Officially known as the State of Qatar, the country gained her independence in 1971. Qatar has been ruled by the Al Thani family.
Fishing and pearl hunting were the mainstay of the country’s economy before the discovery of oil. Qatar has a very high income economy and has a high standard of living. It has the one of the lowest tax rates in the world. It also has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world.
Qatar is the home of the famous Al Jazeera Media Network with its headquarter is in Doha. The country has about seven newspaper with four publishing in Arabic and three in English. The illiteracy rate is about 7% which is the lowest in the Arab-speaking countries.
Flogging and stoning are punishments for illicit sexual activities and alcohol consumption as Muslims are not allowed to take alcohol in the country. Blasphemy and proselytizing can incur prison sentences while homosexuality and apostasy are punishable by death.
Islam is the predominant religion in the country as about 70% of the population adhere to it. Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity are other religions practiced in the country. Christians are mostly foreigners living in the country and few churches have been built as allowed by the government.
Arabic is the official language of the country. English is also a common language and acts as a second language in the country. Men are not allowed to wear shorts or singlets and women are not allowed to wear miniskirts, sleeveless tops, and leggings or any tight clothing. This rule is also applicable to tourists.
Driving is the most common way people get around in the country as many people own a car. Qatar has a good road network system and there are public buses and taxis available around the country. Domestic flights are not possible in the country as the Doha international airport is the only one active airport in the country.
The best time to visit the country is from November to mid-March as the weather is not too hot during this time. The country experiences two climate seasons, summer which runs from March to mid-November with a very hot and sunny weather, and winter which runs from December to February.
There are several beautiful places in Qatar and the country is fast becoming a favourite tourist destination. In 2017, it recorded about 1.8 million visitors. The tourist attractions include;
- The Corniche, Doha: This is a very good place to spend time with your loved one as you can just walk by the seaside and enjoy the fresh breeze in the area. The best thing about this place is the view of the oyster.
- The Museum of Islamic Art, Doha: This museum shows how beautiful Islamic art is. There are several collections from Africa, Persian, and Arab. It is a very interesting place to visit.
- The Qatar National Museum: This museum is a must visit when in Qatar. It was the palace of the former Emir. It looks like a fort and there are several exhibitions here including jewelry, traditional and natural exhibitions.
There are over 100 hotels in Qatar that promises to give comfort when in the country most of which are in the capital city Doha.