Qatar, officially State of Qatar, independent emirate (1995 est. pop.
534,000), 4,400 sq mi (11,400 sq km), on a largely barren peninsula in the
Persian Gulf, bordering Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (S). The
capital is Doha. The economy of Qatar is dominated by oil and natural gas, which
accounts for 70% of export income. Oil and gas revenues have been used to
diversify the economy, including the development of chemicals, steel, cement,
and fertilizer industries and banking. A minority (20%) of the population are
Qataris (Arabs of the Wahhabi sect of Islam); the rest are largely other Arabs,
Pakistanis, Indians, and Iranians. Arabic is the official language, but English
is also widely spoken. The country is a monarchy.
History
Qatar was ruled by Bahrain from the 1700s until the mid-1800s, when Great
Britain and the Ottoman Empire began vying for control of the peninsula. It was
a British protectorate from 1916 until 1971, when it became independent. In the
1980s and 90s Qatar had territorial disputes with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
During the Persian Gulf War (1991) international coalition forces were deployed
on Qatari soil.
The present emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, came to power in 1995 after
ousting his father. In the late 1990s Sheikh Hamad eased press censorship and
promoted ties with Iran and Israel. Since 2001 Qatar has allowed U.S. use of the
Al Udeid air base, and the headquarters for the U.S. invasion of Iraq (2003)
were in the country.
If you are driving on a long stretch of road with the clear blue sea to your
right and towering green palm trees to your left, it is clear that you are in
the city of Doha.
Doha is the capital city of Qatar, the major commercial centre of the country,
which holds the main port. Located on the East Coast of the Peninsula, Doha has
the perfect blend of a cultural and contemporary lifestyle.
Hosting international conferences and seminars such as The Islamic Conference
Summit, The World Trade Organisation Conference, The World Football Cup (Under
19's), The Athletics Grand Prix, The Tennis Open, The Squash Tournament, The
Golf Masters Tournament in addition to many others, Doha is known to be a modern
and exciting city.
Home to world class hotels and architecturally significant buildings, Doha
welcomes tourists and business people from all over the globe. At night it is
magical, with the illuminating lights reflecting on the calm waves of the sea
and wooden dhows silently gliding through the glistening water.
The gently curved 7.5 kilometre Corniche is a paved pathway overlooking the sea,
where joggers, rollerbladers and cyclists are seen daily.
In 2006, Doha will be bustling with energy to host an event so enormous that it
will showcase the dazzling city as a sport haven of the Middle East.
