Editing Demographics of Qatar (section)

==Qatari people==
{{Main|Qataris}}
Native Qataris can be divided into three ethnic groups: [[Bedouin|Bedouin Arabs]], ''hadar'', and [[Afro-Arab]], which can be considered a sub-category of the hadar. Some of the hadar are of Iranian descent.<ref>{{cite book |author=Carol R. Ember and Melvin Ember |title=Countries and Their Cultures |url= |location= |publisher=Macmillan Reference USA |page=1825 |date=2001 |isbn=9780028649498}}</ref> Qatari citizens comprise 11.6% of the country's population.<ref>{{Citation |last=Folse |first=Mark R. |title=The United States Marine Corps |date=2020-02-26 |work=Military History |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/obo/9780199791279-0190 |access-date=2025-02-11 |publisher=Oxford University Press |doi=10.1093/obo/9780199791279-0190 |isbn=978-0-19-979127-9}}</ref>

===Citizenship===
Two distinctions exist between Qatari citizens: those whose families migrated to Qatar before 1930, commonly referred to as "native" Qataris, and "naturalized", those whose families arrived after. Previously, the 1961 citizenship law defined Qatari citizens as only those families who have been in the country since the 1930s,<ref name="marine1"/> though this was repealed in the 2005 [[Qatari nationality law|citizenship law]]. In 2021, a law was signed by Emir [[Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani]] restricting the rights to vote in [[Consultative Assembly of Qatar|local elections]] to native citizens, leading to minor demonstrations and public disapproval. This led Al Thani to later announce that he would amend the law to allow all citizens to vote in future elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/qatar/freedom-world/2024|title=Qatar: Freedom in the World Country Report|publisher=Freedom House|year=2024|accessdate=28 May 2024}}</ref> 

Children of Qatari mothers and foreign fathers are not granted Qatari citizenship; however, as of 2018, they are granted [[permanent residency]] status, which entitles them to similar state benefits as Qatari citizens. Nonetheless, the government limits the number of permanency residency visas it issues each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/02/15/qatar-submission-un-committee-rights-child|title=Qatar: Submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child|publisher=Human Rights Watch|date=15 February 2023|accessdate=29 May 2024}}</ref> The 2005 citizenship law allows for [[Denaturalization|revocation of citizenship]] without appeal, which has been used on a number of families with [[dual citizenship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/05/12/qatar-families-arbitrarily-stripped-citizenship|title=Qatar: Families Arbitrarily Stripped of Citizenship|publisher=Freedom House|date=12 May 2019|accessdate=28 May 2024}}</ref>

===Ethnic groups===
Qatar's population has been historically diverse due to its role as a trading center, a refuge for nomadic tribes, and a hub for the [[Pearl diving|pearling]] industry. Ethnic groups and the differences among them are considered sensitive topics in Qatari society and are rarely discussed in official contexts.<ref name="marine1">{{cite web|url=https://info.publicintelligence.net/MCIA-QatarCultureGuide.pdf|title=Qatar Cultural Field Guide|publisher=[[United States Marine Corps]]|location=[[Quantico, Virginia]]|pages=21–24|date=August 2010|accessdate=28 May 2024}}</ref>

[[Bedouin]]s, though constituting approximately 10 percent of the population, hold an outsized role in local culture. Many Qataris descend from tribes that migrated from [[Najd]] and [[Al-Ahsa Oasis|Al-Hasa]] in the 18th century. Commonly called the ''bedu'', they maintain ties, homes, and even passports in [[Saudi Arabia]] and other Gulf states. In the early 20th century, bedu migrated from the Arabian interior, with some traveling intermittently between Qatar and Bahrain. During the mid-20th century economic boom, many found work in the [[Energy in Qatar|oil industry]], [[Law enforcement in Qatar|police]], [[Army of Qatar|army]], and security services. The government settled Bedu families in the 1960s, discouraging the nomadic lifestyle. Today, many live in urban areas but return to the desert to stay connected to their roots. Many Bedu see themselves as noble and "pure" Arabs, often looking down on the settled population (hadar) as influenced by urban and [[Persian people|Persian]] elements. [[Interethnic marriage|Intermarriage]] between these groups is rare.<ref name="marine1"/>

