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Qatar

✨ The pearl of the desert

Qatar is a small peninsula in the Middle East, extending northward from the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula into the Arabian Gulf. It covers about 11,637 square kilometres and has a coastline of roughly 550 kilometres. The country shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia to the south, while Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran lie across the surrounding Gulf waters.

Most of Qatar is a flat, rocky desert, although the landscape includes limestone outcrops, shallow depressions, salt flats and sand dunes, especially in the southeast. The capital, Doha, lies on the eastern coast and is the country's main political, economic and cultural centre. Several islands also belong to Qatar, including Halul, Shira'wa and Al Ashat. The highest parts of the country rise only a little above 100 metres, reflecting its generally low and gently undulating relief.

Qatar has a hot desert climate, with very warm summers, mild winters and little rainfall. Summer temperatures can become extremely high, while humidity is often noticeable near the coast. Rain usually falls in short and irregular showers, mainly during the cooler months. Fresh water is naturally scarce, so seawater desalination plays an important role in supplying the population. Despite its arid environment, Qatar contains several coastal and desert habitats, including mangroves, tidal mudflats, salt flats and coral communities.

The country's economy has been transformed by its large reserves of oil and natural gas, particularly the extensive North Field, one of the world's largest natural-gas fields. Qatar has become a major exporter of liquefied natural gas, while finance, construction, transport, services and tourism have also developed significantly. Arabic is the official language, and English is widely used in business, education and everyday communication.

💡 Did you know?

Did you know that in Qatar, wonders are not only on land? There is a magical place called Khor Al Adaid, or the 'Inland Sea.' It is one of the few places in the world where the ocean moves so far into the dunes that it creates a calm sea right in the middle of the desert. To get there, you have to cross sand mountains in a 4x4. At high tide, it feels like the blond sand dunes are literally floating on the turquoise water!

Camel racing is a very serious tradition in Qatar, but with a touch of futurism! In the past, real jockeys rode the camels, but today, tiny remote-controlled robots operated by the owners drive the beasts. The robots even have small mechanical arms to encourage the camels! The owners follow the race in their off-road cars along the track, shouting orders through radios.

The Arabian oryx, with its horns that look like swords, is the star animal in Qatar. It is pure white to reflect the burning desert sun. Did you know this animal almost disappeared completely? Fortunately, Qatar created special reserves to protect them. Today, the oryx is everywhere: it is the emblem of the national airline and was even the mascot of major sports games held in the country!