1. A peninsula extending into the Persian Gulf; Also called: Katar.
2. An Arab country on the peninsula of Qatar; Also called: Katar.
Country in the Middle East, occupying Qatar peninsula in the Arabian Gulf, bounded SW by Saudi Arabia and S by United Arab Emirates.
government
A provisional constitution adopted 1970 confirmed Qatar as an absolute monarchy, with the emir holding all executive and legislative powers. The emir appoints and heads a council of ministers. An advisory council of 30 was established 1972, with limited powers to question ministers. There are no political parties.
history
For early history, see Arabia. Qatar, which used to be under Bahrain's control, has had a treaty with Britain since 1868. It was part of the Ottoman Empire from 1872 until World War I. The British government gave formal recognition 1916 to Sheik Abdullah al-Thani as Qatar's ruler, guaranteeing protection in return for an influence over the country's external affairs. In 1968 Britain announced its intention of withdrawing its forces from the Persian Gulf area by 1981, and Qatar, having failed in an attempt to form an association with other Gulf states, became fully independent 1 Sept 1971. A new treaty of friendship with the UK replaced the former protectorate.
after independence
In 1972, while Emir Sheik Ahmad was out of the country, his cousin Crown Prince Sheik Khalifa led a bloodless coup; already prime minister, he declared himself also emir. He embarked on an ambitious program of social and economic reform, curbing the extravagances of the royal family. Good relations with most of its neighbors have given Qatar the reputation of being one of the more stable and moderate Arab states, although more than 43% of GNP is spent on defense. Development programs are hampered by a lack of skilled workers. In the 1991 Gulf War, Qatar's forces fought with the United Nations coalition against the Iraqi occupiers of Kuwait. + prikaži više