State of Qatar
Qatar is a peninsula with a 563-km coastline jutting along the western coast of the Arabian Gulf. The country shares an 87 km land border with Saudi Arabia to the south. Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran are nearby. Archaeological evidence points to signs of human habitation on the Qatar Peninsula around 4000 years BC. For centuries, Qatar was largely populated by Bedouin tribes and a few fishing villages. Qatar’s modern history begins in 1766 with the establishment of the town of Al-Zubārah, which became an important economic outpost. Before the discovery of oil and gas changed the fortunes of the gulf state, the economy was built around fishing, pearl diving and trading. A British Protectorate from 1916, the modern state of Qatar was born on September 3, 1971, when it proclaimed its independence. Since then, the country has undergone rapid growth. The country is characterized by its flat and arid desertscape. Qatar has a desert climate with year-round sunshine, hot summers and mild winters. Average monthly temperatures range from 17°C in January to 36°C in July, sometimes reaching highs of 40°C+ during the summer months. Average annual rainfall is 70 mm per year, and falls in brief showers between October and March, rarely hindering outdoor activities.
Qatar lies in the time zone Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) + 3. Qatar does not have Daylight Saving Time.
The official language is Arabic, and English is widely spoken in most environments.
The total population of Qatar is more than 2.9 million and is currently increasing at a rapid rate annually. Most of the workforce in Qatar is made up of expatriates (expats) nationals of other countries who have come to work in Qatar from Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and other Middle Eastern countries.
Qatar has a desert climate with year-round sunshine, hot summers and mild winters. Average monthly temperatures range from 17°C in January to 36°C in July, sometimes reaching highs of 40°C+ during the summer months. Air conditioning is widely prevalent in Qatar with shops, malls, restaurants, offices etc. largely being all airconditioned. Average annual rainfall is 70 mm per year, and falls in brief showers between October and March, rarely hindering outdoor activities.
Crime in Doha is minimal compared to many other large cities in the world. The placing of Doha at top of safest cities in the world reflects overall security and safety situation in Qatar.
The flag of Qatar is maroon with a broad white serrated band (that has nine white points) on the hoist side. The flag is a symbol of dignity and unity for the Qatari people and connects their past to their present.
Legal tender in Qatar is the Qatari Riyal (QAR). There are 100 Dirhams in one Riyal. The paper money includes both English and Arabic and is a different size and color. The denominations include 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200 and 500 QR. While Dirham coins exist for smaller denominations, they are not in wide circulation in Qatar.