The ''hadar'', a diverse group of settled Qatari citizens, includes [[Baharna]], [[Huwala people|Huwala]], [[Ajam]] (Iranians), and [[Afro-Arabs]]. Baharna Arabs, a group native to Qatar and often practicing [[Shia Islam|Shia Muslims]], sometimes face discrimination from the [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] majority. Huwala Arabs, who are Sunni Muslims, migrated through the [[Persian Gulf]] to [[Persia]] and back to Qatar. Historically wealthier and better educated due to trade and pearling, their advantage has diminished as education became more accessible. The Ajam, ethnic Shia Persians, were active in [[boat building]] and still speak [[Persian language|Persian]]. Qatar’s Afro-Arab population descends from slaves brought from [[East Africa]] for the pearling industry. While some Arabs may view this group as "less" Qatari, most consider them full citizens. Despite occasional tensions, these groups are well integrated into Qatari society. Intermarriage is increasing, and Persian and African influences are evident in local culture.<ref name="marine1"/>

=== Genetic studies ===
A 2023 study focusing on the [[Y chromosome|Y-chromosome]], which is passed down paternally, analyzed DNA samples from 379 unrelated Qatari men to investigate their genetic heritage and connections to other populations in the [[Arabian Peninsula]], the [[Middle East]], and [[Africa]]. This research utilized [[List of Y-STR markers|23 Y-STR markers]], highly variable segments of DNA, to create genetic profiles and assess diversity within the Qatari male population.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Almohammed |first1=Eida Khalaf |last2=Hadi |first2=Abdullah |last3=Al-Asmakh |first3=Maha |last4=Lazim |first4=Hayder |date=2023-09-01 |title=The Qatari population's genetic structure and gene flow as revealed by the Y chromosome |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=18 |issue=9 |pages=e0290844 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0290844 |doi-access=free |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=10473524 |pmid=37656680|bibcode=2023PLoSO..1890844A }}</ref>

The study revealed a high level of genetic diversity within the Qatari male population, with the marker DYS458 showing the most variation. Analysis of these genetic markers allowed for the prediction of Y-chromosome [[Haplogroup|haplogroups]], which are branches on the human Y-chromosome [[phylogenetic tree]]. The most prevalent haplogroup found in the Qatari sample was [[Haplogroup J-M267|J1]], accounting for approximately 49% of the individuals tested. This haplogroup is known to be common in the Arabian Peninsula and is associated with populations of Semitic origin, particularly Arabic speakers. The prominence of J1 in Qatar, forming a "star-like expansion cluster" in genetic networks, suggests a significant ancestral component linked to the broader Arabian region and potentially a more recent population expansion. Other haplogroups found in notable frequencies included [[Haplogroup J-M172|J2]], [[Haplogroup R1a|R1a]], [[Haplogroup E-M215|E1b1b]], [[Haplogroup E-V38|E1b1a]], [[Haplogroup T-M184|T]], and [[Macro-haplogroup L|L]].<ref name=":0" />

To understand Qatar's genetic placement within the region, the study compared Qatari Y-STR data with that of 38 other Middle Eastern populations. This analysis revealed that Qataris are genetically closest to [[Iraqis|Iraqi Arabs]], followed by [[Saudis|Saudi Arabian]] populations.  Conversely, they showed the greatest genetic distance from groups like [[Kurdish population|Kurdish Iraqis]], [[Turkish population|Turkish populations]] from Dogukoy, and [[Palestinian Christians|Palestinian Christian Arabs]].  These relationships were visualized using multidimensional scaling (MDS) plots, which graphically represent genetic distances between populations.  The MDS analysis placed Qatar within a cluster of populations from the upper Arabian Peninsula, including [[Iraq]], [[Jordan]], and [[Palestine]], suggesting shared genetic affinities within this broad geographical area. Further analysis using phylogenetic trees and population structure analysis (STRUCTURE) corroborated these findings, consistently grouping Qatar with Iraqi Arabs and highlighting its distinctiveness from other Arabian Peninsula populations in some analyses, while also showing broader connections within the Middle East.<ref name=":0" />

The study also investigated gene flow, or migration patterns, using [[Bayesian statistical analysis|Bayesian statistical methods]].  The analysis suggested that the primary migration route influencing the Qatari population was from [[Yemen]] to [[Kuwait]], passing through Qatar. This finding aligns with a model of coastal migration within the Arabian Peninsula.  While there was evidence of bidirectional migration between Qatar and neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and the [[United Arab Emirates|UAE]], the strongest signal pointed towards this Yemen-Kuwait axis. This genetic evidence supports historical understandings of tribal movements and trade routes along the Arabian Gulf coast.<ref name=":0" />