Surrounded by water on three sides, Qatar is a peninsula in the Arabian Gulf with its only land border existing at the southern end where Qatar meets Saudi Arabia.The peninsular is approximately 100km across and extends 200km into the Gulf and a total area is about11, 581Sq km. Qatar population is 2.5 Million.
The state of Qatar became an independent state on September 3, 1971. Doha is the capital of Qatar. Qatar has a rich and vibrant history – a history that can be traced back as far as 4000 BC. Throughout the centuries, fishing and pearling trades have established Qatar as an important port in the Gulf. Qatar is a high-income economy, backed by the world’s third-largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves.The country has the highest per capita income in the world.
The people of Qatar are friendly and make visitors feel very welcome. Arabic is the official language, although English is widely used. Qatar is an Islamic state, which guides not only the religious beliefs of Qataris but also plays a large part in daily living.
The 22nd edition of the FIFA world cup is scheduled to take place in Qatar in 2022 (Nov 21 – Dec 18) and Qatar will be the first Arab state to host the World Cup.
Qatar has a desert climate and enjoys sunshine just about every day of the year. It has mild winters and hot summers. The best time to visit is November – March, when temperatures are at their mildest. Humidity, however, is very high along the coast. Cotton and linen are recommended during the summer months and warm clots during the winter.The sea and the desert are the back bone of tourism in Qatar.
Work hours for government offices are form 7 am – 2 pm and their weekend is Friday and Saturday.Currency is Qatari Riyals (QAR). The exchange rate is fixed at US $1 = QR3.65