Geography
Born of sand and sea, Qatar has long served as a center of trade, fishing and pearl diving. The nation remains today a crossroads of the new and old, an emerging and progressive state dedicated to forging a knowledge economy along a
glittering coastline dotted with traditional wooden dhow boats and innovative new communities.
Doha is the capital of Qatar and its economic and cultural center. Pronounced alDaw-ha, it is home to over 80% of Qatar’s residents. The population of Qatar is estimated to be almost 1.5 million - many of its inhabitants hail from other Arab countries, the Asian sub-continent, as well as Europe and North America.
The State of Qatar is a peninsula surrounded by the waters of the Arabian Gulf and anchored to the mainland at its border with Saudi Arabia. The country stretches 11,437 square kilometers, with archaeological evidence proving that the country was inhabited as early as the 4th Century BC.
Culture
While Qatar is a progressive society – open, relaxed and a regional hub for the arts – it also maintains its traditions and heritage. Visitors can search for bargains along the alleys and stalls of Souq Waquif, wander spellbound among one of the world’s most extensive collections of Islamic art in the I.M. Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art or take the family for a stroll along the
scenic Corniche or beaches and shops of Katara. For the more adventurous, a short drive yields everything from abandoned forts, archeological sites and old cities along the northwestern coast to singing sand dunes and desert adventures in the south.
Qatar's natural heritage goes far beyond the desert and camels many expect to find. The State’s 10 terrestrial and marine protected areas cover 30% of the nation's land surface. Qatar’s eastern
cape is home to mangroves, flamingos and a host of biodiversity and her waters provide shelter to the planet’s second largest population of Dugongs.