Professional Documents
Culture Documents
General information
Qatar is a peninsula situated halfway along the West
Coast of the Arabian Gulf. It has a number of islands, the
most important of which are Halool, Shira'aw, Al-Ashat
and others. Its topography consists of a rocky flat
surface with some limestone outcrops in Dukhan area in
the west and Fuwairit area in the north. The surface is
full with characteristic depressions called Rawdat,
particularly in the north and central plants.
Land Area:
11, 437 square km.
Population:
1,625,723 ( till 28 February, 2009 ) According Qatar
Statistics Authority (QSA)
Capital City:
Doha city, capital of Qatar, on the east coast of the Qatar
Peninsula, in the Arabian Gulf. About three-fifths of
Qatar's population lives within the city's limits. Situated
on a shallow bay
Official Language:
Arabic is the official language in Qatar, and English is
widely spoken.
Religion:
Islam is the official religion of the country, and the
Shariah (Islamic Law) is the principal source of
legislation in the country.
Climate:
Qatar has a moderate desert climate with long hot
summers and short pleasant winters with little rain in
winter. The strong northwest wind, which often brings
dust storms, is known as the shamal.
Major Towns:
Doha, Al Wakrah, Al Khor, Dukhan, Al Shamal, Mesaieed,
Ras Lafan and others.
Currency
Qatari riyal (QAR). Each Qatari riyal is divided into 100
dirhams. Notes in circulation: QAR1, QAR5, QAR10,
QAR50, QAR100 and QAR500. QAR0.50 (fifty dirhams)
and QAR0.25. Smaller Coins are also legal Tender but are
rarely seen.
Independence:
Qatar gained independence on 3rd September 1971.
On the 27Th of June 1995 His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa
Al-Thani assumed the rule of the State of Qatar supported by the
ruling family and the Qatari people.
Public Holidays:
National Day : 18 December
Eid Al-Fitr: At the 1st of Shawwal for four days.
Eid Al- Adha: starts at 9th of Zilhijjah for five days.
National flag:
The national flag is maroon colour with a broad vertical
white stripe at the pole, the two colours being separated
with a nine-point serrated line.
Main Cities
As your aircraft descends into Qatar, you are welcomed by a spectacular view of
the capital city, Doha. The completely landscaped, crescent-shaped Corniche, the
sparkling blue waters of the Arabian Gulf and the sandy desert backdrop provide
the first glimpse of what experiences await you. This sun-kissed country is filled
with possibilities – desert escapades and shopping extravaganzas; natural
attractions and water sports; state-of-the-art sporting facilities and historical
museums; all combined with fine dining and luxurious accommodations.
Welcome to the heart of the Arabian Gulf. Come … experience Qatar.
Doha
The capital of Qatar, Doha is situated halfway down the east coast of the
peninsula. It is an important cultural and commercial centre and enjoys excellent
communications with the outside world through its modern seaport, airport, and
telephone links.
Al Wakra
Halfway between Doha and Umm Said about 17 km, you will find the town of Al
Wakra. Originally a tiny fishing and pearling village, it has evolved into a small
town with a population of less than 30,000. The Al Wakra Museum has been
established in one of the town’s old forts and displays the marine life and the
natural history of the area. There are also fine examples of the art and
architecture included in the exhibits.
Umm Said
Umm Said is the heart of Qatar’s industry. Situated 37 km south of Doha on the
east coast of the peninsula, it has both a commercial port and an oil-exporting
port. There are refineries in Umm Said as well as other industrial establishments
producing steel, natural gas liquids, fertilizers, and petrochemicals. Umm Said
also has fine beaches.
Al Khor
About 58 km north of Doha on the east coast, Al Khor is famous for its harbour
filled with small craft and fishing boats. It has excellent beaches, an historic
tower, and interesting mosques.
Madinat Al-Shamal
A relatively new town on the northern tip of the peninsula, Madinat Al-Shamal is
about 107km north of Doha. It serves as an administrative centre for a number of
coastal villages.
