Geography of Qatar

File:Qatar 31 January 2003.jpg

Satellite view of Qatar in 2003

Qatar is a peninsula in the east of Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia in a strategic location near major petroleum and natural gas deposits. The State of Qatar occupies Template:Convert on a peninsula that extends about Template:Convert north into the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Peninsula.<ref name="countrystudies">Template:Cite encyclopedia Template:PD-notice</ref>

Varying in width between Template:Convert, the land is mainly flat (the highest point is Template:Convert) and rocky.<ref name="countrystudies" /> Notable features include coastal salt pans, elevated limestone formations (the Dukhan anticline) along the west coast under which lies the Dukhan oil field, and massive sand dunes surrounding Khor Al Adaid, an inlet of the Persian Gulf in the southeast known to local English speakers as the Inland Sea.<ref name="countrystudies" />

Area and boundaries

Qatar has one land border. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the south. The boundary with Saudi Arabia was settled in 1965 but never demarcated.<ref name="countrystudies" /> This terrestrial sector extends from the head of the Gulf of Salwah at Abu Samra to Khor Al Adaid,<ref name="qencyclopedia">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> spanning a linear distance of approximately Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Qatar presents as a peninsula encompassed by the tepid waters of the Persian Gulf on its eastern and northern flanks. The western margin is delineated by the Gulf of Salwah, a concave formation which effectively severs Qatar's terrestrial connection with the Al-Ahsa coast and Bahrain.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/>

Qatar's northwest coast is fewer than Template:Convert from the main islands of Bahrain,<ref name="countrystudies" /> while the small Hawar Islands of Bahrain are only Template:Convert off the coast.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The largest islet of the Hawar Islands is located Template:Convert off Qatari mainland.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The peninsula's northernmost point is Ras Rakan.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Maritime claims

Qatar's maritime boundaries include a contiguous zone of Template:Convert, an exclusive economic zone of Template:Convert as determined by bilateral agreements, and Template:Convert of territorial sea. Maritime boundaries were ratified in April 1992 with Decree No. 40.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The exclusive economic zone was declared in 1974.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Situated on the western shore of the Persian Gulf, the Qatari promontory extends longitudinally into the waters, affording it a strategic position for the interception of rain-bearing winds and the regulation of maritime currents in the south-western basin of the Persian Gulf. The extended coastline facilitates the exploitation of pearl banks and piscatorial resources while also providing access to subaqueous petroleum deposits.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/> Aside from hosting large numbers of pearl beds yielding high quality pearls,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Qatari waters also host 48% of the coral reefs in the Persian Gulf.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Qatari coast is further distinguished by its manifold indentations, comprising both convex protrusions of land into the sea, such as Ras Laffan, and concave incursions of water into the terrestrial mass. Moreover, the littoral serves as a natural harbour and transit point for numerous vessels plying the waters of the Persian Gulf.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/>

Islands

Template:See also Of the islands belonging to Qatar, Halul is the most important.<ref name="countrystudies" /> Lying about Template:Convert east of Doha, it serves as a storage area and loading terminal for oil from the surrounding offshore fields.<ref name="countrystudies" /> Hawar and the adjacent islands immediately off the west coast are the subject of a territorial dispute between Qatar and Bahrain.<ref name="countrystudies"/>

Climate

The long summer (June through September) is characterized by intense heat and alternating dryness and humidity, with temperatures exceeding Template:Convert.<ref name="countrystudies" /> Temperatures are moderate from November to March,<ref name="countrystudies" /> ranging from as high as Template:Convert in April to as low as Template:Convert in January.<ref>Casey & Vine (1991), p. 69</ref> Rainfall averages Template:Convert per year, confined to the winter months, and falling in brief storms which are occasionally heavy enough to flood the small ravines and the usually dry wadis.<ref name="countrystudies"/>

Sudden, violent dust storms occasionally descend on the peninsula, blotting out the sun, causing wind damage, and temporarily disrupting transport and other services.<ref name="countrystudies"/>

