Al Ghuwariyah
{{Distinguish|Al Ghariyah}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Al Ghuwariyah
| native_name = الغويرية
| native_name_lang = ar
| type = Town
| image_skyline = File:Qatar, Al Ghuwayriyah (5), village scene.JPG
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Migrant workers resting under a samr tree in Al Ghuwayriyah
| image_flag =
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| coordinates = {{coord|25|49|46|N|51|14|43|E|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Qatar
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Qatar
| pushpin_mapsize =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Qatar}}
| subdivision_type1 = Municipality
| subdivision_name1 = Al Khor
| subdivision_type2 = Zone
| subdivision_name2 = Zone 76
| subdivision_type3 = District no.
| subdivision_name3 = 336
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| leader_party =
| leader_title = Director
| leader_name = Nasser Al Naimi
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_total_km2 = 12.3
| area_note =
| population_total = 725
| population_as_of = 2021
| population_density_km2 =
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| timezone1 = East Africa Time
| utc_offset1 = +03
| iso_code =
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}}
Al Ghuwariyah ({{langx|ar|الغويرية|Al-Ghuwaīriyah}}; also spelled Leghwairiya) is a town in Al Khor Municipality, Qatar. Al Ghuwariyah was a municipality of Qatar until 2004, when it was merged with Al Khor Municipality.{{cite web|url=http://www.statoids.com/uqa.html|title=Municipalities of Qatar|publisher=Statoids|accessdate=11 August 2017}}
It has been mostly populated by the Al-Naimi tribe of Qatar since the early 1920s.
Etymology
Two suggestions have been put forth for the origin of Al Ghuwariyah's name. The first is that it is derived from 'alghar', the Arabic term for the laurel family of plants. This is considered unlikely as this family of plants is not found in Qatar. The more plausible explanation is that the name derives from the Arabic word 'ghar', which translates to cave. This is lent credence by the presence of two prominent caves nearby.{{cite web|url=http://geoportal.gisqatar.org.qa/qmap/index.html|title=GIS Portal|publisher=Ministry of Municipality and Environment|accessdate=10 August 2017|archive-date=22 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022211224/https://geoportal.gisqatar.org.qa/qmap/index.html|url-status=dead}}
History
An entry for Al Ghuwariyah can be found in J. G. Lorimer's 1908 Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. He describes it as a nomadic camping ground {{Convert|12|mi|km|abbr=out}} south-west of Al Huwaila and mentions a nearby masonry well, 8 fathoms deep, that yields good water.{{cite web|url=https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023515719.0x000023|title='Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Vol. II. Geographical and Statistical. J G Lorimer. 1908' [1519] (1634/2084)|publisher=Qatar Digital Library|accessdate=6 July 2018}} This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Based on field work carried out by anthropologists in Qatar in the 1950s, the main tribe in the area of Al Ghuwariyah were the Al Jafali tribe.{{cite book|last1=Ferdinand|first1=Klaus|last2=Carlsberg Foundation's Nomad Research Project|title=Bedouins of Qatar|publisher=Thames & Hudson|year=1993|page=51|isbn=978-0500015735}} After Qatar started to receive substantial profits from its oil extraction activities in the 1960s and 1970s, the government launched several housing projects for its citizens. As part of this initiative, 55 houses were built in Al Ghuwariyah by 1976.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7RcuAQAAIAAJ|title=Qatar Year Book: 1976|publisher=Press and Publications Department, Ministry of Information|location=Doha|page=64|year=1976}} In 1986, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs opened a municipal office in Al Ghuwariyah.{{cite web|url=https://www.raya.com/2024/05/04/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%84%d9%88%d9%91%d9%84-%d8%b5%d9%81%d8%ad%d8%a9%d9%8c-%d8%a3%d8%b3%d8%a8%d9%88%d8%b9%d9%8a%d9%91%d8%a9%d9%8c-%d8%aa%d8%b5%d8%af%d8%b1-%d9%83%d9%84-%d8%b3-19/|title=افتتاح مكتبين للخدمات: البلدية بالغويرية وجريان البطنة|publisher=Al Raya|language=Arabic|date=4 March 1986|accessdate=8 June 2024}}
According to the Ministry of Environment, there were about 65 total households within the town limits in 2014.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vR4fAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA230|title=Sustainable Development: An Appraisal from the Gulf Region|author=Paul Sillitoe|publisher=Berghahn Books|page=230|date=1 August 2014|isbn=9781782383727}}
Administration
=Al Ghuwariyah Municipality=
Al Ghuwariyah was a municipality until 2004, when it was merged with Al Khor. It did not administer over any other census-designated cities or towns except for itself.{{cite web|url=http://www.mdps.gov.qa/en/statistics/census/Census2004/Population/Pages/Tables/Pubulation/T02.aspx|title=2004 population census|publisher=Qatar Statistics Authority|accessdate=1 July 2015|archive-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218080325/https://www.mdps.gov.qa/en/statistics/census/Census2004/Population/Pages/Tables/Pubulation/T02.aspx|url-status=dead}}
