قطر
Qatar
Quick reference
General issues: British protectorate 1957-1971, Emirate 1971-Present
Country name on general issues: Qatar
Currency: 1 Rupee = 100 Naye Paise 1957-1966, 1 Riyal = 100 Dirham 1966-Present
Population: 54 000 in 1957, 2 169 000 in 2013
Political history Qatar
Please click on the image to enlarge
Qatar is located on the Arabian peninsula in western Asia. In the 19th century Qatar is part of Bahrain. Qatar gains independence from Bahrain after the Bahrain-Qatar war from 1867-1868. Shortly after, in 1871, Qatar becomes part of the Ottoman Empire. In following years, British influence in the region increases as the British seek to protect the trade routes to British India. During WWI, the British invade the Ottoman Empire – that has sided with the Central Powers[1]Germany, Austria-Hungary and their allies. – in the Middle East. Qatar becomes a British protectorate in 1916. The British withdraw from the region in the 1970’s, and in 1971 Qatar becomes an independent emirate.
The borders of Qatar with Saudi Arabia are defined in 1965 and confirmed in 2001. However, since the borders between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – although agreed upon in 1974 – still have to be formalized, the borders in the region still have a de facto rather than a de jure status. Qatar and Bahrain have long disputed the Hawar Islands and the Al Zubarah region in the north of Qatar. This dispute is settled in 2001 through the International Court of Justice in the Hague, the Netherlands. The Hawar Islands are awarded to Bahrain, the Al Zubarah region to Qatar.
The Qatar economy is largely based on oil production, Qatar has the highest income per capita country in the world.
Postal history Qatar
1966 – Sheikh Ahmed bin Ali with falcon
In 1950 the British open the first post office in Doha – the capital of Qatar – serviced by the British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia. The Agencies were set up in 1948 to service several countries in the region. The ‘value only’ issues of the Agencies are used, British stamps with an overprint in the local currency. The first stamps for Qatar are issued in 1957, British stamps overprinted ‘Qatar’ and the face value in the local currency. The first definitives are issued in 1961. Qatar takes over the postal services from the British in 1963.
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