The scarcity of rainfall and the limited underground water, most of which has such a high mineral content that it is unsuitable for drinking or irrigation, severely restricted the population and the extent of agricultural and industrial development the country could support until desalination projects began.<ref name="countrystudies"/> Although water continues to be provided from underground sources, most is obtained by desalination of seawater.<ref name="countrystudies" />

Sea Climate Data For Doha

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average sea temperature °C (°F)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|21.0 (69.8)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|19.4 (66.9)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|20.9 (69.6)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|23.3 (73.9)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|27.8 (82)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|30.5 (86.9)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|32.4 (90.3)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|33.6 (92.5)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|32.8 (91)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|30.8 (87.4)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|27.5 (81.5)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|23.5 (74.3)	style="Template:Weather box/colsea"|26.9 (80.5)
Source:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation														CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Topography and natural regions

File:Qatar Topography.png

Topography of Qatar

The peninsula of Qatar is low-lying. Its shape is the surface expression of the anticlinal Qatar Arch,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> formed during the Precambrian Amar Collision about Template:Ma.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is enveloped by loose sand and pebbles broken off the outcropping limestone. Smooth plains covered by fine-grained dust are found in the east, while the south and south-west portions of the peninsula mainly comprise sand dunes and salt flats (locally known as sabkhas), particularly near Mesaieed and Khor Al Adaid.<ref name="nayeem1">Template:Cite book</ref> Sakbahs can also be found in western Qatar, near Dukhan and Sawda Natheel.<ref name="abulali"/> Hill ranges (jebels) can be found in western Qatar near Dukhan and at Jebel Fuwayrit on the northeast coast.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For purposes of categorization, the country is divided into five principal regions: coastal plain, interior plain, central belt, Dukhan region, and southern desert.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/>

Coastal plain

The littoral of Qatar, extending some Template:Convert from Abu Samra to Khor Al Adaid via Ar Ru'ays, is emergent and characterized by recent geological formations. The western coast from Abu Samra to Ras Dukhan is relatively straight, while northward to Ar Ru'ays is indented with circular and oblong water incursions. The eastern coast is broader, with elevations increasing eastward from Dohah Al Husain.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/> Many flat, low-lying offshore islands are located near the coast and are accompanied by coral reefs. As a result of salt water coming into contact with the low-lying land, many salt flats (known locally as sabkhas) have formed near the coast.<ref name="nayeem1"/>

Interior plain

File:Qatar, Simaisma (12), desert.jpg

Desert of Simaisma, located in the southern section of the interior plain region

Commencing at the inland margins of the coastal strip, this region is demarcated in the north by the Al Mafjar-Abu Dhalouf line. It broadens considerably southward, with its northern sector spanning Template:Convert between Al-ʽAdhbah and Ar Rakiyat, while its southern base between Umm Al Qahab and Al Suwaihliya measures Template:Convert. The surface is studded with eleven closed basins. The northern sector is relatively flat, while the central sector, between Fuwayrit and Rawdat Al Faras, exhibits more complex topography with elevations ranging from Template:Convert to Template:Convert.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/>

Central belt

This zone aligns with Qatar's primary north-south oriented dome. It is distinguished by its topographical diversity, with elevations ranging from Template:Convert to Template:Convert above sea level. The surface is uneven, with circular or rectangular hills along the western borders reaching heights of Template:Convert to Template:Convert. Fourteen closed basins are scattered throughout, smaller in the east within the Rus Formation and larger in the west within the Dammam Formation. The highest points are found in the hills southeast of Al Jemailiya and to the west of the Al Jemailiya-Ash-Shahaniyah road.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/>

Dukhan region

File:Rawdat Jarrah separating Dukhan Sabkha from Bay of Zekreet.jpg

Landscape near the Dukhan Sabkha

Occupying the greater part of Qatar's western flank, this area extends Template:Convert from Ras Abrouq in the north to An Nakhsh in the south. It is characterized by complex structural units, with elevations reaching Template:Convert at Khashm An-Nakhsh and depressions as low as Template:Convert below sea level in the Dukhan Sabkha.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/> This sabkha, the largest inland salt flat in the Persian Gulf, runs for approximately Template:Convert, occupies an area of Template:Convert,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and accommodates the lowest point of Qatar at Template:Convert below sea level.<ref name="abulali">Template:Cite journal</ref> Jebel Nakhsh, a notable mountain ridge south of Dukhan, contains substantial deposits of gypsum.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Southern desert

