Earth from Space - Image Description

STS078-748-015 Doha (Ad Dawhah), Qatar June 1996
Doha (mottled-looking area slightly below and right of center), the capital of Qatar, is located on the east coast of the Qatar Peninsula. This peninsula juts northward into the Persian Gulf from Saudi Arabia. The peninsula of Qatar, measuring roughly 100 miles (160 km) north to south, and 50 miles (80 km) east to west, is geographically situated between the island country of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Similar to the other countries that border the Persian Gulf, petroleum products are presently the leading exports from Qatar. The Bay of Doha (immediately east of the city) has been deepened to create a large, artificial deepwater port with modern facilities. The runway (dark, linear feature) of Doha International airport is visible southeast of the city. The thin, light-colored lines are roads that cross the arid landscape. The general topography of the country is almost entirely flat desert with sand and gravel covering the sparsely vegetated terrain.

This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit, ARES Division, Exploration Integration Science Directorate.