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About Qatar <
General Info |
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Location |
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The
peninsula of the State of Qatar is
situated halfway along the West
Coast of the Arabian Gulf Covering
an area of 11,521 kmē and protruding
about 160 km along its north-south
axis into the central zone of the
Arabian Gulf. It measures about 80
km at its widest point from coast to
coast.
The
State of Qatar includes, in addition
to mainland, several islands in the
coastal waters of the peninsula, the
most notable of which are Halul -
the main oil storage and exporting
center, Sharauah, Al-Bashiriya, Al-Safiliya
and Al-Aliya islands. |
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Topography |
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The
surface of the peninsula is of low
to moderate relief except for some
low lying calcareous, mesa type
elevations and sand dunes towering
up to 40m above sea level. The
coastline of Qatar presents an
uneven outline with numerous inlets
and coves. The most pronounced
topographic features are created by
a large number of shallow
depressions known as Riyadhs
(gardens) mainly found in the
northern and central parts of the
country. Being among the richest
soils in the country, these Riyadhs
are ideal for future agricultural
expansions and development. |
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Climate |
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Qatar has a moderate desert climate.
Summer temperatures are high on
average between 25-46° Celsius.
Winter is mild and relatively warm.
Rainfall is below 75mm per annum on
average. Humidity remains high from
July to September and occasionally
during winter. |
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Population |
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The
population was around 600 thousands
(2002 estimates), about 50% of whom
live in Doha while the rest live in
other towns and villages.
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Major Cities |
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Doha, the capital city and the seat
of the government is situated
halfway down the East Coast of the
Qatar peninsula. The city is now
witnessing rapid development in the
building and construction sectors
with new elegant buildings that
feature both traditional Arab style
and modern contemporary
architecture. The city is one of the
most important cultural and economic
regional and international centers
in the area. |
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MIC where the country's basic
industries are situated is the first
industrial city in Qatar. It lies 45
km south of Doha. The city's
industrial area houses world class
gas processing, oil refining,
chemical, petrochemical and
metallurgical industries in addition
to well equipped and fully serviced
industrial and commercial seaport
known for its fine sand beaches,
picturesque landscaping and the
luxurious sea line beach resort,
Mesaieed also has emerged as one of
the most sought tourist attractions
in Qatar. |
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RLC is located 80km north of Doha
covering an overall surface area of
90sq. km. The city is constructed
primarily to service the North-Field
LNG plants and other Hydrocarbon
industries. The city, with its ultra
modern LNG port besides the QatarGas
and RasGas LNG plants is perhaps the
world's largest LNG exporting
facility. |
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Al-Khor is a coastal city situated
57km north Doha with a port for
small vessels and fishing boats. |
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Al-Wakrah is situated between Doha
and Mesaieed 15km to the south of
Doha. It has a port for small crafts
and anchorage for fishing boats. |
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Dukhan is the onshore oil production
center situated halfway along the
western coastline of the Qatar
peninsula, 84km from Doha. The city
gained its importance when oil was
discovered in the surrounding
fields. The city's fine beaches are
ideal destination for visitors the
year over. |
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Religion and Language |
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Islam is the official religion and
the sharia (Islamic Law) is the
principal source of legislation.
Arabic is the official language in
the State, however, English is
widely spoken in the country at
large and is commonly used in
official and business transactions.
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National Flag |
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The national flag is maroon colour
with a broad vertical white stripe
at the pole, the two colours being
separated with a nine-pointed
serrated line.
Meaning of the Flag: |
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A- |
The white colour reflects the
internationally recognized symbol of
peace. |
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B- |
The maroon colour symbolizes the
bloodshed during the several wars
Qatar had undergone, particularly in
the second half of the 19th century. |
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C- |
The nine-point serrated line
indicates that Qatar is the 9th
member of the "reconciled Emirates"
of the Arabian Gulf in the wake of
concluding the Qatari-British treaty
in 1916. This information on design
and colour of Qatar flag was
mentioned in the Archives of the
British Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in 1931. |
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Public Holidays |
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Independence Day
3rd September.
Eid Al-Fitr
1st to 4th of Shawwal of Al-Hijrah.
Eid Al-Adha
10th to 15th of Zilhijjah of Al-Hijrah. |
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Currency |
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The
official currency is the Qatari
Riyal (QR), which is divided into
100 dirhams. The Exchange parity has
been set at the fixed rate of
US$=3.65QR's. |
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Work Hours |
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Government offices: 7 am to 2 pm.
Private establishments: 8 am to 12
noon, and 4 pm to 8 pm.
Friday and Saturday are the weekend
holidays. |
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Local Time |
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3
hours + Greenwich Mean Time.
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Electrical Current |
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240 Volts + 6% with frequency 50
hertz. |
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Measurements |
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Fiscal Year |
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