fact that the largest village was ruled by their
distant kin.[66] In 1783, Qatar-based Bani Utbah clans and allied Arab
tribes invaded and annexed Bahrain from the Persians. The Al Khalifa
imposed their authority over Bahrain and retained their jurisdiction
over Zubarah.[64]
Following
his swearing in as crown prince of the Wahhabi in 1788, Saud ibn Abd
al-Aziz moved to expand Wahhabi territory eastward towards the Persian
Gulf and Qatar. After defeating the Bani Khalid in 1795, the Wahhabi
were attacked on two fronts. The Ottomans and Egyptians assaulted the
western front, while the Al Khalifa in Bahrain and the Omanis launched
an attack against the eastern front.[67][68] Upon being made aware of
the Egyptian advance on the western frontier in 1811, the Wahhabi amir
reduced his garrisons in Bahrain and Zubarah in order to redeploy his
troops. Said bin Sultan, ruler of Muscat, capitalised on this
opportunity and raided the Wahhabi garrisons on the eastern coast,
setting fire to the fort in Zubarah. The Al Khalifa were effectively
returned to power thereafter.[68]
As
punishment for piracy, an East India Company vessel bombarded Doha in
1821, destroying the town and forcing hundreds of residents to flee. In
1825, the House of Thani was established with Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani
as the first leader.[69]
Although
Qatar was considered a dependency of Bahrain, the Al Khalifa faced
opposition from the local tribes. In 1867, the Al Khalifa, along with
the ruler of Abu Dhabi, sent a massive naval force to Al Wakrah in an
effort to crush the Qatari rebels. This resulted in the maritime
Qatari–Bahraini War of 1867–1868, in which Bahraini and Abu Dhabi forces
sacked and looted Doha and Al Wakrah.[70] The Bahraini hostilities were
in violation of the Perpetual Truce of Peace and Friendship of 1861.
The joint incursion, in addition to the Qatari counter-attack, prompted
British Political Resident, Colonel Lewis Pelly to impose a settlement
in 1868. His mission to Bahrain and Qatar and the resulting peace treaty
were milestones because they implicitly recognised the distinctness of
Qatar from Bahrain and explicitly acknowledged the position of Mohammed
bin Thani. In addition to censuring Bahrain for its breach of agreement,
Pelly negotiated with Qatari sheikhs, who were represented by Mohammed
bin Thani.[71] The negotiations were the first stage in the development
of Qatar as a sheikhdom.[72] However, Qatar was not officially
recognised as a British protectorate until 1916.[73]
The Ottoman period (1871–1915)
Old city of Doha, January 1904.
Under
military and political pressure from the governor of the Ottoman
Vilayet of Baghdad, Midhat Pasha, the ruling Al Thani tribe submitted to
Ottoman rule in 1871.[74] The Ottoman government imposed reformist
(Tanzimat) measures concerning taxation and land registration to fully
integrate these areas into the empire.[74] Despite the disapproval of
local tribes, Al Thani continued supporting Ottoman rule. Qatari-Ottoman
relations, however, soon stagnated, and in 1882 they suffered further
setbacks when the Ottomans refused to aid Al Thani in his expedition of
Abu Dhabi-occupied Khawr al Udayd. In addition, the Ottomans supported
the Ottoman subject Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab who attempted to supplant
Al Thani as kaymakam of Qatar in 1888.[75] This eventually led Al Thani
to rebel against the Ottomans, whom he believed were seeking to usurp
control of the peninsula. He resigned as kaymakam and stopped paying
taxes in August 1892.[76]
In
February 1893, Mehmed Hafiz Pasha arrived in Qatar in the interests of
seeking unpaid taxes and accosting Jassim bin Mohammed's opposition to
proposed Ottoman administrative reforms. Fearing that he would face
death or imprisonment, Jassim retreated to Al Wajbah (16 km or 10 mi
west of Doha), accompanied by several tribe members. Mehmed's demand
that Jassim disbands his troops and pledge his loyalty to the Ottomans
was met with refusal. In March, Mehmed imprisoned Jassim's brother and
13 prominent Qatari tribal leaders on the Ottoman corvette Merrikh as
punishment for his insubordination. After Mehmed declined an offer to
release the captives for a fee of 10,000 liras, he ordered a column of
approximately 200 troops to advance towards Jassim's Al Wajbah Fort
under the command of Yusuf Effendi, thus signalling the start of the
Battle of Al Wajbah.[51]
Effendi's
troops came under heavy gunfire by a sizable troop of Qatari infantry
and cavalry shortly after arriving at Al Wajbah. They retreated to
Shebaka fortress, where they were again forced to draw back from a