Al Ruwais
Located on the northern tip of the peninsula this town is a fine example of the
traditional Bedouin lifestyle as it merges with the modern world, it's about 110 km
from Doha
Al Zubara
Situated just 113 km North West of Doha lays the town of Al Zubara, an important
archeological site famous for its old fort. This fort-turned-museum was
constructed in 1938 during the reign of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani and
was erected on the ruins of a neighbouring fort. The fort itself is square-shaped
with circular towers in three of its corners and a rectangular tower in the fourth.
With high, thick walls, this fort also served as a coast guard station and, until the
mid-1980s, was used by the military.
Dukhan
Situated on the west coast of the peninsula, Dukhan is about 89 km across the
country from Doha. It became important when oil was discovered in the
surrounding area. Like Umm Said and Al-Wakrah, the town also has fine beaches.
Qatar overview
Evidence of early habitation in Qatar that can be traced as far back as to the 4th
century BC appeared in many artifacts such as inscriptions, rock carvings, flint
spearheads and examples of pottery which were all uncovered by the Danish
(1965), the British (1973) and the French (1976) expeditions. Researchers knew al-
Wasil hills since 1957 as an important site of Stone Age archeology. About 200
archeological sites of the prehistoric age were discovered during the eight years
of the work of the Danish expedition from 1965 to 1975.
Several sites of various periods in the Stone Age were discovered to the east of
Um Bab. Other sites were found in the southernmost border near Soudanthil. An
important site for the manufacture of flint tools, which probably goes back to the
Mesolithic Stone Age, was discovered at Umm Tag to the south west of Dukhan;
and new sites were discovered to the south east of Mesaieed.
In the 5th century BC, the Greek historian Herodotus referred to the seafaring
canaanites as the original inhabitants of Qatar. Further, the geographer Ptolemy
showed in his map of the Arab world 'gatara' as believed to refer to the Qatari
town of Zubarah, which has acquired the fame of being one of the most important
trading ports in the gulf region at the time.
Spears. Under the Abbasid state during the 8th century AH (14th century AD),
Qatar experienced great economic prosperity and pledged a great deal of
financial support towards maintaining the Caliphate in Baghdad. Evidence of
such support can be gleaned from the inscriptions of Murwab fort on the western
coast of the peninsula, which bears the marks of the Abbasid architectural style.
During the 10th century AH (16th century AD),
Education
The Regular governmental education had been introduced in 1952 The Ministry of
Education was one of the first ministries to be established in Qatar; it was set up
in 1956.The Qatar university inception in 1973 and today is an educational edifice
for country’s national higher education in It is comprised of six colleges For more
information please visit www.qu.edu.qa
Qatar Continue with the ongoing success to establish itself on the international
map of Education by established Qatar Foundation for Education, Science
Community Development in1995. It is a private, non-profit chartered organization,
founded in It aims to develop and utilize human potential through a network of
centers and a unique Education City, with branch campuses of some of the
world's leading universities For more information please visit :www.qf.edu.qa
Health
Qatar has very good public medical facilities, with an extensive network of public
hospitals and healthcare centres covering the whole country, run by the Hamad
Medical Corporation (HMC). Doha has four public hospitals providing a wide
range of specialized medical services.
The government has also encouraged the development of the private health
sector, and there are now many private hospitals and clinics which charge on a
fee per consultation basis For more information please visit: www.nha.org.qa &
www.hmc.org.qa
Leisure
Qatar is a place whose independent spirit makes it a destination endless variety
.the Entertainment and leisure facilities are attractive for both residents and
visitors. Souq Waqif is the most attractive old souq area with shop frontages
featuring traditional architecture, while falconry shops selling traditional crafts.
Within Doha there are a number of interesting museums The Museum of Islamic
Art, which open to public 1, December 2008. Attract specialist visitors from
overseas .
Many travelers make day trips into the desert, to the beaches outside Doha and to
local forts. One of the main attractions is the Inland Sea, a huge lake jutting into
the desert and surrounded by towering sand dunes, which offers opportunities
for bathing and scuba diving. Qatar has a very child-friendly environment, with
numerous playgrounds and a number of theme parks. Especially popular with
children are Palmtree Island in Doha Bay, with its beaches and camel and pony
rides, and Aladdin's Kingdom, an entertainment park with many exciting rides, in
the West Bay area. There is also a popular zoo around 20 km from Doha along the
Salwa Road.
