Historical steps at a glance
4000 BC
Ubaid pottery from Mesopotamia found in Qatar is thought to be the world’s earliest evidence of international trade
3000-1000 BC
Qatar flourishes as a trading port between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley
2nd Century AD
Greek geographer identifies “Qatara” on his map of the Arab world
628
Qatar is one of the first civilizations to convert to Islam
1515
The country comes under Portuguese influence
1847
Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani, predecessor of the current ruling family, relocates its base to Doha
1850
Three Bedouin tribes, the ancestors of the majority of contemporary Qataris, move to the peninsula in search of fresh water
1868
Treaty with Britain recognizes Qatar’s independence from Bahrain
1893
Sheikh Qassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, the founder of the modern state of Qatar, defeats Ottoman forces
1940
Oil is discovered at Dukhan
1971
Qatar becomes a sovereign state
1991
Production of gas begins in Qatar’s North Field
1996
Al Jazeera launches the first independent Arab satellite news channel, breaking the monopoly of state controlled media in the region
2001
Qatar becomes the first Arab state to host the World Trade Organization conference
2004
2006
Qatar becomes the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and acts as the first Arab host of the
Asian Games
2008
2009
Qatar Science and Technology Park opens; an important step in realizing a knowledge-based society
2012
Further information
