Corniche Promenade, Doha
About Qatar
The State of Qatar
The State of Qatar is a sovereign and independent state in the middle east, occupying a peninsula that juts into the Arabian Gulf. Since its independence from Britain in 1971, Qatar has emerged as one of the world’s most important producers of oil and gas. It is an Islamic State which promotes tolerance and respect for other religions and faiths. Since 2013, the country has been governed by HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
Qatar National Library at Education City, Doha
Ten Interesting Facts About Qatar
- Qatar was the first Arab country to host the FIFA World Cup
- Qatar is the safest country in the world
- There are no forests in Qatar
- Qatar is the second flattest country in the world
- It is the first country that made purple shellfish dye
- The national animal is the Arabian Oryx
- It has the longest drilled oil well in the world
- 99% of the Qatari population lives in Doha, the capital city
- The country name dates back to 50 AD
- Doha has the longest continuous cycle path in the world
Quick Facts
POPULATION
2.5 million
GDP
$249.636 billion*
INCOME PER HEAD
$92,900*
NATURAL GAS RESERVES
World’s 3rd largest
The Fire Station Museum
World-class artist residency programme to promote Qatar’s artistic and creative community.
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Katara Opera House
home to the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra and a hub for leading artists and musicians.
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Qatar National Library
The futuristic designed library is one of the centre pieces of Qatar’s Education City.
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Education City
Education City is home to branch campuses of some of the world’s leading educational institutes.
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3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum
The world’s most sophisticated museum dedicated to sport.
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Arab Museum of Modern Art
Showcasing art created in Qatar, the Middle East and the international Arab diaspora.
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Museum of Islamic Art
MIA houses one of the most comprehensive collections of Islamic art in the world.
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National Museum of Qatar
Dedicated to bringing to life the story of Qatar and its people.
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Qatar’s Flag
Qatar’s Flag is maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side; maroon represents the blood shed in Qatari wars, white stands for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge signifies Qatar as the ninth member of the “reconciled emirates” in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916. (The other eight emirates are Bahrain and the seven that formed the UAE.)
Al Thumama Stadium firework display
2022 FIFA World Cup
Qatar was the first Arab country to host a FIFA World Cup.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup took place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022. It was the first World Cup held in an Arab nation, and only the second to be held in Asia.
More About The World Cup
Max Verstappen at Qatar Grand Prix, October 2023.
The Latest Qatar News
Read up-to-date news stories relating to Qatar via Doha News.