There are facilities and clubs for virtually all forms of sport, including
horseracing, camel racing, boat racing, soccer and falconry. Golf is particularly
popular, with excellent 18-hole and 9-hole courses available at the famous Doha
Golf Club. Qatar has become world-renowned for its hosting of many high profile
sporting events such as Exxon/Mobil Open 2009, and the Qatar Masters 2009
presented by Dolphin Energy. For details that are more valuable, please
visit:www.qatartourism.gov.qa
Quality of Life
Climate in Qatar
According to its geographical location and climate, Qatar is
classified as a hot subtropical desert; very hot and muggy
between June and August and pleasant between November and
February. It has arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid
summers The average annual rainfall is 81 mm, average maximum
temperature is 31oC and average minimum temperature 22oC
Language
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
Social Customs
The importation and consumption of alcohol is strictly regulated.
However, liquor permits may be obtained by foreign employees
and the major hotels are allowed to serve alcohol to guests in
restricted areas. Qatar prohibits the brewing and trafficking in
alcohol. Drunken behavior in public or driving under the influence
of alcohol is an offense punishable by imprisonment, a fine or both
and revocation of the offender’s driving license. Importing and using narcotics is
illegal and punishable by heavy penalties. The possession of material deemed
obscene is also punishable by a prison sentence. Qatar bans all pork products.
Health Care
Besides being distinguished by its comprehensiveness, diversity
and efficiency in terms of equipment and human resources, health
care in the State of Qatar is based on the sober philosophy that
medical care should be available for all residents of Qatar, citizens
and expatriates alike.
Health care establishments, cadres, curative and preventive
medical services, and equipment have undergone substantial upgrading and
improvements. Qatar has an opportunity to create a health care system that will
provide the most effective and advanced health care to its people and to become
a model for the world to follow. His Highness the Emir created the NHA in 2005
and gave it responsibility to guide reform in Qatar in order to establish one of the
world's most admired and renowned health systems. for more information please
visit: www.nha.org.qa
Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the premier non-profit health care
Established by Emiri decree in 1979 has rapidly developed highly specialized
medical facilities capable of providing state of the art diagnosis and treatment of
diseases that previously could only be managed in overseas medical centers. for
more information please visit www.hmc.org.qa
Sports
the Football is the national sport, the national team have achieve
several achievements by win the 15th Asian games gold medal in
2006 & the gulf cup in Doha2004 .
On Oct. 25 2007 Doha launched its bid for the 2016 Summer
Olympics , and hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Doha
in 2016 will extend the Olympic ideals to millions of new hearts and
minds. This would unleash the power of the Olympic Movement and peaceful
sport to create understanding, hope and change that could unite the entire region
with the rest of the world. For more information, please visit www.doha2016.org
As part of the State’s commitments for hosting the 2006 Asian Games the
games Qatar build a $700 million ‘sports city’ which include 5,000 apartments for
athletes and sports officials to www.doha-2006.com. This have herald the first
ever major sporting event of such a magnitude in the region.
The Government also has started to sponsor many premier sporting events to
attract. World-class sports personalities and supporters.
The Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex annually host Qatar ExxonMobil Open
2009 commencing from 5th - 10th January 2009 , for more details please see
www.qataropen.org .
Transport
The Transport Company “Mowasalat” started its activities by
providing land transport services and solutions in October 2004. By
providing Airport Taxi, Standard Taxi, VIP Limousine, Standard
Limousine, Public Bus Service, School Bus Service, and Private
Hire Bus and Coach Services. for mor information please visit
www.mowasalat.com
Cars
Cars can be rented on most foreign licenses. Foreigners resident in GCC
countries can rent a car if they can show a residence visa from their country of
residence.
Avis, Budget and Euro car rates per day for a small car, including insurance and
unlimited mileage, is about QR150. There are rental desks at the airport and also
in some hotels. There is also an agency in Doha -- Al-Muftah Rent-A-Car on
Musheireb Street -- which often gives rates cheaper than QR150 per day.
