LIVING IN QATAR

QATAR is a welcoming, politically stable and friendly country. It has beautiful scenery, wonderful beaches, a very rich culture and a sunny climate that enables a wide range of outdoor activities to be pursued throughout the year.

The State of Qatar is a sovereign country located in Western Asia, occupying the small Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Gulf. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest is of its’ territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. An arm of the Persian Gulf separates Qatar from the nearby island country of Bahrain. It is steeped-in-tradition and you can learn about the ancient pursuit of falconry, watch camels race across the desert and admire traditional dhows (wooden cargo boats) bobbing on the water. But the country is developing rapidly, with the capital Doha a world-class city in the making, thanks to its spectacular modern skyline, peerless Museum of Islamic Art, a fine and expansive traditional souq, and burgeoning arts and culinary scenes.

Arabic is the main language in Qatar but English is widely spoken. The official religion of Qatar is Islam but other religions practice freely around Doha. The working week in Qatar is Sunday to Thursday, with the weekend on Friday and Saturday. Visitors to Qatar are expected to dress modestly in accordance with the local customs.

Driving in Qatar is safe with excellent roads. Visitors are able to drive hire cars with a valid international licence. Residents will need to have a Qatari driver’s licence which, in most cases, is simple to obtain and will not require a road test. Qatar has a very pleasant temperature during the winter months but gets very hot in the Summer, with temperatures reaching as high as 49 degrees c. Rainfall is rare, mostly falling during the winter months.

The UAE cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are a short 40 minute flight or 4 – 6 hour drive from Doha. Qatar is just seven hours’ flight time from 50% of the world’s population and connected to cities in Europe, the Gulf, Africa and Asia by direct flights.

Qatar Picture Gallery