Qatari DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Qatar · West Asia
Qatar is a small peninsula jutting into the Gulf from eastern Arabia. Before oil, its towns lived from pearling, fishing and trade, with close ties to the rest of the Gulf coast, including the Iranian shore. In our model, the Qatari average is 50.7% Natufian, 24.0% Iranian Neolithic farmer, 18.8% Levantine Neolithic farmer and 6.6% steppe. It has more of the Iranian and steppe-related layers than either the Saudi average (20.0% Iranian Neolithic, 3.2% steppe) or the Kuwaitis (18.5% Iranian Neolithic and no steppe above 1%), a pattern that fits long contact around the Gulf. Emiratis and Najd Saudis tie as the closest modern averages (0.0221), followed by more Saudi and Emirati samples and Yemenis from Amran. Medieval samples from Socotra head the ancient list (0.0303 to 0.0333), ahead of Late Medieval to Early Modern Tell el-Hesi in southern Israel. Its fit, 0.0454, is in the range we see for other Arabian averages.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) 50.7%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 24.0%, Levantine Neolithic farmers 18.8%
- Closest modern population in our data: Emirati (group A), distance 0.0221
- Closest ancient group in our data: Yemen Socotra Early-High Medieval, distance 0.0303
This page sums up what the DNA of the Qatari sample tells us about deep origins. It is built from the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of individuals sampled in Qatar, listed in the G25 sheet as "Qatari_Arab", and it is one of 335 populations in our atlas. An average describes the group as a whole, not any single person in it.
Ancient make-up of the Qatari average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Qatari average, 50.7%, goes to Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant), ahead of Iranian Neolithic farmers (24.0%) and Levantine Neolithic farmers (18.8%). The Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) component reflects the early farmers of the Levant and the Natufian foragers who came before them. The Iranian Neolithic farmers share (24.0%) reflects the early farmers and herders of the Zagros mountains in Iran.
The fit is loose (fit distance 0.045), which usually means that none of the available reference populations is a close stand-in for part of this ancestry, so read the percentages as rough. The model draws on West Eurasian ancient genomes, with modern West African and East Asian stand-ins.
Closest modern populations to Qatari
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Qatari average is Emirati (group A), at a distance of 0.022 (very close). Next come Saudi Arab (Najd) at 0.022 and Saudi (group A) at 0.023. By the tenth closest (Bedouin (Jordan)) the distance grows to 0.033, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emirati (group A) | 0.0221 | Very close |
| 2 | Saudi Arab (Najd) | 0.0221 | Very close |
| 3 | Saudi (group A) | 0.0233 | Very close |
| 4 | Saudi (Najd) | 0.0243 | Very close |
| 5 | Saudi Arab | 0.0288 | Close |
| 6 | Emirati Arab (Arabian Profile) | 0.0289 | Close |
| 7 | Yemenite (Amran) | 0.0308 | Close |
| 8 | Yemeni Arab (Amran) | 0.0322 | Close |
| 9 | Yemeni Arab (Hadramaut) | 0.0322 | Close |
| 10 | Bedouin (Jordan) | 0.0334 | Close |
Distances are Euclidean distances between averaged G25 coordinates. On our scale, below 0.025 is very close, below 0.050 close, below 0.080 moderate, and beyond that distant.
Closest ancient populations to Qatari
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Qatari average is Yemen Socotra Early-High Medieval (Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD), at 0.030. Yemen Socotra Early Medieval and Yemen Socotra High Medieval come next. That is a close match: much of the modern profile was already present then, while later movements of people added further layers. A close ancient match is not proof of direct descent: it means those individuals carried a similar overall mix of ancestry.
| # | Ancient sample or group | Period | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yemen Socotra Early-High Medieval | Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD | 0.0303 |
| 2 | Yemen Socotra Early Medieval | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0314 |
| 3 | Yemen Socotra High Medieval | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0333 |
| 4 | Israel Late Medieval-Early Modern Tell el-Hesi | Late Medieval to Early Modern, c. 1300-1800 AD | 0.0351 |
| 5 | Syria High Medieval Tell Masaikh (Arabian Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0366 |
| 6 | Yemen Socotra Early-Late Modern | Modern era, c. 1500-1950 AD | 0.0410 |
| 7 | Jordan EBA 'Ain Ghazal (Levant EBA South) | Early Bronze Age | 0.0555 |
| 8 | Syria Early Medieval Islamic Era Tell Qarassa | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0597 |
| 9 | Iraq MBA Old Babylonian Bakr Awa (Levantine Profile) | Middle Bronze Age | 0.0608 |
| 10 | Italy Campania Roman Empire Pompeii (Levantine Profile) | Roman era, c. 1-400 AD | 0.0642 |
Compare yourself with Qatari
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Qatari average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Qatari and its neighbours. To find out which of our reports actually fits your DNA, run the free Report Finder: it runs the same fit test that every report uses before an order.
No G25 coordinates yet? Get a free simulated G25 from your raw DNA file, or order G25 coordinates.
About these numbers
A word of caution: these figures describe the average of the Qatari individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Qatari. Individuals vary around that average, and identity is about history, language and family, not about a genetic score. Read this page as a map of deep ancestry, not as a definition.
Method: averaged G25 coordinates, Euclidean distances to other modern and ancient averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations (data generated 2026-10-01). Read the full method.
Go deeper than the average
This page describes the Qatari average. For your own DNA, Advanced Ancestry Report (16€) gives a full ancestry breakdown with no regional focus, in a personal PDF report.
Comprehensive DNA analysis comparing your genetics to over 2,000 modern reference populations.
More populations from West Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Qatari?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Qatari average is about 50.7% Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant), 24.0% Iranian Neolithic farmers and 18.8% Levantine Neolithic farmers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Qatari?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Qatari average are Emirati (group A), Saudi Arab (Najd) and Saudi (group A). The closest ancient matches are Yemen Socotra Early-High Medieval, Yemen Socotra Early Medieval and Yemen Socotra High Medieval.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Qatari?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Qatari average and to its neighbours. If you have G25 coordinates, paste them in the comparison box on this page to check that for free.
Which ExploreYourDNA report suits Qatari ancestry?
None of our regional reports is built for Qatari ancestry, so the full Advanced Ancestry Report (no regional focus) is the better choice. The DNA Mega-Analysis adds Neanderthal %, traits and closest ancient populations. The free Report Finder checks every report against your own DNA first.
Where does the data on this page come from?
From the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the sampled individuals: genetic distances to other modern and ancient population averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations. The full method is described at https://www.exploreyourdna.com/populations#method.