RasGas :-
RasGas is one of the premier integrated liquefied natural gas (LNG) enterprises in
the world established in 2001 by Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil who are 70 per
cent and 30 per cent shareholders respectively. RasGas currently operates fifth
natural gas liquefaction train put Qatar in a position of undisputed leadership in
world LNG. With production capacity of 20.7 million tonnes per annum (Mta). It is
expected that this year the production will be in the region of 37m tonnes per
annum (Mta). which represents asizeable proporation of qatar's target of 77 (Mta)
by 2012.
The train 6 is to be expected to be online be the second quarter of this year and
completion of train 7 is expected later this year. RasGas in extracting and
distributing those resources continues to grow. Industry experts estimate that by
2010 Qatar will supply 30 per cent of the world's LNG For more information,
please visit :www.rasgas.com .
Education City :-
Education city is dedicated to building human capital in a part of the world where
the need and potential for human development are considerable, set up under the
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development it provide
a higher educational institutions at the university level, specialised training in
design arts and languages, and sporting .The education city sets out to be an
asset not just for Qatar but for the entire Middle East region and beyond, and it
already touches communities and individuals well beyond the country's borders.
For more information, please visit :www.qf.org.qa .
Barwa Al-Khor :-
30QR Billion Qatari Rial project covers an enormous area totalling 5, 459, 168
square metres approximately. The built up area of the project is 3,621,458 square
metres. Al Khor city is to feature creatively inspired designs of villas and town
houses, terraces, flats and mixed use areas2 sprawling hotels; one being a five
star and the other four stars, a superior shopping mall, 4 top schools, 250, 000 sq
m space for offices, a mosque and an international golf course. The project
anticipates offering 24,114 units as homes to the elite with 5 star quality services
to surround them.The project will be completed in 2015. for more details and
more other barwa's local project please visit : www.barwa.com.qa.
Lusail City :-
Lusail will be the ultimate in living experience for around 200,000 people. The new
city in Qatar will be located about 15 km north of the city centre of Doha on the
coast, in the northern part of the municipality of ''UmmSalal''.The development
will have two marinas, residential areas, island resorts, commercial districts,
luxury shopping and leisure facilities, including two golf courses and an
entertainment district. It will be built in phases with the whole project slated for
completion by 2010. www.lusail.com.
Sports Museum :-
8,000sqm area will display Qatar history and heritage.The museum will add value
to the existing facility and will help in promoting sports tourism in Qatar. The
“Aspire Zone” will be the venue for setting up the museum to attract lot of
visitors. The museum consist several of section such as Qatar’s achievements in
different sports, GCC, international, Olympics sports, in additional to that, there
will be special educational section for the benefit of school students. It is
expected to be open before January 2011.
Important Websites
Ministries & Government Organizations
Banks
Qatar National Bank www.qnb.com.qa
Qatar Islamic bank
www.qib.com.qa
Doha Bank www.dohabank.com.qa
Commercial Bank www.cbq.com.qa
International Bank of Qatar www.ibq.com.qa
Qatar International Islamic Bank www.qiib.com.qa
Service Industries
Hotels
Doha Sheraton Hotel & Resort
www.sheraton-doha.com
Inter-Continental Doha www.doha.interconti.com
Sofitel Doha Hotel www.sofiteldoha.com
Doha Marriott Gulf Hotel www.marriott.com
Al Sharq Newspaper
www.al-sharq.com
Al Watan Newspaper www.al-watan.com
Al Jazeera satellite Channel www.aljazeera.net
Al Rayah Newspaper www.raya.com
Gulf Times Newspaper www.gulf-times.com
For more information please refer to the link below were all above
information has been gathered from.
Qatar Investment Promotion Department (IPD) is an Official Department entrusted
with catalyzing the growth and development of Qatar's economy by attracting corporate
and private investors and by stimulating the growth of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in
Qatar. IPD is a division of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce .
IPD provides investors with extensive information related to business environment,
including current investment projects, procedures related to setting up businesses, and
government incentives.
http://www.investinqatar.com.qa