Qatar

Introduction to Qatar

The State of Qatar (Arabic: قطر), an emirate in the Middle East, occupies a small peninsula off the larger Arabian Peninsula. It borders Saudi Arabia to the south; otherwise the Persian Gulf surrounds the country.

Since 1995, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani has ruled Qatar: he seized control of the country from his father Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani while the latter holidayed in Switzerland. Under Emir Hamad, Qatar has experienced a notable amount of sociopolitical liberalisation, including the enfranchisement of women, a new constitution and the launch of Al Jazeera, the controversial Arabic satellite television news channel.

Qatar served as the headquarters and one of the main launching sites of the US invasion of Iraq [1] in 2003.

In 2005 a suicide-bombing that killed a British teacher at the Doha Players Theatre shocked the country, which had not previously experienced acts of terrorism.

The United States Armed Forces Unified Combatant Command unit for the Middle East theater, known as CENTCOM (US Central Command), has its headquarters in Qatar. Qatar also hosts a large United States Air Force base.

Qatar will host the 15th Asian Games in 2006.

The Qatari peninsula juts 160 km (100 miles) into the Persian Gulf from Saudi Arabia. Much of the country consists of a low, barren plain, covered with sand. To the southeast lies the spectacular Khor al Adaid or 'Inland Sea', an area of rolling sand dunes surrounding an inlet of the Gulf.

The highest point in Qatar occurs in the Jebel Dukhan to the west, a range of low limestone outcrops running north-south from Zikrit through Umm Bab to the southern border, and reaching about 90m ASL. This area also contains Qatar's main onshore oil deposits, while the natural gas fields lie offshore, to the northwest of the peninsula.

Cultural notes about Qatar

Qatar explicitly uses Wahhabi law as the basis of its government, and the vast majority of its citizens follow this specific Islamic doctrine. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab founded Wahhabism, a puritanical version of Islam which takes a literal interpretation of the Koran (also known as the Qu'ran) and the Sunnah. In the 18th century Abd Al-Wahhab formed a compact with the al-Saud family, the founders of Saudi Arabia, and purged the "idolatrous" practices of Sufism and Shiism from their domains.

In the early 20th century, when the Al-Thanis realized that converting to the doctrine of their larger neighbor might bode well for the survival of their régime, they imported Wahhabi Islam from Saudi Arabia to Qatar. Perhaps as an effect of the importation, Wahhabism takes a less strict form in Qatar than in Saudi Arabia, though it still governs a large portion of Qatari mores and rituals. For example, almost all Qatari women wear the black abaya (also donned in Saudi Arabia) - however, Qataris do not universally impose the style on foreigners.

Official Canadian government advisories for travelling to, in and around Qatar

There are credible reports indicating that terrorists may be planning attacks in the near future, possibly against Westerners and/or Western interests.

You should maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times as the security situation could deteriorate rapidly without notice. Exercise caution, particularly in commercial and public establishments frequented by foreigners.

The crime rate is generally low. However, normal precautions should be taken to ensure personal belongings and passports are secure. Use only officially marked taxis or reputable limousine services. Female visitors may be harassed, and should take care when travelling alone after dark.