Qatari incursion. After they withdrew to Al Bidda fortress, Jassim's
advancing column besieged the fortress, resulting in the Ottomans'
concession of defeat and agreement to relinquish their captives in
return for the safe passage of Mehmed Pasha's cavalry to Hofuf by
land.[77] Although Qatar did not gain full independence from the Ottoman
Empire, the result of the battle forced a treaty that would later form
the basis of Qatar's emerging as an autonomous country within the
empire.[78]
British period (1916–1971)
By
the Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1913, the Ottomans agreed to renounce
their claim to Qatar and withdraw their garrison from Doha. However,
with the outbreak of World War I, nothing was done to carry this out and
the garrison remained in the fort at Doha, although its numbers
dwindled as men deserted. In 1915, with the presence of British gunboats
in the harbour, Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani (who was pro-British)
persuaded the remainder to abandon the fort and, when British troops
approached the following morning, they found it deserted.[79][80]
Qatar
became a British protectorate on 3 November 1916, when the United
Kingdom signed a treaty with Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani to
bring Qatar under its Trucial System of Administration. While Abdullah
agreed not to enter into any relations with any other power without
prior consent of the British government, the latter guaranteed the
protection of Qatar from aggression by sea and provide its 'good
offices' in the event of an attack by land – this latter undertaking was
left deliberately vague.[79][81] On 5 May 1935, while agreeing an oil
concession with the British oil company, the Anglo-Persian Oil Company,
Abdullah signed another treaty with the British government which granted
Qatar protection against internal and external threats.[79] Oil
reserves were first discovered in 1939. Exploitation and development
were, however, delayed by World War II.[82]
The
focus of British interests in Qatar changed after the Second World War
with the independence of India, the creation of Pakistan in 1947 and the
development of oil in Qatar. In 1949, the appointment of the first
British political officer in Doha, John Wilton, signifed a strengthening
of Anglo-Qatari relations.[83] Oil exports began in 1949, and oil
revenues became the country's main source of revenue, the pearl trade
having gone into decline. These revenues were used to fund the expansion
and modernisation of Qatar's infrastructure. When Britain officially
announced in 1968 that it would withdraw from the Persian Gulf in three
years' time, Qatar joined talks with Bahrain and seven other Trucial
States to create a federation. Regional disputes, however, persuaded
Qatar and Bahrain to withdraw from the talks and become independent
states separate from the Trucial States, which went on to become the
United Arab Emirates.
Independence and aftermath (1971–present)
On
3 November 1916, the sheikh of Qatar entered into treaty relations with
the United Kingdom.[84] The treaty reserved foreign affairs and defence
to the United Kingdom but allowed internal autonomy. On 3 September
1971, those ""special treaty arrangements"" that were ""inconsistent
with full international responsibility as a sovereign and independent
state"" were terminated.[85] This was done under an agreement reached
between the Ruler of Qatar and the Government of the United
Kingdom.[86][85]
In
1991, Qatar played a significant role in the Gulf War, particularly
during the Battle of Khafji in which Qatari tanks rolled through the
streets of the town and provided fire support for Saudi Arabian National
Guard units that were engaging Iraqi Army troops. Qatar allowed
coalition troops from Canada to use the country as an airbase to launch
aircraft on CAP duty and also permitted air forces from the United
States and France to operate in its territories.[37]
In
1995, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani seized control of the country
from his father Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, with the support of the
armed forces and cabinet, as well as neighbouring states[87] and
France.[88] Under Emir Hamad, Qatar experienced a moderate degree of
liberalisation, including the launch of the Al Jazeera television
station (1996), the endorsement of women's suffrage or right to vote in
municipal elections (1999), drafting its first written constitution
(2005) and inauguration of a Roman Catholic church (2008). In 2010,
Qatar won the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, making it the
first country in the Middle East to be selected to host the tournament.
