Learn More about Qatar
The State of Qatar is a small, oil rich country situated along the panoramic Arabian Gulf. Qatar is a peninsula that borders Saudi Arabia to the south and is separated by the sea from the United Arab Emirates in the southeast and Bahrain in the northwest.
Once a flourishing culture of pearl diving, fishing and camel herding, Qatar is transforming into a knowledge-based and technologically advanced economy. Its capital city of Doha is one of the fastest growing and most culturally diverse cities in the world.
Of the 1.5 million people who call Qatar home, only about 300,000 are Qatari nationals. An expatriate workforce makes up nearly 75 percent of the country's inhabitants, most of whom live and work in Doha. The thriving economy and influx of people from all over the world have created a country where tradition and modernization are juxtaposed. Old-style souq markets selling spices, handcrafts and falcons are only blocks away from upscale shopping malls whose shoppers driver luxury automobiles.
An Islamic nation, Qatar is just beginning to find its own identity. There is significant ongoing investment being made to develop the country's infrastructure and economic diversification including the development of Qatar's tourism industry. Leaders in Qatar are also working to make it the education and research hub of the Middle East.
As an up-and-coming a tourist destination, Qatar has many attractions including international five-star hotels, spas, resorts, outdoor sports and the magnificent Museum of Islamic Art, which was designed by I.M.Pei. Its year-round sunshine provides an ideal climate to escape the northern hemisphere winters. The desert climate is made up of hot summers and relatively warm winters. In the summer, the temperature ranges between 25 and 46 degrees centigrade. Rainfall in the winter is minimal and on average does not exceed 75 mm per year.
Qatar is a family oriented country that has only had one act of terrorism in the last 30 years. It’s a quiet and safe place where there is religious freedom for all. People from various religions and walks of life live and work in harmony. Guests in Qatar are asked to dress in a conservative manner and respect Islamic culture. Arabic is the main language in Qatar, however English is widely spoken.
Qatar is ruled by the Al Thani family. His Highness the Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani is the Head of the State of Qatar. His son, H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani is the Heir Apparent. Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al Missned is the wife of the Emir and the visionary who is spearheading many of the rapid changes in Qatar.
The State of Qatar is located in the Gulf Region. Other countries in the Gulf are the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
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