who is qatar

Qatar is an independent country in the Middle East, officially called the State of Qatar. It is an emirate located on the Qatar Peninsula along the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Saudi Arabia to the south and surrounded by the Persian Gulf. The capital city is Doha, where the majority of the population lives. Qatar is a constitutional monarchy ruled by the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. It became an independent sovereign state on September 3, 1971, after being a British protectorate. The official language is Arabic, and the currency is the Qatari Riyal. Qatar is known for its significant natural gas and oil reserves, ranking among the world's largest exporters of liquefied natural gas. It has a high-income economy with one of the highest GDPs per capita globally. Politically, Qatar is ruled by the Al Thani family, with the Emir holding most executive, legislative, and judicial authority under the constitution. The country follows Islamic law and has undergone various social and political reforms in recent decades. Qatar is influential regionally and internationally, partly due to its media network Al Jazeera and its role as a mediator in regional conflicts.