Situated along key travel routes between the West and East, this capital city has been settled for at least 6,000 years and has changed rulers and layouts many times.
Formed during four explosive eruptions that took place between 300,000 and 90,000 years ago, the volcanic caldera is now home to human settlements and 17 younger volcanoes.
In this astronaut photograph from the International Space Station, the lights of Qatar show informative demographic detail that is very difficult to discern in daylight images.