![Building site in Al Gharrafa in 2005](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Building_site_in_Al_Gharrafa_in_2005.jpg)
Al Gharrafa ( ar, الغرافة, Al Gharrāfah) is a district of
Al Rayyan City in
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
, located in the
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
of
Al Rayyan
Al Rayyan (; also spelled as ''Ar Rayyan'') is the third-largest municipality in the state of Qatar. Its primary settlement is the city of the same name, which occupies the entire eastern section and largely surrounds Metropolitan Doha and funct ...
.
In close proximity to metropolitan Doha and
Education City
Education City is a development in Al Rayyan, Qatar. Developed by the Qatar Foundation, the property houses various educational facilities, including satellite campuses of eight international universities.
History
Education City was launched by ...
, the Doha Expressway and Al Shamal Highway run along the district. Many malls operate out of the area, most notably Landmark Mall. To the east it neighbors the largely residential areas of
Duhail
Duhail ( ar, دحيل, Duḩayl) is a district in Qatar, located in the municipality of Doha. The district's northern half accommodates the main base of the Internal Security Forces (also known as ''Lekhwiya'') as well as Abdullah bin Khalifa Sta ...
and
Madinat Khalifa North
Madinat Khalifa North ( ar, مدينه خليفه الشماليه, Madīnat Khalīfah ash Shamālīyah) is a north-western district of Doha, Qatar. It is one of the two sections of Madinat Khalifa, the other being Madinat Khalifa South. The dist ...
, therefore Al Gharrafa is largely a retail hub for nearby residential areas. Doha's downtown is about to the southeast.
Etymology
In
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
, "gharafa" translates as "to scoop up". It was so named because it is a low-lying floodplain from whence locals would scoop up water from in the past.
Geography
![Bu Silla Street in Al Gharrafa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Bu_Silla_Street_in_Al_Gharrafa.jpg)
Several of
Qatar Foundation
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development ( ar, مؤسسة قطر) is a state-led non-profit organization in Qatar, founded in 1995 by then-emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his second wife Moza bint Nasser. Qatar Founda ...
's facilities and projects (notably
Education City
Education City is a development in Al Rayyan, Qatar. Developed by the Qatar Foundation, the property houses various educational facilities, including satellite campuses of eight international universities.
History
Education City was launched by ...
) are located in Al Gharrafa and its surrounding districts. Due to the district's fairly large size, it shares several borders. To the west is
Gharrafat Al Rayyan
Gharrafat Al Rayyan ( ar, غرافة الريان, Gharāfat ar Rayyān) is a district of Al Rayyan City in Qatar, located in the municipality of Al Rayyan.
Etymology
"Gharrafat" is derived from the Arabic word meaning "to scoop up". This name w ...
, which hosts the
Qatar Science & Technology Park
Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) is a home for international technology companies in Qatar, and an incubator of start-up technology businesses. Inaugurated in March 2009 as a part of Qatar Foundation, the purpose of the science park is to ...
, the
Qatar National Convention Centre
The Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) is located in Gharafat Al Rayyan, on the Dukhan Highway in Doha, Qatar. The convention centre is a member of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development and is situated on Qatar ...
, and other facilities of Education City. Located to the south-west of Al Gharrafa is the district of
Al Shagub
Al Shagub ( ar, الشقب, Ash Shaqb; also spelled Al Shaqab) is a district of Al Rayyan City in Qatar, located in the municipality of Al Rayyan. As the district houses the universities in Qatar Foundation's educational project Education City, ...
, which accommodates some of Education City's universities.
Other borders include
Old Al Rayyan and
Al Luqta
Al Luqta ( ar, اللقطة) is a district of Al Rayyan City in Qatar, located in the municipality of Al Rayyan.
Etymology
The district's name originates from the Arabic word "luqeet", which is the term designated for an abandoned infant whose ...
to the south,
Madinat Khalifa North
Madinat Khalifa North ( ar, مدينه خليفه الشماليه, Madīnat Khalīfah ash Shamālīyah) is a north-western district of Doha, Qatar. It is one of the two sections of Madinat Khalifa, the other being Madinat Khalifa South. The dist ...
,
Umm Lekhba and
Duhail
Duhail ( ar, دحيل, Duḩayl) is a district in Qatar, located in the municipality of Doha. The district's northern half accommodates the main base of the Internal Security Forces (also known as ''Lekhwiya'') as well as Abdullah bin Khalifa Sta ...
of
Doha
Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the coun ...
Municipality to the east, and
Al Kharaitiyat
Al Kharaitiyat ( ar, الخريطيات, Al Khurayţīyāt) is a town in the municipality of Umm Salal in Qatar.
Etymology
"Kharaitiyat" is the plural form of the Arabic term "khurat", which roughly translates to "map-like". The town received its ...
of
Umm Salal
Umm Salal (; also spelled Umm Slal) is a municipality in the State of Qatar.
It contains several historic places, such as Barzan Tower. The municipal headquarters Umm Salal is located in Umm Salal Ali, about 10 km from the coast and 15 ...
Municipality and
Izghawa 51 to the north.
History
J.G. Lorimer's mentioned Al Gharrafa in 1908 in his ''
Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf
The ''Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia'' (nicknamed ''Lorimer'') is a two-volume encyclopedia compiled by John Gordon Lorimer. The ''Gazetteer'' was published in secret by the British government in India in 1908 and 1915 an ...
'', referring to it as "Qarāfah". He stated that it lay "8 miles west of
Doha
Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the coun ...
h" and remarked on the presence of a masonry well that is only 3 feet deep yielding good water.
