Qatar’s modern history begins in 1766 with the establishment of the town of Al-Zubārah, which became an important economic outpost. Before the discovery of oil and gas changed the fortunes of the gulf state, the economy was built around fishing, pearl diving and trading.
A British Protectorate from 1916, the modern state of Qatar was born on September 3, 1971, when it proclaimed its independence. Since then, the country has undergone rapid growth.