Geography of Qatar

thumb|right|Satellite view of Qatar in 2003

Qatar is a peninsula in the east of Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia in a strategic location near major petroleum and natural gas deposits. The State of Qatar occupies on a peninsula that extends about north into the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Peninsula.

Varying in width between , the land is mainly flat (the highest point is ) and rocky. spanning a linear distance of approximately .

Qatar presents as a peninsula encompassed by the tepid waters of the Persian Gulf on its eastern and northern flanks. The western margin is delineated by the Gulf of Salwah, a concave formation which effectively severs Qatar's terrestrial connection with the Al-Ahsa coast and Bahrain. The largest islet of the Hawar Islands is located off Qatari mainland. The peninsula's northernmost point is Ras Rakan.

Maritime claims

Qatar's maritime boundaries include a contiguous zone of , an exclusive economic zone of as determined by bilateral agreements, and of territorial sea. Maritime boundaries were ratified in April 1992 with Decree No. 40. The exclusive economic zone was declared in 1974.

Situated on the western shore of the Persian Gulf, the Qatari promontory extends longitudinally into the waters, affording it a strategic position for the interception of rain-bearing winds and the regulation of maritime currents in the south-western basin of the Persian Gulf. The extended coastline facilitates the exploitation of pearl banks and piscatorial resources while also providing access to subaqueous petroleum deposits. Qatari waters also host 48% of the coral reefs in the Persian Gulf.

The Qatari coast is further distinguished by its manifold indentations, comprising both convex protrusions of land into the sea, such as Ras Laffan, and concave incursions of water into the terrestrial mass. Moreover, the littoral serves as a natural harbour and transit point for numerous vessels plying the waters of the Persian Gulf. Rainfall averages per year, confined to the winter months, and falling in brief storms which are occasionally heavy enough to flood the small ravines and the usually dry wadis.

|source 2 = Qatar Meteorological Department (Climate Normals 1962–2013)

{|style="text-align:center;line-height:1.2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" class="wikitable"

|+Sea Climate Data For Doha

!Month

!Jan

!Feb

!Mar

!Apr

!May

!Jun

!Jul

!Aug

!Sep

!Oct

!Nov

!Dec

!style="border-left-width:medium"|Year

!Average sea temperature °C (°F)

| style=""|21.0 (69.8)

| style=""|19.4 (66.9)

| style=""|20.9 (69.6)

| style=""|23.3 (73.9)

| style=""|27.8 (82)

| style=""|30.5 (86.9)

| style=""|32.4 (90.3)

| style=""|33.6 (92.5)

| style=""|32.8 (91)

| style=""|30.8 (87.4)

| style=""|27.5 (81.5)

| style=""|23.5 (74.3)

| style=""|26.9 (80.5)

!Colspan=14 style="background:#ffffff;font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;"|Source:

Topography and natural regions

thumb|Topography of Qatar

The peninsula of Qatar is low-lying. Its shape is the surface expression of the anticlinal Qatar Arch, formed during the Precambrian Amar Collision about . It is enveloped by loose sand and pebbles broken off the outcropping limestone. Smooth plains covered by fine-grained dust are found in the east, while the south and south-west portions of the peninsula mainly comprise sand dunes and salt flats (locally known as sabkhas), particularly near Mesaieed and Khor Al Adaid. Sakbahs can also be found in western Qatar, near Dukhan and Sawda Natheel. For purposes of categorization, the country is divided into five principal regions: coastal plain, interior plain, central belt, Dukhan region, and southern desert. and accommodates the lowest point of Qatar at below sea level. Jebel Nakhsh, a notable mountain ridge south of Dukhan, contains substantial deposits of gypsum.

Southern desert

thumb|Sand dunes at [[Khor Al Adaid]]

This region occupies 34.7% of Qatar's total area, south of Doha's latitude. It bears topographical similitude to the desert areas of Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, with undulating sand dunes interspersed with rocky hamada surfaces. It stretches 24 kilometres from north to south and from east to west. A second notable inland sabkha complex straddles the borders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This formation comprises three discrete areas: Sawda Natheel to the south, Jawa Salama to the west, and Al Khufus to the east. These sabkhas, mostly subsea in elevation, collectively span an area of .

Dahls (Caverns)

Dahl is a local term used to describe a once sealed cave which had its roof collapse. Before roof collapse locals usually call it Kharsa'a (Arabic: خرسعة).

Due to the formation being roof collapse, some translate the term "dahl" to "sinkhole," although "cavern" is more commonly used. Dahls are common due to the underling limestone bedrock, which exhibits the same chemical dissolution as Karst. Locals formerly believed dahls were due to meteorites falling.

Dahls include Dahl Al Hamam, Dahl Al Misfer, Dahl Al Mudhlem. Dalh Al Hamam is the only cenote in the country.

