Qatar

Qatar, an emirate on the Arabian Peninsula, covers a surface area of 11 437 m2 and has a population of half a million. One of the smallest Arab countries, it is a peninsula itself, measuring 160 km by 80 km (at its widest point) and includes numerous islets. The country has relatively low relief: a limestone desert with large sand dunes in the south and hills of gypsum on the west coast (Dukhan region). Desert covers 86% of the country while salty and swampy depressions called sebkhas form the hinterland. Vast beaches cover 550 km of coastline.

The climate is characterised by long, hot (up to 46°C), humid summers and mild winters (between 10°C and 20°C), with occasional rainfall (average annual rainfall of 75 mm). Vegetation is scant and scarce, usually comprising small thorny plants and patchy areas of grass, but each winter brings rains that momentarily colour the desert green.

The coasts of Qatar are bathed in a north-south sea current and the north-westerly shamâl winds are dominant for most of the year.

Such geomorphological and climatic conditions make sedentarisation difficult for populations with a typical “traditional” economy.