File:Dunes at Khawr al Udayd in 2004.jpg

Sand dunes at Khor Al Adaid

This region occupies 34.7% of Qatar's total area, south of Doha's latitude. It bears topographical similitude to the desert areas of Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, with undulating sand dunes interspersed with rocky hamada surfaces.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/> It is divided into four sub-regions:

1. Al Urayq: A triangular area in the extreme west, with its apex at Abu Samra. Its northern side aligns with the southern extremity of the Doha-Abu Samra road, and its southern side follows the border line from Abu Samra towards the southeast.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/>
2. Miocene-Tiwar: Characterized by isolated hills amidst a rocky plain. The hills reach a maximum of Template:Convert and include Qatar's highest point, Qurayn Abu al Bawl. This sub-region is concentrated in the southwestern part of the Qatar Peninsula, including areas like Mukaynis, Al Kharrara, and Wadi Jallal.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/>
3. Rocky surfaces: Consisting of expanses of exposed bedrock, often weathered into flat, stony plains known as desert pavements. The surface may be covered by a mosaic of closely packed pebbles and rock fragments, or in some places by a thin layer of indurated mineral deposits forming a hard crust. This sub-region is divided into two units: one shaped like a trapezoid bounded by the water pipeline passing through Abu Nakhla to Mesaieed, and another extending from Umm Jawlaq southeastward through Al Khubayb, Al Fulayhah, and Umm Al Hayran to Khor Al Adaid.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/>
4. Sand dunes: Occupying 1.6% of Qatar's area, with dunes reaching heights of Template:Convert to Template:Convert. Interspersed among the dunes are numerous closed basins with floors varying in elevation from Template:Convert to Template:Convert metres above sea level, resulting in an undulating topography. The northern boundary of this sub-region aligns with the latitude of Umm Owaina.<ref name="qencyclopedia"/>

Landforms

File:Fossilized dugong bones in sabkha in southwest Qatar.jpg

Coastal sabkha in southwest Qatar

Sakbhas

The peninsula is notable for its sabkhas, or salt flats, of which the two distinct varieties are coastal and inland. The coastal sabkhas, more prevalent on the eastern seaboard, encompass an area of approximately Template:Convert. These coastal formations rarely exceed an elevation of Template:Convert to Template:Convert metres above sea level, with some portions lying below the waterline. Consequently, during exceptionally high tides, often exacerbated by strong easterly winds, seawater may inundate these low-lying areas.<ref name="sheeb29"/>

Inland sabkhas, while less common, are of significant geological interest. A prominent example, Dukhan Sabkha, lies 3 kilometres east of Jebel Dukhan and south of the Bay of Zekreet. This depression, covering Template:Convert, is largely situated below sea level and contains the lowest point in Qatar at Template:Convert below the sea's surface.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It stretches 24 kilometres from north to south and Template:Convert from east to west.<ref name="sheeb29">Template:Cite thesis</ref> A second notable inland sabkha complex straddles the borders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This formation comprises three discrete areas: Sawda Natheel to the south, Jawa Salama to the west, and Al Khufus to the east. These sabkhas, mostly subsea in elevation, collectively span an area of Template:Convert.<ref name="sheeb29"/>

Depressions

File:A depression (rawda) near Jebel Jassasiya in northern Qatar.jpg

A rawda near Jebel Jassasiya in northern Qatar

The surface of the Qatar Peninsula is punctuated by numerous small depressions, referred to as rawda or the plural riyadh. These formations present as enclosed basins, save for those in the south-central region which may be open on one or more sides. The morphology of these depressions is diverse, ranging from circular to elongated forms, with some exhibiting irregular platforms. The scale of these depressions also varies widely. The most extensive, such as the Almajdah Depression, stretch for several kilometres, while the smallest span mere tens of metres. Their formation is primarily attributed to the dissolution of surface limestone by rainwater runoff, a process that has been active across much of the peninsula.<ref name="sheeb30">Template:Cite thesis</ref>

