About Qatar:

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. Qatar is an oil-rich peninsula jutting out into the Gulf between Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The majority of the country consists of sand dunes and salt flats.

The city of Doha combines a rich mixture of traditional Arabic and modern architecture. The Grand Mosque with its many domes and the Abu Bakir al-Siddiq Mosque are particularly interesting.

The north contains most of the historic sites, including Umm Salal Mohammed, a relatively large village dominated by the ruins of a 19th-century fort.

Al Khor is the second-largest city, situated around a natural shallow harbour. On the west coast there are fine beaches at Umm Bab (‘The Palm Tree Beach’) Dukhan and Salwah near the Saudi border.

The south is a region of sand dunes and beaches, offering opportunities to go pearl hunting, or to practice any of a number of water sports. Public entertainment can be rather limited.

Live entertainment is infrequent, but some international artists do perform in Qatar.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATE OF QATAR

Location

The State of Qatar is located in the middle of the western coast of the Arabian Gulf, east of the Arabian Peninsula, between latitudes (27-24 and 10-26 degrees north) and longitudes (45-50 and 40-51 degrees east).The State of Qatar is a peninsula that extends northward and covers an area of 11,521 square kilometers.

Topography

The State of Qatar consists generally of flat rocky surfaces. However, some hills and sand dunes which reach an altitude of 40 meters above sea level can be found in the areas of Dukhan and Jebel Fuwairit in the western and the northern parts of the country.

The surface of Qatar includes a number of geographical features to the west coast of the Arabian Gulf . Mainly found in the north and central parts of the State, such phenomenon include coves and inlets together with depressions and surface rainwater-draining basins known as Al-Riyadh. The northern and central regions of the country are considered the most suitable areas for agricultural enterprises because of the fertile land and the natural and seasonal vegetation.

Ancestry

The people of Qatar are the descendents of ancient Arabian tribes which migrated from remote areas at different times starting from the 7th century until 19th century AD.

Population

The current population of Qatar is estimated at about 743,000 people with an expected annual increase of 3.5% and approximately 83% of them live in the capital city Doha and its suburb Al Rayan.

Religion & Language

Islam is the official religion of Qatar . The official language of the country is Arabic but English is also widely used.

National Anthem

Swearing by God who erected the sky

Swearing by God who spread the light

Qatar will always be free

Sublimed by the souls of the sincere

Proceed thou on the manners of the ascendants

And advance on the Prophet's guidance

In my heart,

Qatar is an epic of glory and dignity

Qatar is the land of the early men

Who protect us at time of distress,

Doves they can be in times of peace,

Warriors they are in times of sacrifice.

Meaning of the words of the Qatari National Anthem:

The new Anthem for the State of Qatar was adopted on December 7th 1996, upon the accession to the throne of H.H. the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The first part of the Anthem starts with an oath and urges citizens of Qatar to remain committed to tread the path of their forefathers who were honorable, respectable, knowledgeable, religious and empowered by wisdom and vision. They are also urged to follow the guidance of the prophets and their preaching about righteousness, good deeds and beauty.

In the second and final part, the anthem affirms that the Qatari men of today are the defenders of its land and dignity, that they are the descendants of the ancestors who defended their country in the past.

The anthem closes by reaffirming that Qatar will remain free, dignified, glorious and noble.

Flag of the State of Qatar

The national flag of the State of Qatar is a vertically divided maroon and white flag with a 9 point serrated line where the two colors meet.

The Al Thani Family

The Al Thani family's presence in the Qatar peninsular dates from the eighteenth century when they arrived from the Gerbin oasis in the south of Nejd .

The family is named after Sheikh Thani bin Mohamed, the father of Sheikh Mohamed bin Al Thani who was first to rule the peninsula in the middle of the nineteenth century. The Al Thani family is a branch of the Arab tribe of Beni Tameem who descend from Mudhar bin Nizar.