Al Rayyan

Natural spring of Qulmat Al Maszhabiya in Al Mashabiya Reserve, next to Abu Samra.

Similar to many other names given to Qatari settlements and municipalities, Al Rayyan Municipality was named after a geographic feature present in its namesake, the city of Al Rayyan. The city derives its name from the Arabic term "ray", which translates to "irrigation". This name was bestowed upon it due to its low elevation, allowing it to act as a flood plain and provide a sustained supply of water to the numerous plants that grew within its boundaries.[2]

In March 1893, the Battle of Al Wajbah was fought between the Qataris and Ottomans at the recently built Al Wajbah Fort, located 10 miles west of Old Doha. Although Qatar did not gain full independence from the Ottoman Empire, the result of the battle is seen by Qataris as a defining moment in the establishment of Qatar as a modern state.[3]

Al Rayyan Municipality was created as an independent municipal administration by the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning in 1972.[4]

Since 2004, Al Jemailiya Municipality was merged with Al Rayyan, and Jariyan Al Batnah Municipality was split between Al Rayyan and Al Wakrah Municipality. Doha Industrial Area, also known as Zone 58, was split off from Al Rayyan and integrated into Doha Municipality, becoming an exclave of Doha.[5]

In 2014, the western city of Al-Shahaniya was dissociated from Al Rayyan Municipality to form its own municipality. Integrating approximately 35% of Al Rayyan's area into the new municipality, some of Al Rayyan's western localities such as Al Gharbiam, Al Utouriya, Al Jemailiya, Umm Bab, Rawdat Rashed, Al Nasraniya, Dukhan and Al Khurayb were also included in the new municipality.[6]

Fenced-off area of Jebel Nakhsh in southern Qatar.

Al Rayyan is bordered by four municipalities: Umm Salal to the northeast, Al-Shahaniya to the west, Doha to the east and Al Wakrah to the southeast. It is divided into two main sections; the west consisting of scattered rural settlements, farms and open desert, and the east comprising the city of Al Rayyan, an urban offshoot of Metropolitan Doha's westward growth.[7]

According to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), the municipality accommodates 223 rawdas, 38 wadis, 24 jeris (places where water flows), six plains, six sabkhas, six capes, and six bays. No islands exist off its coasts.[8] The MME recorded 50 hills, one of the most notable being Jebel Nakhsh, which stands 90 meters tall.[9] Furthermore, there is one highland in the municipality, called Alaa Jaow Al Mathlouth Al Janoubi which consists of elevated surface south of an elongated depression and its namesake, Jaow Al Mathlouth.[8]

Al Gharrafa, which is a district of Al Rayyan City and also a part of metropolitan Doha, is being developed as a large-scale commercial hub for residents of northwest Doha, northern Al Rayyan and southern Umm Salal. The district is already a well-established retail center, hosting many major malls and supermarkets. A small amount of residential developments are also planned for the district.[10]

Men watch a camel being lifted by crane in the Abu Hamour Wholesale Market.

Aspire Zone in Baaya.

View from Education City Mosque.

Barwa City in Mesaimeer.

Rocks on a beach in Abu Samra near Salwa Road.

Dilapidated mosque near the water reservoir in Abu Nakhla.

The municipality is divided into 10 zones which are then divided into 1410 blocks.[11] As of 2017, Rashid Hamad Al-Hajri is the mayor of Al Rayyan Municipality.[12]

Center-pivot irrigation at Irkhaya Farms.

Due to Al Rayyan's lack of a coastline in its population centers in the eastern section, fishing and pearling did not play a part in building its economy; this is in sharp contrast to Qatar's other urban centers which were largely dependent on maritime activities. Instead, nomadic herding of livestock and small-scale crop cultivation comprised the livelihoods of its past inhabitants.

