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10 Most Famous People from Qatar

QATAR is one of the countries in the Arab peninsula with an absolute monarchy ruled by the Al Thani. It covers an area of 11,586 km2. and has a 563 km coastline, with 87 km bordering Saudi Arabia.

Most recent statics estimate the population of the country at 2,696,002 people with the population density approximated at 232 people per square kilometer. The official language of Qatar is Arabic, but English is predominantly used as a second language.

The main religion is Islam estimated at 31% followed by Christianity and Hinduism both at 13%.

It is the 4th richest country globally with a GDP per capita of $93,521. Doha a city on the coastline, its capital, and the largest boasts ultramodern skyscrapers and architecture.

The elegant structures are not enough to describe the pride of Qatar, hundreds of intelligent and influential people in various categories of life, ranging from royalty to fashion and sports celebrities are attributed to this magnificent country.

1. Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani – Emir Of Qatar

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Image by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo-

Born on 3 June 1980 in Doha, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the 4th son of his father, Hamad bin Khalifa and the second son of Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned, his father’s second wife.

He is the current Emir of Qatar since 25 June 2013. He became the heir to the throne in 2003 after his older brother Sheikh Jassim renounced his claim. He has absolute monarchy on the throne and is well known for his relentless efforts to foster Qatar’s international foreign relations.

His undying interest in sports made him promote sports in Qatar to international standards. He founded Oryx Qatar Sports Investments which owns Paris Saint-Germain F.C. He brought unity to the organizing committee of the 15th Asian Games in Doha as evidenced by all the member states attending the event for the first time in history under his stewardship as the chair and he championed for Qatar to host the 2030 Asian Games.

Under his tenure, Qatar also won the right to host the 2014 FINA Swimming World Championships and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

2. Mutaz Essa Barshim – Athlete

Qatari high jumper Motaz Essa Barsham. Image by Doha Stadium Plus-

Mutaz Essa Barshim is an athlete in Qatar who has competed in various competitions. Born to Sudanese parents in a family of seven (five brothers and a sister) in Doha on 24 June 1991.

His decision to venture into athletics was greatly influenced by his father who was an athlete and tagged him along in most of his training routines. At the age of 31, Essa has achieved a lot. He won the high jump championship in the 2020 Olympics, the Asian record, and is the second-best all-time jumper with a personal record of 2.43.

In his career, he has won seventeen gold medals, five silver medals, and one bronze medal. He jumps off his left foot and applies the Fosbury Flop technique, with a distinct backward arch over the bar. 

Mutaz also won the Inspiration Award at the World Athletics Awards in Tokyo 2021.

3. Wissam Al Mana – Business Mogul

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Wissam Al Mana is a Qatari businessman born on 1 January 1975 to Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana and Sara Al Mana in Doha. The family moved to London when Wissam was two years.  He studied at George Washington University School of Economics and Political Science in London.

His late father founded the Qatar conglomerate which is essentially a group of companies that venture into various businesses ranging from real estate to oil and gas. After graduation, he started working for the family business and is now the executive director of Al Mana Group.

The family operates 55 companies in 8 countries, including all the McDonald’s outlets in Qatar. He was married to the legendary Janet Jackson in 2013 and had their first child on January 3, 2017. They named the baby son Eissa, the Arabic name for Jesus. The couple had the baby when the mother was 50 years old. They later broke up 3 months after the birth of Eissa.

4. Mohammed Ahmed Al – Modiahki – Grandmaster

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Mohammed Ahmed Al-Modiahki is Qatari’s highest-ranked chess player. Born on 1 June 1974, has an impressive mastery of chess. During the 1996 chess Olympiad, he won a gold medal for his performance.

He has won the Arab Chess Championship four times. He is the first Qatari national to earn the title of grandmaster due to his impressive performance in various internationally recognized chess tournaments that gave him good ratings.

He married Zu Chen, a fellow grandmaster, and have two children.

5. Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser – Reformist

Image by Wilson Dias/ABr-

Named as one of Forbes’ 100 most powerful women in the world, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser is the mother to Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (Emir of Qatar) and the second wife of Sheikha Moza (former Emir).

