The history of municipalities in Qatar goes back to 1963 AD when the Municipality of Qatar, the oldest municipality in the State, was established by virtue of law No.11/1963 AD on the organization of the Municipality of Qatar, it comprised 36 articles. Some of the provisions of law No.11/1963 were amended by law No.15/1963. In the first amendment article, it was stated to replace the title of law No.11/1963 "Organization of the Municipality of Qatar" by "Organization of the Doha Municipality ". In accordance with this article, the name of the Municipality of Qatar was replaced by Doha Municipality. The first paragraph of article 2 states the creation of Doha Municipality which shall have a legal personality and be considered as a public institution. Its goal is to use the best means to develop Doha in construction and health domains. Since its creation, Doha Municipality, with its various departments and units, has realized many achievements, among which facilitating and accelerating transactions and consultations related to all municipal services, through scientific organized planning. The Municipality supported these plans and programs with legislations and laws to protect these achievements. Doha Municipality is in the capital of Qatar, Doha, and supervises the city of Doha which borders were determined by law No.16/1988 AD. Its total area is 121.500.000 m?. The city witnessed a great heath and urban revolution and Doha Municipality made huge efforts, supported by the Municipality and Urban Planning Ministry, to develop and promote the city and improved its services allowing Doha to become what it is now.
Among the most important regions and districts of Doha Municipality: Al-Badeh, al-Jesra, Mushayreb, al-Najada, al-Ghanem al-Atee, Wadi al-Sayl, al-Rumayla, Freij Abdul Aziz, New Doha, al-Nerkab, Rawdat al-Khayl, al-Mansoura, Nejma, Umm Ghowalina, al-Khuleyfat, Ras Bu Abud, Umm Lakhba, Dahl al-Hamam, Al-Merkhiya, South Khalifa, Freij Kilb, al-Masila, Freij Ben Omran, al-Sad, al-Dafna, Naeeja, al-Hilal, al-Thamana, Aniza, and the airport.
The competences of Doha Municipality are as follows: 1- Suggest new policies, programs, plans, decisions, budgets for the development and urbanization of the Municipality, and improving its public facilities, in coordination with specialized departments in the Ministry. 2- Implement general cleanness projects, collect garbage from buildings and institutions, sweep streets, dispose of garbage, write contravention tickets for violators, fight pests and rodents, and organize campaigns in houses, streets, and regions, in accordance with set plans and technical standards. 3- Supervise, maintain, manage gardens and parks and prepare them for the public according to plans and programs set by the specialized department at the Ministry. 4- Issue building, maintenance, and demolishment licenses, control building execution to make sure they are in conformity with plans and specifications adopted by specialized authorities, issue building finalization certificates, write contravention tickets for violators, and correct violations. 5- Inspect places were food is exposed, sold, stored, stocked, transferred, produced, control the implementation of laws, by-laws and resolutions related to food and their validity to be consumed by humans, and take legal measures against violators, in accordance with rules and regulations set by the Food Control Department. 6- Issue permits for commercial, industrial, and public shops and advertisement, billboards, and posters, and inspect these shops to ensure they are in conformity with laws related to permits and rules and regulations established by the Commercial Shops and Markets Department. 7- Supervise cemeteries, and carry out burial procedures. 8- Supervise the Municipality's industrial zones, regarding ensuring cleanness, construction licenses, commercial licenses, and advertisement licenses; coordinate with specialized government authorities about public facilities for necessary services. 9- Maintain roads, sidewalks, and light poles in cities and villages in coordination with the Public Work Committee. 10- Coordinate with the Administrative and Financial Affairs Department in the Ministry to complete transactions related to its employees and workers' affairs. 11- Estimate the Municipality budget based on the estimation of machines, material, and equipments needed to execute its plans, and spend funds within its annual budget limits. 12- Manage warehouses of Municipality's necessities, equipments, and supplies. 13- Control markets and commercial shops and organize their work schedule; control peddlers and grant them licenses. 14- Transfer neglected and wandering animals and organize their sheltering in barns. 15- Collect Municipal fees and revenues in coordination with the Administrative and Financial Affairs Department in the Ministry. 16- Fight begging in accordance with adopted regulations. 17- Suggest the creation of public water closets.