According to government statistics recorded when Al-Shahaniya was still integrated into Al Rayyan, the municipality accounted for the majority of Qatar's farming activities. In 2015, 36% of Qatar's total farmland was based in Al Rayyan, putting it just ahead of Al Khor with 35% of the country's farmland. There were 499 farms occupying 17,136 hectares, most of which (256) were involved in cultivating crops, 234 of which were mixed operations, 8 of which raised livestock, and 1 categorized as "other".[14] The municipality had a livestock inventory of 108,508, including 52,582 sheep and 27,380 goats. Livestock numbers were surpassed only by Al Khor.[15]

Until 2017, Muaither Yard was the only farmers' market in the municipality.[16] Qatar Foundation established Torba Farmers' Market in Education City in November 2017. Only organically grown produce is sold at this market.[17]

According to the 2015 census conducted by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, there were a total of 199 schools located in Al Rayyan at that time.[18] State schools were recorded as amounting to 108 in the 2016 education census – 50 were exclusively for girls and 58 were for boys. A slightly higher number of students were male, at 23,558 compared to 23,455 female students.[19]

Entrance to Carnegie Mellon University in Education City.

Several schools have transferred to Al Rayyan from Doha as a result of lower operating costs and closer proximity to students.[20]

Various universities main campuses in Education City, a city-scale project by Qatar Foundation which is spread across the Al Gharrafa, Gharrafat Al Rayyan and Al Shagub districts of Al Rayyan City.[2] Among the universities are:[21]

• Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
• Georgetown University in Qatar
• Hamad Bin Khalifa University
• Northwestern University in Qatar
• Texas A&M University at Qatar
• Virginia Commonwealth University - Qatar
• Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar

Healthcare standards in the municipality have been boosted by Sidra Medical and Research Center,[20] which is in the Al Gharrafa district of Al Rayyan.[2] Its initial inpatient hospital was formally opened in January 2018 with 400 beds.[22] At peak operational capacity, it will serve more than 275,000 patients per year.[23] Biomedical research is also conducted at Sidra, with its research facilities becoming operational in 2015.[24]

Aspetar, a specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital, is found in the Aspire Zone in the Baaya district.[20] Commencing operations in 2007,[25] it was the first-ever sports medicine hospital in the Middle East region. It earned accreditation as a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence in 2009.[26]

Overall, there were twenty-six health care facilities recorded by the 2015 government census.[18] Sixty-four pharmacies were recorded in the municipality in 2013 by Qatar's Supreme Council of Health.[27]

Trees at Aspire Park.

There are a number of historic forts in the municipality, most of which are located within Al Rayyan City. One such fort is Al Wajbah Fort, which was the setting of a battle between the Ottomans and Qataris in the Battle of Al Wajbah in 1892.[4]

Education City, which houses most of Qatar's universities, is spread throughout the Al Gharrafa, Gharrafat Al Rayyan and Al Shagub districts of Al Rayyan City, as is several of Qatar Foundation's institutes such as the Qatar Science & Technology Park and Qatar National Convention Centre.[2][42]

Several multi-sports clubs are based in the municipality: Al Rayyan SC, Al-Gharafa SC, Muaither SC, Mesaimeer SC and Al Sailiya SC. All of these fall within the boundaries of Al Rayyan City.[4]

Al Rayyan hosts a racing and equestrian club. Aspire Tower and Aspire Park are also nestled in the municipality, specifically on Al Waab Street in Baaya, a district of Al Rayyan City. A large-scale Venetian style mall known as Villaggio Mall is also located in the Baaya district. Doha Zoo is found nearby to these attractions in Al Aziziya.[42] According to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, the municipality accommodates 20 parks as of 2018.[43]

Note: 2010 adjusted figures here, 2015 preliminary figures

Al Rayyan's workforce is relatively diversified compared to the other municipalities. It was reported that in 2010, construction accounted for the largest sector of the workforce at 74,00, with manufacturing coming second at 15,500, followed by transportation and storage (7,900) and education (7,800). Many employed residents work outside the municipality, in Doha.[47]

The following table is a breakdown of registered live births by nationality and sex for Al Rayyan. Places of birth are based on the home municipality of the mother at birth.[48]