Valleys

Dry valleys, known as wadis, are featured most prominently in Qatar's northern region and the vicinity of Jebel Dukhan. They are characterised by their internal drainage systems, which terminate in shallow depressions rarely exceeding 2 to 3 metres in depth. While they may extend for several kilometres in length, they maintain a remarkably narrow profile, with a width invariably less than 100 metres.<ref name="sheeb30"/>

Hills

File:Qatar, Zekreet (Bir Zekrit)(8), desert.jpg

Flat-topped hills in the Zekreet Peninsula

The peninsula features several low hills scattered throughout its western and southern regions. Notable among these is Jebel Dukhan, a series of convex hillocks extending Template:Convert north-south along the west coast. The peninsula's terrain also features distinctive flat-topped hills, formed by horizontal strata capped with relatively hard rock. These formations exhibit steep, often concave or stepped slopes, shaped by varying degrees of rock resistance.<ref name="sheeb32">Template:Cite thesis</ref>

Topographical features range from small, conical hills—where the resistant rock cap has eroded—to more extensive mesa-like formations. Elevation varies considerably; in the Zekreet Peninsula and near Al Khor, the hills are Template:Convert to Template:Convert above sea level. The southern hills are much taller, with Qatar's highest point, Qurayn Abu al Bawl (also known as Tuwayyir Al Hamir) being over Template:Convert above sea level.<ref name="sheeb32"/>

Wildlife

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

Flora

File:Palm tree cluster near Umm Bab beach.jpg

Wild date palms growing near Umm Bab in western Qatar

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Although most of the country consists of sand deserts, a small part of the country houses different vegetation zones, where trees, reeds and shrubs like tamarind, phragmites, and mace can grow. These regions are mostly to the east, near the coast. The inherent limiting factor for vegetation growth is water availability. Certain geographical features partially alleviate this water scarcity, such as rawdas, which are large depressions found on the soil surface and which help recharge the aquifers.<ref name="macumber223">Template:Cite conference</ref> As these sites constitute the most easily obtainable sources of shallow groundwater, they are also among the areas most abundant in wild vegetation.<ref name="macumber226">Template:Cite conference</ref>

In the south, where groundwater is exceedingly scarce, vegetation can found growing in wadis (dry river valleys) fed by run-off from nearby hills and in rawdas.<ref name="macumber227">Template:Cite conference</ref>

Fauna

File:A mountain goat at Haloul Island.jpg

A mountain goat at Halul Island

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} There are 21 species of mammals that have been recorded in Qatar.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Larger terrestrial mammals such as the Arabian oryx and Arabian gazelle are protected animals and are held in nature reserves.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Arabian gazelle is the only native gazelle species to Qatar and is locally referred to as 'rheem'.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Qatar's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf are rich in marine life. Sea turtles nest en masse on the coastline from Fuwayrit to Ras Laffan. The Ministry of Environment (MME) carries out routine patrols of nesting areas to ensure their conservation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Dugongs are known to congregate off the country's coasts. In the course of a study being carried out in 1986 and 1999 on the Persian Gulf, the largest-ever group sightings were made of more than 600 individuals to the west of Qatar.<ref name="sillitoe">Template:Cite book</ref>

Geology and mineral deposits

File:Nakhsh mountain in Qatar.jpg

Fenced-off area of Jebel Nakhsh (Nakhsh Mountain)