The Emir announced Qatar's plans to hold its first national legislative
elections in 2013. They were scheduled to be held in the second half of
2013, but were postponed until October 2021. The legislative council
hosted the 140th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly for the first time
in April 2019.[89]
In
2003, Qatar served as the US Central Command headquarters and one of
the main launching sites of the invasion of Iraq.[90] In March 2005, a
suicide bombing killed a British teacher from Dorset called Jonathan
Adams[91] at the Doha Players Theatre, shocking the country, which had
not previously experienced acts of terrorism. The bombing was carried
out by Omar Ahmed Abdullah Ali, an Egyptian resident in Qatar who had
suspected ties to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.[92][93] In 2011,
Qatar joined NATO operations in Libya and reportedly armed Libyan
opposition groups.[94] It is also currently a major funder of weapons
for rebel groups in the Syrian civil war.[95] Qatar is pursuing an
Afghan peace deal and in January 2012 the Afghan Taliban said they were
setting up a political office in Qatar to facilitate talks. This was
done in order to facilitate peace negotiations and with the support of
other countries including the United States and Afghanistan. Ahmed
Rashid, writing in the Financial Times, stated that through the office
Qatar has ""facilitated meetings between the Taliban and many countries
and organisations, including the US state department, the UN, Japan,
several European governments and non-governmental organisations, all of
whom have been trying to push forward the idea of peace talks.
Suggestions in September 2017 by the presidents of both the United
States and Afghanistan have reportedly led to protests from senior
officials of the American State Department.[96]
In
June 2013, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani became the Emir of Qatar
after his father handed over power in a televised speech.[97] Sheikh
Tamim has prioritised improving the domestic welfare of citizens, which
includes establishing advanced healthcare and education systems, and
expanding the country's infrastructure in preparation for the hosting of
the 2022 World Cup.[98]
Qatar
participated in the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen against the
Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who
was deposed in the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.[99]
The
increased influence of Qatar and its role during the Arab Spring,
especially during the Bahraini uprising in 2011, worsened longstanding
tensions with Saudi Arabia, the neighboring United Arab Emirates (UAE),
and Bahrain.[citation needed] In June 2017, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United
Arab Emirates, and Bahrain cut off diplomatic relations with Qatar,
citing the country's alleged support of groups they considered to be
extremist.[100] This has resulted in increased Qatari economic and
military ties with Turkey and Iran.
Qatar
is expected to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup from 21 November to 18
December, becoming the first Arab country to do so.[101]
Data Government Communications Office Qatar, Middle East
"Environment and Sustainability
Protecting
the environment and supporting sustainable development are at the
forefront of Qatar’s priorities. As one of the first countries to ratify
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1996,
Qatar has a longstanding commitment to addressing global environmental
challenges. Qatar is an active partner in the international community to
confront the climate crisis.
“The phenomenon of climate change is undoubtedly one of the most serious challenges of our time”.
His Highness the Amir, speaking at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019
International cooperation for a greener future
Qatar
signed the Kyoto Protocol in 2005, an agreement which marked an
important milestone in which the international community agreed for the
first time on binding targets and measures for combating climate change.
In
2012, more than 20,000 delegates and key members from governments, UN
Organizations and civil society gathered in Doha for the Eighteenth
Session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Qatar
spared no effort to ensure the success of negotiations of the 2015
Paris Climate Agreement, and is a proud signatory of the seminal treaty.
Additionally,
Qatar supports global efforts to promote sustainability through
projects assisting those most affected by climate change.
During
the Climate Action Summit in September 2019, His Highness Sheikh Tamim
bin Hamad Al Thani, announced the State of Qatar’s contribution of $100
million to support small island developing states and least developed
countries to address climate change and environmental challenges.
Ambitious sustainability goals
Qatar’s
National Environment and Climate Change Strategy (QNE) provides a
robust policy framework to safeguard Qatar’s environment for future
generations.
Protecting Qatar’s unique environment
Qatar, like its Gulf neighbours, is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
The
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is exclusively dedicated to
addressing matters of environmental concern, ensuring that sustainable
and climate-conscious practices are adopted throughout all sectors.
In
September 2021, Qatar’s Council of Ministers approved the National
Climate Change Plan, a strategic framework reflecting Qatar’s long-term
sustainability ambitions and the urgent need to respond effectively to
the climate crisis.
An
integral part of Qatar National Vision 2030 an in line with the UN
Sustainable Development Goals, the plan sets out Qatar’s commitment to
tackle climate change by diversifying the economy, building
capabilities, and optimising the use of natural resources. It
establishes national climate targets to enhance climate resilience
through more than 35 measures and over 300 adaptation initiatives
focused on mitigation.
