Qatar

American  

[kah-tahr, kuh-tahr, kuh-ter, khah-tahr] / ˈkɑ tɑr, kəˈtɑr, ˈkʌ tər, ˈxɑ tɑr /

Or Katar

noun

1. an independent emirate on the Persian Gulf; under British protection until 1971. 8,500 sq. mi. (22,000 sq. km). Doha.

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Qatar British  

/ kæˈtɑː /

noun

1. a state in E Arabia, occupying a peninsula in the Persian Gulf: under Persian rule until the 19th century; became a British protectorate in 1916; declared independence in 1971; exports petroleum and natural gas. Official language: Arabic. Official religion: (Sunni) Muslim. Currency: riyal. Capital: Doha. Pop: 2 042 444 (2013 est). Area: about 11 000 sq km (4250 sq miles)

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Qatar Cultural  

1. Kingdom on the Arabian Peninsula, located on a small peninsula extending into the Persian Gulf, bordered to the south by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

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Discover More

Qatar was a British protectorate from 1916 to 1971.

It has successfully exploited its oil reserves since 1949.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Qatari
  adjective

Example Sentences

The buzz: Qatar made its World Cup debut four years ago and became the first host to exit the tournament without a point, losing all three group-play games by two goals each.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Four years ago, it was packed with fans watching England play at the World Cup in Qatar.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Some analysts have cast doubt over these ambitions in a regional market that is saturated with competitors such as Dubai's Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

That’s not a policy reversal but a supply stopgap as Asia grapples with the loss of liquified natural gas from Qatar, its main source of LNG.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

Nick told me he was at CentCom headquarters in Qatar in April 2004, being briefed by General John Abizaid and his staff.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman