Formerly a pearling port, Al Wakrah – “bird’s nest” in Arabic – has since become one of the largest cities in Qatar. At the beginning of the 20th century, this small fishing village at the heart of the pearling industry as well as its surroundings were ruled by Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani (1871-1930), one of the sons of the founder of Qatar, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani. The city and its eponymous municipality have undergone considerable development and growth since the beginning of the 21st century – notably with the reconstitution of the traditional Al Wakrah market in 2014 (Al Wakrah Souq) – whilst at the same time bearing witness to the rapid expansion of Doha, located 9.3 miles (15 km) to the north. The population, estimated in 2015 at 87,970 inhabitants spread over an area of 29.3 mi² (75.8 km²), has now reached more than 140,000 inhabitants.