Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, architect of modern Qatar
Summary
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who led Qatar from 1995 to 2013, passed away at age 74. He helped turn Qatar into a wealthy and influential country through natural gas production and major reforms in politics, economy, and society.Key Facts
- Sheikh Hamad ruled Qatar from 1995 until he stepped down in 2013.
- Under his leadership, Qatar’s economy grew over 24 times larger.
- Qatar became the world’s biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas by 2006.
- He started important institutions like the Qatar Foundation and Al Jazeera news channel.
- In 2004, Qatar adopted its first permanent constitution and allowed women to vote and run for office in local elections.
- Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup during his time as emir.
- He peacefully passed power to his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, marking a rare voluntary leadership change in the region.
- Sheikh Hamad was born in 1952 and trained at Britain’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
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