Qatar

Middle East
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Emir Hamad bin Khalifa AlThani	Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim AlThani

Capital
Doha

Government
Monarchy

Religion
Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14%.

Population
1,696,563

Ethnic group
Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%.

National Language                     
Arabic
           
National Day
3 September 1971 (from the UK)

Anthem
As Salam al Amiri

Currency
Riyal (QAR)

Attractions
Al Ghuwair Castle,  Dukhan,   Haloul Island,  Ishat Island,  Khor Al Udaid,   Palm Tree Island, Shrao Island,  Umm Salal Mohammed Fort,  Zubara For

 Website         

Art & Cultural

The ICON

Zubara Fort        Zubarah (also Al Zubarah or Az Zubarah) (Arabic: الزبارة‎) is a ruined and deserted town located in the northwestern coast of the Qatar peninsula about 105 km from the Qatari capital of Doha, part of Madinat ash Shamal municipality. It was also a fortified town with an inner and an outer wall. In the 20th century by July 1937, Zubarah, by then largely in ruins, was taken by the Qatari Al Thani family and remained a possession of Qatar after independence in 1971. Bahrain continued to dispute Qatari sovereignty  over Zubarah until the issue of Zubarah was settled to Qatar's side, other territorial issues have also been settled to Bahrain's side such as the Hawar Islands by the International Court of Justice in 2001. For more, see Foreign relations of Qatar. Zubarah is noted for its old fortress built in 1938 under orders of Qatari Sheikh 'Abdu'llah bin Qasim Al-Thani and restored in 1987 as a museum. It is different from the Murair fort that was built outside the town of Zubarah.