Katar

QATAR

The state of Qatar is an absolute monarchy with elements of a constitutional system, located in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula on an area of ​​11.6 thousand square meters. km. The capital is Doha. The official language is Arabic. The state religion is Islam. The basis of law is Sharia law.
Settlements with a developed culture appeared on the Qatar Peninsula several millennia BC: local residents were engaged in pearl fishing and traded with the civilizations of Mesopotamia and the Indus, the Sumerians and Assyrians. Later, at different times, these lands were dominated by the Macedonians, Iranians, Arabs, Portuguese, Ottomans, and British. The country received full independence only in 1971.

Population
The population of Qatar has crossed the mark of 2 million 600 thousand people, with ¾ of the population being men. The growth in the 21st century is already mainly not due to the birth rate, but due to the influx of migrants, including labor. About half of the citizens are Arabs, and immigrants from various countries of the region live in the country – Palestinians, Iranians, Lebanese, Egyptians, etc. The share of Muslims among the population is about 75%, the rest profess Christianity or other religions. About 90% of the total population lives in the capital and its suburbs. In addition to Arabic, Qatari residents often speak English or Urdu. Qataris spend more of their family budget on entertainment and leisure than, for example, on clothing.

Economy
The backbone of Qatar’s economy is the oil industry and the service sector, with more than 50% of the country’s GDP from oil and gas production. In the real sector, the production of fertilizers, steel, cement, chemical and metallurgical industries are developed. Agriculture, due to climatic conditions, provides only 10% of food needs. The country is pursuing a policy of reorienting the economy from oil production to attracting foreign investment in other directions.
Oil products, natural gas, fertilizers and steel are exported. Imports are dominated by machinery and equipment, vehicles, foodstuffs, and chemical products. Main foreign economic partners: USA, Japan, South Korea, Europe, Singapore, Thailand, India.

Transport
The length of state highways is more than 1200 km, almost all of them are paved. The main mode of public transport is buses and taxis. Since 2019, the metro has been operating in Doha and continues to be actively built. The plans include the development of the railway network up to 100 stations. Air transport is served by several airports in major cities, but only one of them, in the capital, is international. Most of the cargo transportation is carried out by the merchant fleet, which has 22 vessels of various types.

Interesting
Qatar has a continental tropical, dry climate; the temperature in summer rises to +50 ° C. Almost the entire territory of the country, located on the peninsula of the same name, is a desert.
In 2022, the FIFA World Cup will be held for the first time in the Middle East, and Qatar has been chosen as the venue for the World Football Championship final.
The national currency is the Qatari rial.
GMT: +3 hours.