Commitment to environmental research
Research plays a crucial role in assessing potential environmental risks and identifying solutions.
Qatar’s
effective and sophisticated environmental institutions carry out
relevant research while building and strengthening public awareness
about ecological protection as well as encouraging the use of green
technologies. These research hubs ensure constant innovation and
development in the fields on environmental preservation, sustainability
and technology.
Qatar
Science and Technology Park is a leading hub of applied research,
technology innovation, incubation and entrepreneurship. Several of its
projects aim to deliver cleaner burning and more efficient fuels, while
identifying new ways of producing energy.
Qatar
Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) conducts and
coordinates long-term and multidisciplinary research that addresses
critical national priorities related to water security, energy and
environment.
Sustainable cities
Qatar
is home to Lusail City and Msheireb Downtown, both smart and
sustainable cities, that were designed to combine planet friendly
technology with optimised urban planning. These cities both meet the
highest environmental standards and promote environmental stewardship
and research.
Most notably, Msheireb Downtown is the world’s first sustainable downtown regeneration project.
Designed
to limit the need for personal car use, Msherieb Downtown is mitigating
carbon emissions and congested traffic grids. The district was designed
to conserve water sustainably using new technologies and practices that
are reducing water usage by up to 30%, as well as increase energy
efficiency through more than 5,200 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels that
provide both electricity and hot water.
Lusail
City is equipped with a state-of-the-art District Cooling System which
is amongst the biggest in the world and has been designed to save 65
million tons of CO2 annually. The city also hosts light rail train, park
and ride strategy, and a cycle and pedestrian ways system that provide
reliable and eco-friendly transportation solutions.
Throughout
Qatar, the Qatar Green Building Council conducts and deploys
environmentally sustainable practices for the design and development of
sustainable infrastructure.
Green transport
Qatar
has made significant investments in green public transportation and
infrastructure projects to provide an integrated, world-class,
multimodal transportation system that offers safe, reliable and
eco-friendly transport services.
The
Doha Metro is the backbone of Qatar’s vision for an integrated public
transport system and aims to revolutionize the way people move around
Doha. The metro serves the capital’s locations quickly, conveniently and
safely – making it a far more sustainable option to the private car,
and all metro stations are designed to operate in such a way to reduce
the impact on the environment particularly in terms of energy and water
consumption.
Hamad
Port provides the State with a modern, resilient sea-freight connection
hub that is guided by internationally accepted sustainability criteria,
ensuring that materials selection, water consumption and energy use are
aligned to minimise its carbon footprint.
Qatar
Airways is committed to working with the aviation industry towards
environmental goals and is certified under IATA’s Environmental
Assessment programme which provides a framework for delivering continual
improvement of environmental performance across business functions.
A source for clean energy
Qatar
is a leading exporter of one of the cleanest fuels in the world,
helping countries meet their energy needs while reducing carbon
emissions from coal.
As
a global energy producer, Qatar Energy launched a new Sustainability
Strategy in January 2021 that illustrates its commitment to people and
planet. The strategy establishes a number of targets in alignment with
the goals of the Paris Agreement, and sets in motion a plan to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Qatar’s
first large-scale solar power plant was announced in January 2020 and
will provide sustainable, affordable and clean energy to Qatari citizens
and businesses.
Additionally,
Qatar is conducting long-term research to address environmental
priorities in the energy sector, from reducing methane to working with
strategic partners to develop and integrate carbon capture and storage
technologies across operations.
Delivering a sustainable FIFA™ World Cup Qatar 2022
Sustainability is a core consideration in the design, preparation and delivery of the FIFA™ World Cup Qatar 2022.
Qatar
is committed to ensuring that the tournament leaves a lasting legacy
across key areas such as infrastructure, environment, social development
and entrepreneurship. Stadium infrastructure was designed to consume
30% less energy and 40% less water during operations.
Additionally,
the stadiums and their surrounding precincts were designed with the
future in mind. To maximize post-tournament use, all eight venues were
built to serve communities in Qatar and around the world after the
event. Many of the venues feature modular designs to allow excess
seating to be removed post-2022, including the first fully dismountable
FIFA™ World Cup venue – Ras Abu Aboud Stadium.
