The history of Qatar spans from its first duration of human occupation to its formation as a modern state. Human occupation of Qatar dates back to 50,000 years ago, and Stone Age encampments and tools have been unearthed in the Arabian Peninsula. Mesopotamia was the first civilization to have a presence in the area during the Neolithic period, evidenced by the discovery of potsherds originating from the Ubaid period near coastal encampments.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani is a member of the ruling Al Thani Qatari royal family. He was the ruling Emir of Qatar from 1995 until 2013 when he abdicated the throne, handing power to his son Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Qatari government refers to him as the Father Emir.
The emir of the State of Qatar is the monarch and head of state of the country. The emir is also the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and guarantor of the Constitution. The emir holds the most powerful position in the country, and has a prominent role in foreign relations.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani was the Emir of Qatar from 27 February 1972 until he was deposed by his son Hamad bin Khalifa on 27 June 1995.
The House of Thani is the ruling family of Qatar, with origins tracing back to the Northern Arab Banu Tamim tribe.
The Consultative Assembly is the legislative body of the State of Qatar, with 45 members. Following the 2021 Qatari general election, it has 30 elected members and 15 appointed members. The body can only question the prime minister, who is appointed by the Emir of Qatar, on his policies if two-thirds of the members agree, which is unlikely given that one-third of the members are appointed by the Emir.
Al-Gharafa Sports Club is a Qatari multi-sports club based in the Al Gharrafa district of Al Rayyan. The club is best known for its football team, although it also has teams for other sports. It was established on 6 June 1979 as Al-Ittihad and later officially incorporated into the Qatar Football Association on 23 September of that same year. The club was officially renamed to its current form in 2004 to better represent the district of Al-Gharafa, where the club is located. The club was most notably founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al-Thani, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani, Sheikh Hamad bin Faisal Al-Thani, Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al-Thani and Saad Mohammed Al-Rumaihi. In a documentary produced by Al Kass sports channel about the history of the club, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim mentioned that the idea was initially suggested by Saad Al-Rumaihi who was working as a sports journalist at the Al Raya newspaper.
Al Gharrafa is a district of Al Rayyan City in Qatar, located in the municipality of Al Rayyan. In close proximity to metropolitan Doha and Education City, the Doha Expressway and Al Shamal Highway run along the district. Many malls operate out of the area, most notably Landmark Mall. To the east it neighbors the largely residential areas of Duhail and Madinat Khalifa North, therefore Al Gharrafa is largely a retail hub for nearby residential areas. Doha's downtown is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the southeast.
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber bin Mohammed bin Thani Al Thani, who was also known informally by his initials HBJ, is a Qatari politician. He was the Prime Minister of Qatar from 3 April 2007 to 26 June 2013, and foreign minister from 11 January 1992 to 26 June 2013.
Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, also known as Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani or Sheikh Abdullah bin Qassim Al Thani, was the Emir of Qatar. He was born in 1880 in Doha, the capital city of Qatar. He then abdicated in favour of his crown prince and second son, Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, in 1940. Sheikh Hamad died eight years later and Sheikh Abdullah assumed office once again until 1949, when he stepped down from office in favour for his eldest son, Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani. Oil was also discovered for the first time during his rule.
Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Muhammed Al Thani was Crown Prince of the State of Qatar. Sheikh Hamad was the second son of the second Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, and also the father of the fifth Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani.
Hamad bin Khalid bin Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani was a Qatari entrepreneur and Chief of the Qatari police forces. He was a member of the House of Thani and cousin of the former Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The first municipal council in Qatar was formed in the early 1950s and it was reorganized in 1956. Doha municipality came into being in May 1963. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs was established in 1972 as a government body responsible for supervising the functions of municipalities.
The 2012 Emir of Qatar Cup is the 40th edition of the cup tournament in men's football. It is played by the 1st and 2nd level divisions of the Qatari football league structure.
The 2013 West Asian Football Federation Championship was the 8th WAFF Championship, an international tournament for member nations of the West Asian Football Federation. The tournament was hosted by Qatar from 25 December 2013 to 7 January 2014 and the host country won the tournament for the first time. The 2012 champions, Syria, did not defend their title.
Qatar Investment & Projects Development Holding Company (QIPCO) is a prominent Qatari shareholding company based in Doha, which through its subsidiaries, maintains a focus on financial and real estate markets.
The 24th Arabian Gulf Cup was the 24th edition of the biennial football competition for the eight members of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation. Eight teams participated in the tournament.
The Old Amiri Palace, located in Doha, Qatar, previously served as the residence of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani during the early 20th century. It became defunct in 1923 when Abdullah bin Jassim shifted his seat of government to the then-abandoned Ottoman fort of Qal'at al-Askar. In 1972, it was decided that it would be converted into a museum, culminating in the Qatar National Museum.
The 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup will be the 6th edition of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, the biennial international age-restricted football championship organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the men's under-23 national teams of Asia. The tournament will be held from 15 April to 3 May 2024.