Landmarks
*
Sidra Medical and Research Center
Sidra Medicine is a 400-bed women’s and children’s hospital, medical education and biomedical research center in Doha, Qatar. The hospital first opened its outpatient facility in 2016, followed by its inpatient hospital in January 2018.
Lo ...
, a subsidiary of
Qatar Foundation
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development ( ar, مؤسسة قطر) is a state-led non-profit organization in Qatar, founded in 1995 by then-emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his second wife Moza bint Nasser. Qatar Founda ...
, is located on Al Gharrafa Street.
*
Thani bin Jassim Stadium
The Thani bin Jassim Stadium (), also known as the Al-Gharrafa Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in the Al Gharrafa district of Doha, Qatar. It is currently used mostly for football matches. Al-Gharrafa SC and Umm Salal SC play there. The stad ...
is located on Al Zubar Street.
*LuLu Hypermarket is located on Wadi Bisha Street.
*Al Gharrafa Health Centre is located on Abu Silla Street.
*Fereej Al Gharrafa Stadium, administered by the
Qatar Olympic Committee
Qatar Olympic Committee ( ar, اللجنة الأولمبية القطرية, IOC code: QAT) is the National Olympic Committee representing Qatar.
History
The QOC was formed in 1979 and was granted full recognition by the International Olympic C ...
, is located on Al Arqam Bin Abi Al Arqam Street.
*Al Gharrafa Souq is located on Al Shamal Road.
*Al Gharrafa Park is located between Awf ibn al-Harith Street and Maan ibn Uday Street.
*Dasman Center is located on Al Shamal Road.
*Al Rayyan Municipality maintains a district office on Abu Silla Street.
*
Landmark Mall Doha
Landmark Mall is a shopping mall located in Al Gharrafa in Doha, Qatar.
Circus Land
Circus Land is designed like a circus and a fair, including a horse carousel, a red baron airplane flyover, an inflatable slide, trampoline beds, bumper cars and ...
is located on Al Shamal Road.
Administration
When free elections of the
Central Municipal Council
The first municipal council in Qatar was formed in the early 1950s and it was reorganized in 1956. Doha Municipality, Doha municipality came into being in May 1963. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs was established in 1972 as a government body re ...
first took place in Qatar during 1999, Al Gharrafa was designated the seat of constituency no. 21.
It would remain the headquarters of constituency no. 21 for the next three consecutive elections until the
fifth municipal elections in 2015, when it was made the headquarters of constituency no. 15. Also included in its constituency is south
Izghawa
Izghawa ( ar, ازغوى) is a district on the border between the two municipalities of Umm Salal and Al Rayyan in Qatar. Consequently, its administration is split, with its western portion (Izghawa 71) being managed by Umm Salal and the east (Iz ...
and south
Al Kharaitiyat
Al Kharaitiyat ( ar, الخريطيات, Al Khurayţīyāt) is a town in the municipality of Umm Salal in Qatar.
Etymology
"Kharaitiyat" is the plural form of the Arabic term "khurat", which roughly translates to "map-like". The town received its ...
.
In the inaugural municipal elections in 1999, Ahmed Hussein Al Kubaisi won the elections, receiving 21%, or 88 votes. The runner-up candidate was Mohammed Salem Al Marri, whose share of the votes was 18.9%, or 42 votes. Voter turnout was 68.6%.
Elections in 2002 saw Nasser Salman Al-Dosari elected as the constituent official. In
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, Mubarak Faresh Salem won the elections, and retained his seat in the
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
, and
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
elections.
Sports
![Entrance to Thani bin Jassim Stadium](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Entrance_to_Thani_bin_Jassim_Stadium.jpg)
Multi-sports club
Al-Gharafa SC
Al-Gharafa Sports Club ( ar, نادي الغرافة الرياضي) is a Qatari multisports club based in the Al Gharrafa district of Al Rayyan. It is best known for its football team, although it also has teams for other sports. It was establ ...
is based in the district. The football team plays its home games at
Thani bin Jassim Stadium
The Thani bin Jassim Stadium (), also known as the Al-Gharrafa Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in the Al Gharrafa district of Doha, Qatar. It is currently used mostly for football matches. Al-Gharrafa SC and Umm Salal SC play there. The stad ...
.
Transport
![Beginning of Duhail Al Gharrafa Bridge in Al Gharrafa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Beginning_of_Duhail_Al_Gharrafa_Bridge_in_Al_Gharrafa.jpg)
Currently, the underground Al Gharrafa Metro Station is under construction, having been launched during Phase 2A. Once completed, it will be part of
Doha Metro
The Doha Metro is a rapid transit system in Doha, Qatar's capital city, which became operational on 8 May 2019. It has three lines with an approximate overall length of 76 km and 37 stations. It is an integral component of the larger Qata ...
's Green Line.
Qatar National Master Plan
The Qatar National Master Plan (QNMP) is described as a "spatial representation of the
Qatar National Vision 2030
Qatar National Vision 2030 ( ar, رؤية قطر الوطنية 2030; abbreviated as QNV 2030) is a development plan launched in October 2008 by the General Secretariat for Development Planning in the Qatar, State of Qatar. The aim of QNV 2030 is t ...
". As part of the QNMP's Urban Centre plan, which aims to implement development strategies in 28 central hubs that will serve their surrounding communities, Al Gharrafa has been designated a Town Centre, which is the third-highest designation.
The plan places an emphasis on developing the intersection of Al Markhiya Street and Doha Expressway as the heart of the Town Centre. As such, public transport will be oriented towards this area and both Al Markhiya Street and the Doha Expressway will have a higher density of mixed-use buildings.
Education
The following schools are located in Al Gharrafa:
References
Populated places in Al Rayyan
{{Al Rayyan Municipality