Qatar gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1971.
The decisive date was 3 September 1971, when Qatar ended its treaty relationship with Britain and became a fully sovereign state. Britain had exercised influence over Qatar through the 1916 Anglo-Qatari treaty, which made Qatar a British-protected territory while leaving its ruling Al Thani family in place.
Qatar’s independence came during Britain’s withdrawal from the Gulf. Qatar had initially discussed joining a proposed federation with Bahrain and the Trucial States, which later became the United Arab Emirates. It ultimately chose to become independent on its own, rather than join that federation.
A common mix-up is 1980, but that year has no connection to Qatar’s independence. Another nearby milestone is Qatar’s admission to the United Nations in 1971, shortly after independence. The country’s modern political system developed further with a provisional constitution issued in 1970 and later constitutional changes after independence.