File:Hillock at northern end of Al Khor Island.jpg

Limestone hillock on northern end of Al Khor Island

Era<ref>Casey & Vine (1991), p. 73</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	Period	Formation	Member	Mineral deposits and resources
Paleozoic	Cambrian	Hormuz Formation	Dolomite, sandstone	Hematite, carbonates, asbestos
	Permian Carboniferous	Khuff Formation		Petroleum
Mesozoic	Jurassic	Uwainat Limestone Formation, Arab Formation	Dolomite, limestone, evaporite, shale	Petroleum
	Cretaceous	Shuaiba Formation	Marlstone, limestone, shale	Petroleum
Cenozoic	Paleocene	Umm Er Radhuma Formation
	Lower Eocene	Rus Formation	Chalk	Celestine, gypsum
		Lower Dammam Formation	Dukhan limestone, Midra shale, Rudjm Aid limestone	Palygorskite, pyrite
	Middle Eocene	Upper Dammam Formation	Umm Bab chalk, Simaisma dolomites	Dolomite, limestone
	Miocene	Upper and Lower Dam Formation	Clay, limestone, gypsum	Clay, limestone, celestine
	Pliocene	Hofuf Formation	Sandy clay, sandstone	Sand, gravel
	Pleistocene		Miliolite limestone	Limestone

Most of Qatar's surface lies on Cenozoic strata. These strata have an abundance of mineral resources, most of which have not yet been exploited, such as limestone and clay.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Upper Dammam Formation in the Middle Eocene period is the most predominant surface layer. It is constituted by limestone and Dolomite.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The northern zone of Qatar, which comprises the most significant source of fresh groundwater in the peninsula, primarily draws its water from the Umm Err Radhuma Formation and Rus Formation dating to the Paleocene and Lower Eocene periods, respectively.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Mesozoic strata are the most important layers as they contain petroleum. The first substantial deposit of crude oil was discovered in 1940 in the Jurassic period Arab Formation.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Resources and land use

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

File:Water Stress, Top Countries (2020).svg

Qatar is the fifth most water stressed country in the world.

Based on 2011 estimates, 5.6% of the land is agricultural. Arable land comprises 1.1%, permanent crops 0.2% and permanent pasture 4.6%.Template:Fix 94.4% of the land was used for other uses.<ref name="factbook">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Template:CIA World Factbook</ref> In 2003, Template:Convert of land was irrigated.<ref name="factbook" />

Severe conditions, such as extremely high temperatures and lack of water and fertile soil, hinder increased agricultural production.<ref name="countrystudies" /> Orthents, the predominant soil type in the peninsula, accounting for approximately 1,020,000 ha, are unfavorable for crop cultivation because of their extreme shallowness.<ref name="kubaisi">Template:Cite book</ref> The limited groundwater that permits agriculture in some areas is being depleted so rapidly that saltwater is encroaching and making the soil inhospitable to all but the most salt-resistant crops.<ref name="countrystudies"/>

Political and human geography

File:Qatar sandstorm.JPG

A massive sandstorm sweeping over the Persian Gulf state of Qatar as it races southward toward southeastern Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on February 15, 2004

The capital, Doha, is located on the central east coast on a sweeping (if shallow) harbor.<ref name="countrystudies" /> Other ports include Umm Said, Al Khawr, and Al Wakrah. Only Doha and Umm Said are capable of handling commercial shipping, although a large port and a terminal for loading natural gas are planned at Ras Laffan Industrial City, north of Al Khawr.<ref name="countrystudies" /> Coral reefs and shallow coastal waters make navigation difficult in areas where channels have not been dredged.<ref name="countrystudies"/>

Doha is the capital of the country and the major administrative, commercial, and population center.<ref name="countrystudies" /> In 1993 it was linked to other towns and development sites by a system of about Template:Convert of paved roads.<ref name="countrystudies" /> Doha's international airport has an approximately Template:Convert main runway, capable of receiving all kinds of aircraft.<ref name="countrystudies"/>

Historically, settlement distribution in Qatar has mainly been dictated by the presence of obtainable fresh groundwater.<ref name="macumber223"/> Rawdas, which are depressions with shallow groundwater, have typically been the most popular sites of settlement throughout the peninsula.<ref name="macumber226"/> In Qatar's south, where groundwater is exceedingly difficult to obtain, settlement formation was mostly limited to wadis (dry river valleys) fed by run-off from nearby hills and rawdas.<ref name="macumber223"/>

Environmental agreements

Qatar is currently party to the following international environmental agreements:<ref name="factbook"/>

• Biodiversity
• Climate Change
• Desertification
• Hazardous Wastes
• Law of the Sea
• Ozone Layer Protection

Bibliography

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:WWF ecoregion