Qatar had a rocky start, laden with territorial disputes and conflict with Bahrain and Britain. In 1971, Qatar became an independent nation.
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![In recent history, Qatar has gone from a small, seemingly insignificant Gulf state to a major global player, and has undergone major shifts in leadership. In 2013, Sheik Tamim took over Qatari leadership from his father Sheik Hamad,who had originally gained power in a peaceful coup in 1995. Sheik Hamad held power for eighteen years and established Qatar as a global player. Sheik Hamad established Al Jazeera and brought Qatar into modernity. According to an NPR report towards the end of his reign, "[Sheik Hamad] modernized and liberalized, opening six U.S. university branch campuses. He built world-class art museums and super highways. He allowed women to drive and provided churches for expat workers. There are more than a million of them. Even alcohol is tolerated here."](images/u888-10.png)