By Tim Lambert
The region we now call Qatar has been inhabited for thousands of years. The Roman writer Pliny the Younger (61 – 113 AD) called the region Catara. The Sassanian Empire was founded in 224 AD. They ruled much of Western Asia and the Persian Gulf, including Qatar. However, in the 7th century, the Arabs conquered the region. They brought Islam.
For centuries, Qatar was a place for trading pearls. People dived in the sea and looked for oysters, hoping they might have pearls in them.
In 1521, the Portuguese seized control of Qatar. However, in 1550 Qatar submitted to the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire, since they preferred them to the Portuguese. However, Portuguese influence in the region waned in the 17th century, and the Ottomans were driven out in 1670.
In 1825, Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani was born. He united the tribes of Qatar and made it into a single state. In 1868, Qatar fought a short war with Bahrain. The British mediated a peace treaty.
However, in 1871, the Ottomans asserted control over Qatar. In 1893, the Qataris fought the Ottomans at the Battle of Al Wajbah. The Qataris won, but they did not manage to end Ottoman influence at that time.
However, in 1915, during the First World War, Ottomans withdrew from Qatar. In 1916 Qatar was made a British protectorate.
In the early 20th century, the economy of Qatar depended on pearls. In 1939, oil was discovered in Qatar, which transformed the country. The first oil was exported in 1949.
In 1971, Qatar became independent from Britain.
In 2008, the government launched Qatar National Vision 2030, a plan to diversify industry and transform the country.
Today, the economy of Qatar relies on oil and natural gas. In 2025, the population of Qatar was 3.1 million, although the majority were immigrant workers.
Last revised 2026