Qatar

Geography

Qatar is a country on a peninsula in the Persian Gulf. The land has a total area of 11,610 km² (4,483 mi²) and a total coastline of 563 km (349.8 mi). This land area is approximately 111% of the area of Hawaii. Qatar is thus one of the smallest countries in Asia by area and ranked 165th worldwide. Urbanization in the country has progressed so far that all residents are now counted as part of the urban population. Almost every second resident lives in Doha.

With an average elevation of only 28 m above sea level, Qatar is one of the lowest-lying countries in the world. The highest elevation (Qurain Abu l-Baul) reaches only 103 meters. The country has 27 islands in the open sea. Saudi Arabia is the only directly neighboring country of Qatar. The distance between New York City and the Capital Doha is about 10,780 km (6,698 mi).

Climate in Qatar

The long summers are characterized by intense, dry heat from May to September, with temperatures rising to over 45 °C. The winter months, on the other hand, are mild, but can also be relatively cold, with temperatures below 10 °C. Precipitation occurs almost exclusively in winter and then predominantly only in the north of the country, where the influence of the Persian Gulf is stronger. Thus, the north receives up to 30 percent more precipitation than the south. In addition, Qatar experiences shamal winds, which cause sand and dust storms mainly on summer days. Large masses of sand are moved from the north (Jordan and Syria) to the Persian Gulf.

• Detailed climate data for Qatar