Qatar is a peninsular on the southwest coast of the Arabian Gulf to the east of Saudi Arabia, north west of the United Arab Emirates, and south of Iran, with a total land area of 11,437 km2, and a coastline of 563km.

The landscape is essentially flat barren desert with a rocky base, and is covered with loose sand and gravel. In the north limestone boulder formations reach over 40m high, and in the south there are sand dunes which reach over 60m . There are salt flats along the coast, which attract large water birds during their seasonal migration.

The climate is hot for most of the year, reaching over 50ºC in summer, dropping to around 15ºC for a few days in the winter season. Rainfall is usually limited to just a few days of brief showers per year, and normally averages around 90mm.

Hot winds, called shamals, which carry hot microscopic particles of sand, often blow across the deserts. Desalination plants provide an essential function, since water raised from underground cannot be drunk or used for irrigation due to its high mineral content, and rainfall is so limited.

The capital of Qatar is Doha, a major commercial hub with a large harbour. Other major cities include Umm Said, Al-Khor, Dukhan and Ruwais. North of Al-Khor lies Ras Laffan, a large natural gas field.