( CNN ) -- Qatar 's youthful new ruler , Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani , has acquired another jewel in his burgeoning crown . The archaeological site of Al Zubarah on the northern tip of the tiny Arab emirate has been added by UNESCO to its list of World Heritage sites . The fortified ruins of the 18th century pearl fishing town will be Qatar 's first world heritage site . The coastal town 's exceptionally preserved remains provide an invaluable insight into the daily lives of the traders who populated the region in the 1700s . The site in located on the north-easternmost side of the Arabian Peninsula that juts into the Persian Gulf . The town flourished as a trading village for over a hundred years prior to its ultimate destruction in 1811 . It was eventually completely abandoned in the early 1900s , but remains an important artifact offering insight into how life would have looked in the region prior its rapid expansion in the twentieth century . Qatar was once one of the poorest states in the Gulf region but thanks to oil and gas reserves is now an economic powerhouse , with an influence that far outreaches its size . Prior to the emirate 's boom -- which has seen the construction of towering skyscrapers , state-of-the-art stadiums , gleaming hotels and expansive water parks -- the people who lived in Al Zubarah traded mainly in pearls . At its height , it is thought that the 400 hectare site was home to between 6,000 and 9,000 people . Today , Qatar is home to 1.9 million people . The archaeological treasure was one of 19 new sites to be added to UNESCO 's World Heritage list last month -- the top honor for monuments , buildings , sites or natural features `` of outstanding universal value . ''
UNESCO names Al Zubarah as Qatar 's first world heritage site . The coastal town became an invaluable insight the region in the past . The town flourished as a trading center for over a hundred years .