Groundbreaking initiatives in youth development are attributed to her. She has served in various high government capacities in Qatar and through her voice, she has advocated for reforms in education, medicine, and social sectors.

She has received various awards and honors in recognition of her service, among them being the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, the George Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service, and the Chatham House Award.

6. Nada Zeidan – Sports Personality

Olympic flame. Image by from

Nada Zeidan was born in Beirut, Lebanon on 11 Oct 1976 to a Palestinian father and Turkish mother.  She is the eldest of ten siblings. The Lebanese Civil War saw her family move to Qatar at the age of four.

She took up nursing at the Qatar School of Nursing and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Qatar University to assist humanity, moved by the horrific experiences of the aftermath of war. She later dropped nursing for archery and shooting where she competed and won on several occasions.

She was the first Qatari, and by extension, the first Arab female to compete in the archery competition at the 14th Asian Games. Her passion for sports drove her to rally competitions and she became the first female Arab rally driver. She even won the Middle-East Rally Championship in Dubai in 2004 and subsequent ladies’ Cups in the Middle East Rally Championships in Lebanon and Syria.

In recognition of her abilities, Zeidan was selected to carry the Olympic flame in the UK as it was being passed through London on 18 June 2012.

7. Fahad Kubaisi – Musician/ Producer

Image by برنامج ياهلا برمضان-

Fahad Al Kubaisi is was born on 12 April 1981. He is the second born to eight children in a native Islamic family. In high school, he performed various Islamic songs and released his first album The Beauty of the Soul (Jamaal El Rouh).

He studied at Qatar University and graduated with a physical education degree and sports science. His exposure to Arabic and pop music while growing up offered a springboard to his music career.

His prominence in the music industry was a result of his fourth album Tejy Neshaq, which he produced himself. He is now a renowned musician, producer, fashion model, and human activist. He has been ranked the best within the Arab Peninsular and the first nominee of Grammys Awards from the Middle East.

8. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa – Former Emir

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Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani is a member of the ruling Al Thani Qatari royal family. He was born on 1 January 1952 and ruled from 1995 to 2013.

He abdicated the throne and handed over power to his son Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He seized power from his father, Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, in a palace coup d’état in 1995.

He is known for growing the economy of Qatar, making it the richest country in the world per capita after increasing natural gas production. Several notable events also took place in Qatar, including the 2006 Asian Games, and the 2012 UN Climate Change Conference among others. His regime was autocratic and there was no organized political opposition and prohibitions on free speech.

During the Arab spring, he maintained peace and stability in the country.  He founded the news media group Al Jazeera and also played a huge part in negotiations between the US and the Taliban. He received numerous national and foreign honors and awards.

9. Noor Al – Malki – Athlete

Noor Hussain Al-Malki, born 21 October 1994 is an athlete. She is the youngest in her family with six brothers and five sisters and a member of the Qatari Olympic Team at the Summer Olympics (2012), making her the first female athlete to represent the country at the Olympic Games.

However, her race ended in sudden pain on the track after she pulled her hamstring. Malki began training in 2008 and was reported to lack consistency in the early stages of her training.

She improved in her training and soon became the fastest female Qatari athlete and won the Qatar Association of Athletics Federation’s (QAAF) ‘Best Female Athlete’ in 2010-11.

10. Al-Haydos – Footballer

 Hassan Khalid Hassan Al-Haydos was born on 11 December 1990. He is a professional footballer and plays as a forward for the Qatari club Al Sadd and the national team.

His football career started at the mere age of eight and joined the team at seventeen. He was a penalty taker against Jeonbuk in the 2011 AFC Champions League and scored after the ball deflected off the top post. Through this victory, Haydos earned a place in the FIFA Club World Cup as the representative for Asia.

He also scored a winning penalty against Kashiwa Reysol which secured a win for Al Sadda  5–3. He was voted as the ‘Best Qatari Player’ in 2014 in a poll conducted by Doha Stadium.