If you believe that there is a shortage in the availability of historical archives related to Qatar, the Gulf region and the region in general, then you didn’t hear about Qatar Digital Library archives.

The library was built as a result of the British Library-Qatar Foundation Partnership project and offers just over 500,000 pages of priceless historical documents, manuscripts, maps, sound recordings, and photographs. The archives consist mainly of documents and items relating to the history of Qatar, but also includes a section about the entire Gulf region and the rest of the Middle East. These documents are all available free of charge to researchers and to the general public through the library’s website.

One of the library’s most incredible possessions is a document that has descriptions and sketches of a number of flags from the region that were used in the period between 1929 and 1938.

The library was developed throughout 10 years of hard work and offers its content in both English and Arabic. An invaluable source of information for anyone yearning to learn more about the region’s expansive and rich history.

For more information: Visit the library’s official website here.

What do you think of the library’s collection? Do you know of any other in the region?