Topographical features range from small, conical hills—where the resistant rock cap has eroded—to more extensive mesa-like formations. Elevation varies considerably; in the Zekreet Peninsula and near Al Khor, the hills are to above sea level. The southern hills are much taller, with Qatar's highest point, Qurayn Abu al Bawl (also known as Tuwayyir Al Hamir) being over above sea level. As these sites constitute the most easily obtainable sources of shallow groundwater, they are also among the areas most abundant in wild vegetation.

In the south, where groundwater is exceedingly scarce, vegetation can found growing in wadis (dry river valleys) fed by run-off from nearby hills and in rawdas. Sabkhas are another habitat known to contain various plant species. Vegetation in sabkhas is closely tied to soil salinity and moisture availability. Inland sabkhas are typically sparsely vegetated due to extreme salinity and aridity. Species that persist under these conditions include Zygophyllum qatarense, Anabasis setifera, which occurs along sabkha margins, and the halophytic grass Aeluropus lagopoides. By contrast, coastal sabkhas situated beyond mangrove zones are more frequently vegetated, often supporting dense stands of salt-tolerant flora. Typical genera include Arthrocnemum, Halocnemum, Halopeplis, and Limonium. Halopeplis and Limonium are commonly found on slightly raised, drier saline land, whereas Arthrocnemum and Halocnemum are more abundant in low-lying, moisture-retaining areas.

Fauna

thumb|260px|A mountain goat at [[Halul Island]]

There are 21 species of mammals that have been recorded in Qatar. Larger terrestrial mammals such as the Arabian oryx and Arabian gazelle are protected animals and are held in nature reserves. The Arabian gazelle is the only native gazelle species to Qatar and is locally referred to as 'rheem'.

Qatar's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf are rich in marine life. Sea turtles nest en masse on the coastline from Fuwayrit to Ras Laffan. The Ministry of Environment (MME) carries out routine patrols of nesting areas to ensure their conservation. Dugongs are known to congregate off the country's coasts. In the course of a study being carried out in 1986 and 1999 on the Persian Gulf, the largest-ever group sightings were made of more than 600 individuals to the west of Qatar.

Geology and mineral deposits

thumb|Fenced-off area of [[Jebel Nakhsh (Nakhsh Mountain)]]

thumb|Limestone hillock on northern end of [[Al Khor Island]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! Era

! Period

! Formation

! Member

! Mineral deposits and resources

| rowspan="2"|Paleozoic || Cambrian || Hormuz Formation || Dolomite, sandstone || Hematite, carbonates, asbestos

| Permian Carboniferous || Khuff Formation || || Petroleum

| rowspan="2"|Mesozoic || Jurassic || Uwainat Limestone Formation, Arab Formation || Dolomite, limestone, evaporite, shale || Petroleum

| Cretaceous || Shuaiba Formation || Marlstone, limestone, shale || Petroleum

| rowspan="7"|Cenozoic || Paleocene || Umm Er Radhuma Formation || colspan="2"|

| rowspan="2"|Lower Eocene || Rus Formation || Chalk || Celestine, gypsum

| Lower Dammam Formation || Dukhan limestone, Midra shale, Rudjm Aid limestone || Palygorskite, pyrite

| Middle Eocene || Upper Dammam Formation || Umm Bab chalk, Simaisma dolomites || Dolomite, limestone

| Miocene || Upper and Lower Dam Formation || Clay, limestone, gypsum || Clay, limestone, celestine

| Pliocene || Hofuf Formation || Sandy clay, sandstone || Sand, gravel

| Pleistocene || || Miliolite limestone || Limestone

Most of Qatar's surface lies on Cenozoic strata. These strata have an abundance of mineral resources, most of which have not yet been exploited, such as limestone and clay. The Upper Dammam Formation in the Middle Eocene period is the most predominant surface layer. It is constituted by limestone and Dolomite. The northern zone of Qatar, which comprises the most significant source of fresh groundwater in the peninsula, primarily draws its water from the Umm Err Radhuma Formation and Rus Formation dating to the Paleocene and Lower Eocene periods, respectively. The Mesozoic strata are the most important layers as they contain petroleum. The first substantial deposit of crude oil was discovered in 1940 in the Jurassic period Arab Formation.

Resources and land use

thumb|Qatar is the fifth most water stressed country in the world.

Based on 2011 estimates, 5.6% of the land is agricultural. Arable land comprises 1.1%, permanent crops 0.2% and permanent pasture 4.6%. 94.4% of the land was used for other uses. In 2003, of land was irrigated. The limited groundwater that permits agriculture in some areas is being depleted so rapidly that saltwater is encroaching and making the soil inhospitable to all but the most salt-resistant crops.