Qatar Capital

The capital of Qatar is Doha. Doha, with 1,351,000 people, is the largest city in Qatar. Doha has been the capital of Qatar since July 9, 1971, when Qatar gained its independence. This is the economic center of Qatar. More than half of Qatar's population lives in Doha, or in its nearby suburbs. Doha is an example of a primate city. Doha being the capital city, largest city, and economic center of Qatar, Doha has political, financial, and economic influenced unmatched by any other city in Qatar. This is what makes Doha a primate city. It is the primary city in Qatar.

There is one important neighborhood within Doha, Al Bidda. This neighborhood plays a historical role for Doha. At one time, Al Bidda was the most important town in Qatar during the early 19th century. Al Bidda was regarded as the only suitable port in Qatar. As Qatar is located in the Persian Gulf, maritime trade has been and continues to be crucial to the economy. Doha would be established around the early 1820s. As time passed, expansion would take place. Doha would grow larger. Today, Al-Bidda is a neighborhood in Doha.

It is believed that the name "Doha" comes from the Arabic word "Ad-Dawha", meaning "the big tree". A tree was once found where a fishing village would be built. It is also thought that it comes from the word "dohat", meaning "bay". The city of Doha is located on a bay.

The vast majority of Qatar's population lives in the east regions of the country. Typically, the central part of a nation is considered an optimal place to have a capital city. However, the exact center of Qatar is an uninhabited desert region. In this case, most of Qatar's population is along Qatar's eastern coast. Doha is located on the central part of the eastern coast. It is fitting that Qatar's capital city is located on the central portion of its eastern coast. The capital city is located at the center of the nation's most populated region.