DUBAI, July 12 (Reuters) - Qatar's former emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has died at the age of 74, the nation's Amiri Diwan, its top government body, said on Sunday.
Sheikh Hamad, who ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, was widely credited with transforming the small Gulf state from a Bedouin backwater into a regional powerhouse with significant influence in energy, media, and diplomacy. Under his leadership, Qatar became the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas and launched the Al Jazeera media network.
He abdicated in favor of his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in 2013, in a rare voluntary transfer of power in the region. The Amiri Diwan announced a period of mourning, with flags to be flown at half-mast for three days.