In 2004 census, out of a population of 2,159, the number of Muslims amounted to 1,666, Christians amounted to 52.{{cite web|url=http://www.mdps.gov.qa/en/statistics/census/Census2004/Population/Pages/Tables/Pubulation/T06.aspx|title=Population By Religion, Gender And Municipality March 2004|publisher=Municipality of Development Planning and Statistics|date=March 2004|accessdate=11 August 2017|archive-date=11 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811105521/http://www.mdps.gov.qa/en/statistics/census/Census2004/Population/Pages/Tables/Pubulation/T06.aspx|url-status=dead}}
;Registered live births
The following table is a breakdown of registered live births by nationality and sex for Al Ghuwariyah. Places of birth are based on the home municipality of the mother at birth.{{cite web|url=http://www.mdps.gov.qa/|title=Home page|publisher=Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics|accessdate=11 August 2017|archive-date=5 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505034638/http://www.mdps.gov.qa/|url-status=dead}}
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=Local government=
File:Qatar, Al Ghuwayriyah (8).JPG
File:Qatar, Al Ghuwayriyah (2), mosque.JPG
File:Qatar, Al Ghuwayriyah (6), park.JPG
After free elections of the Central Municipal Council first took place in Qatar in 1999,{{cite web|url=https://www.gco.gov.qa/en/about-qatar/municipal-council/|title=Central Municipal Council|publisher=Government Communications Office of Qatar|accessdate=14 August 2018}} Al Ghuwariyah was designated the seat of constituency no. 29.{{cite web|url=http://www.cmc.org.qa/ar/node/16|title=إنتخابات الدورة الأولى|publisher=Central Municipal Council|language=Arabic|accessdate=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814103538/http://www.cmc.org.qa/ar/node/16|archive-date=14 August 2018|url-status=dead}} It would remain the headquarters of constituency no. 29 for the next three consecutive elections until the fifth municipal elections in 2015, when it was proclaimed the seat of constituency no. 28. Also included in its constituency is part of Al Suwaihliya, Umm Al Maa, Al Daoudiyah, Ain Al Nuaman, south Zubarah, Ain Sinan, and Abu Al Seneem.{{cite web|url=https://www.moi.gov.qa/Elections/CirclesLocations.htm|title=مقـار الدوائـر|publisher=Ministry of Interior (Qatar)|language=Arabic|accessdate=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814103236/https://www.moi.gov.qa/Elections/CirclesLocations.htm|archive-date=14 August 2018|url-status=dead}}
In the inaugural municipal elections in 1999, Nasser Abdullah Al Kaabi won the elections, receiving 66.1%, or 115 votes. In second place was Mubarak Abdullah Al-Nuaimi, whose share of the votes was 29.3%, or 51 votes. Voter turnout was 87%. Al Kaabi retained his seat in the 2002{{cite web|url=http://www.cmc.org.qa/ar/node/188|title=الدورة الثانية|publisher=Central Municipal Council|language=Arabic|accessdate=14 August 2018|archive-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814103313/http://www.cmc.org.qa/ar/node/188|url-status=dead}} and 2007 elections.{{cite web|url=http://www.cmc.org.qa/ar/node/192|title=إنتخابات الدورة الثالثة|publisher=Central Municipal Council|language=Arabic|accessdate=14 August 2018|archive-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814103649/http://www.cmc.org.qa/ar/node/192|url-status=dead}} In 2011, Al Kaabi lost his seat to Saeed Mubarak Al Rashedi,{{cite web|url=http://www.cmc.org.qa/ar/node/193|title=رابعاً: إنتخابات الدورة الرابعة كشف بأسماء السادة المرشحين الفائزين في عضوية انتخابات المجلس البلدي المركزي (الدورة الرابعة - 2011م)|publisher=Central Municipal Council|language=Arabic|accessdate=14 August 2018|archive-date=8 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190908043642/http://www.cmc.org.qa/ar/node/193|url-status=dead}} who retained his seat in the 2015 elections.
The Al Ghuwariyah office of the Al Khor Municipality is headed by Nasser Al Nuaimi as of 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.al-watan.com/news-details/id/67704|title=توزيع "29" محلاً تجارياً في الغويرية|publisher=Al Watan|language=Arabic|date=17 March 2017|accessdate=11 August 2017}}
Health
Al Ghuwariyah's first health center was opened in July 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.al-sharq.com/news/details/352436|title=بالصور.. وزير الصحة يفتتح مبنى مركز لغويرية الصحي الجديد|publisher=Al Sharq|language=Arabic|date=6 July 2015|accessdate=8 August 2017}}
Planned developments
Visitor attractions
Al Ghuwariyah Family Park was opened in 2017. Occupying an area of 9,234 sq meters, facilities include a playground with seating, bathrooms and a guard office.{{cite web|url=http://www.mme.gov.qa/cui/view.dox?id=459&siteID=1&contentID=4819|title=افتتاح حديقة الغويرية للعائلات ببلدية الخور والذخيرة|publisher=Ministry of Municipality and Environment|language=Arabic|date=9 April 2017|accessdate=11 August 2017|archive-date=11 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811145133/http://www.mme.gov.qa/cui/view.dox?id=459&siteID=1&contentID=4819|url-status=dead}}
Education
| class="wikitable" | |||||
| Name of School | Curriculum | Grade | Genders | Official Website | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Ghuwairia Girls School | Independent | Kindergarten – Secondary | Female-only | N/A | {{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov.qa/_layouts/mobile/view.aspx?List=5335de85-afcb-4cbe-8dbf-342173214815&View=fc8b74ae-8c20-4a4f-be85-d07710380c7b&ViewMode=Detail|title=Qatari Schools|publisher=Supreme Education Council|accessdate=18 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924115233/http://www.sec.gov.qa/_layouts/mobile/view.aspx?List=5335de85-afcb-4cbe-8dbf-342173214815&View=fc8b74ae-8c20-4a4f-be85-d07710380c7b&ViewMode=Detail|archive-date=2015-09-24|url-status=dead}} |