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Qatar is an Independent Arab State and Islam is its official religion. It consists of a peninsula and several islands. The terrain is flat and rocky with some low-rising limestone outcrops in the Dukhan area in the west and Jabal Fiwairit in the north. It is characterized by a variety of geographical phenomena including many coves, inlets, depressions, and surface rainwater-draining basins which are found mainly in the north and central part of the peninsula.
Qatar is 185 kilometers long and 85 km wide and the total land area of Qatar is approximately 11,521 square kilometers. It is almost surrounded by Arab Gulf waters with only 60 km of land separating it from Saudi Arabia.
Qatar’s National Day is celebrated every year on 18 December to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Qatar in 1878 by the late Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani. The National day is an official holiday.
The State of Qatar launched a new National Emblem. Read about its design inspiration and details here.
Click here to explore Qatar Open Data Portal and view Qatar statistics.
The Qatari national flag is known as ‘Al Adaam' which consists of two colours: ‘Al Adam’ (maroon) with a broad white serrated band (nine white points or isosceles triangles) on the hoist side.
HISTORY:
Contrary to popular belief, the white and maroon colours of the Qatari flag do not represent peace and bloodshed during times of war. In fact, the ancestors of modern-day Qataris had been colouring their flags red for centuries, using a dye that originated from the Bin Ghannam Island near Al Khor. With prolonged exposure to the sun, the dye would fade and turn a purplish-red or maroon colour.
The flag’s present colour, therefore, is deeply embedded in Qatar’s history. When, in 1932, the British Navy suggested that the government design an official flag and proposed the colour red for it, Qatar declined and opted for maroon instead, due to its deep connection to the country’s culture and heritage.
Qatar was flying a flag remarkably similar to the current version at least as far back as 1932. Shortly afterwards, however, the name Qatar in Arabic was added, along with ten red diamonds running down the serrated edge. According to official government records, this change was reversed in 1960 by His Highness Sheikh Ali bin Abdulla Al Thani, the then Emir of Qatar, who kept the white and purplish-red colour along with the serrated points, but removed the diamonds and the word ‘Qatar’.
The nine points along the notched edge that divides the two colours also hold historical significance, representing Qatar as the 9th member of the Trucial Coast Convention of 1916. Qatar has been proudly flying its flag since 1960 as a strong symbol of national pride and dignity, connecting the country’s past with its present.
Read more about the history of Flag here.
Qatar Flag Source: https://www.flagcolorcodes.com/download/qatar#google_vignette
PRIMARY COLORS
Al Adaam represents the maroon color of the flag, Dune represents Qatari Architecture, Black represents bakhoor, and white represents Qatar’s commitment to peace and prosperity.
SECONDARY COLORS
As-Salam al-Amiri is Qatar’s national anthem. It was written by poet Mubarak bin Saif Al Thani and developed in December 1996, shortly after Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani’s accession to the throne.
It was first performed on 7 December 1996 during a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council leaders that was being held in Doha.
Click here to listen to the anthem and see the English translation.
The Anthem starts with an oath. The first part of the Anthem urges citizens of Qatar to remain committed to tread the path of their forefathers, who were honorable, respectable, knowledgeable, religious, empowered by wisdom and vision, and to follow the guidance of the prophets and their preaching about righteousness, good deads and beauty.
In the second and last part, the Anthem affirms that the Qatari men of today are defenders of its land and dignity, they are descendents of the ancestors who defended it in the past and registered glorious annals of history in words that shine. The Anthem closes by reaffirming that Qatar will remain free, dignified, glorious, and noble hovering high by the souls of the faithful and sincere.