About us:

 

Phrases

Above are a few common Arabic phrases to help you get around.

 

Languages

Like many of the other countries in the Gulf region, Qatar’s national language is Arabic with Qatari Arabic as the local dialect. However, English is also widely spoken and is in high demand in Qatar’s business sectors for communication between members of its growing expatriate community.

Lesser spoken but still prevalent languages in the country are French, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Tamil and Tagalog.

Religion

Qatar is an Islamic nation and, with Sunni Islam being the predominant denomination (but also many Shia Muslim communities are present), around 65% of the nation’s population is considered to be Muslim, but this figure seems to be slowly dropping each year. Meanwhile, around 15% of the country’s inhabitants are considered to be Christian of varying denominations (mainly Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Copts, Mar Thoman and Indian Orthodox) which appear to be slowly increasing each year.

Additionally, around 15% of the population follow Hinduism, around 4% are Buddhist and the remaining 1% follows other smaller religions or are Atheists. These have also all been on the rise in recent years alongside Christianity.

Museums, Galleries & Architecture

Noted collectors of both contemporary and Islamic art, the Al Thani family are famous for opening several museums such as the Museum of Islamic Art (opened in 2008 and widely considered to be one of the greatest museums in the world) and the projected Guggenheim and Louvre of Qatar. Qatar is also known for being the largest buyer of art in the world by value.

Opposite the Museum of Islamic Art is the MIA Park which contains a 280,000 square meter seafront in a crescent shape, it includes a sculpture plaza and three kilometres of lighted pedestrian pathways shaded by palm trees as well as a kiosk and two cafés. Additionally, the country contains the Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha’s very own Education City, it contains over six-thousand works of art and regularly holds exhibitions to help engage the academic, art, local and international communities.

Also planned is the National Museum of Qatar which will use a contemporary interlocking disk design to shield visitors from the desert sunlight, the Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum which will preserve, investigate, store and exhibit sports-related objects of the Arab world, and the Orientalist Museum which aims to map the Oriental art from around the world and exhibit them accordingly. 

Clothing, Dress Style & Etiquette

Both men and women in the region are expected to dress in a non-provocative way but the dress code is purely driven by customs rather than by government order, as well as being considered more relaxed than other Arabic nations. It is important to mention that in recent years western-style clothing has become far more widespread and acceptable.

Qatari women traditionally wear an Abayah (a long black colored body clothing) and a Shayla (a long black scarf used to cover the head) but also sometimes the Hijab (a black head cover). Older women are also known to wear a Djelabia (a type of long dress) and Sirwal (baggy ankle-length trousers) and may choose to obscure their face with a Shaila (a type of thin scarf) or a Battula (a mask made of reflective calico).

Men traditionally wear the Thoub (a long white or lightly coloured body covering), young boys may wear the Gahfeya (an embroided cap) and older men frequently wear a Ghutra (a folded square cloth worn on the head) and a black coil. During winter it is common for wear to include a Fahrwa (a heavy camel hair or woollen cloak).

It’s also common to have various types of henna (body embroidery) applied in a vast array of patterns traditionally on the hands, arms, feet and ankles.

Literature, Poetry, Music & Dance

Music in Qatar is traditionally based on poetry of the Bedouin people as well as the associated songs and dance. Contemporary music however is a modernization of this and is called Khaliji. Another common music type is the Fann at-Tanbura and includes a ritual often performed with the genre.  Belly Dancing and Hasbraki, sort of like Belly Dancing but with a faster tempo and movements, are also extremely popular. 

Instrument-wise the Tabl, Murwas, Al Ras and Tar, types of drums and tambourine, respectively, are used for more folk music and during festivals and the Oud and Rebaba, types of stringed instrument, are used for clearer tunes. Bagpipes from Scotland have also become increasingly popular in recent decades. Dance during these festivals includes the Ardah or Ardha, a type of dance used to display a lot of energy performed by men with swords and sticks, usually accompanied to by drums and Arabian Flutes. Another type of dance, the Khanmary, is performed by a group of women in masks typically at weddings.

Calendar & Events

Qatar regularly celebrates other Arabic traditional holidays and such like many other Islamic regions such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, these typically include Islamic Religious Holidays such as Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha. However, Qatar also had its own string of public holidays including Qatar National Day on December 18^th, National Sports Day which falls on the second Tuesday of every February and Independence day on September 3^rd. 

Doha in Qatar has a thriving nightlife that comprises of some of the best lounges, clubs and pubs in the Gulf, below are some of our favourites:

CloudNYN is considered more on the affordable clubs in the city and caters to the younger crowd, it’s famous for letting in couples and women for free whilst single men have to pay QR 50.

Smart, suave and positively slick, the Pearl Lounge Club has one of the best cocktail-mixing reputations in town and is especially reputed on its signature drink, the Cosmopolitan.

Buried deep under the Ramada Hotel & Suites, the Qube features a range of talented DJs from all over the world including London’s very own Ministry of Sound and regularly organizes nights for dance, Indian and hip-hop music. 

Seven 7 has been given that smooth and sophisticated look that is reserved only for the best clubs in the world and features a sparkling white style reminiscent of deep futurism, it also features several plasma screens and smoke machines.

Feel like a more relaxed night out? The Sky View Bar is located on the 15^th floor of La Cigale and is based on a balcony. Despite the deep chilled out vibe output by the design, the bar also houses a range of skilled DJs.

Maybe you feel a little homesick and could use more familiar surroundings? You’ll love the Irish Harp which has been fashioned like a traditional European Pub and serves a range of tasty food and thirst-quenching drinks.

Designed to take its appearance right out of some of America’s grandest metropoli, the Madison Piano Bar is a smooth and chilled out environment fashioned for those good nights out with some close friends.

For a more traditionally Arabic theme, the Wahm is based next to the W Hotel and features a pool, mezze snacks and a variety of oriental décor, ideal for hot days out when you need a cool drink. 

Money

Qatar uses the Qatari Riyal (QAR) which can be divided down into 100 Dirham but it has only been using this for the last 50 years and before 1966 it used the Indian Rupee and the Saudi Riyal. At one point it also shared its value with the Dubai Riyal but since 1973 the two are no longer linked.

Qatari Riyal comes in the form of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 Dirham coins as well as in 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 Riyal bank notes. Typically the Qatari Riyal has an exchange rate of QAR 1 to $0.27 or £0.17.

Economy

Making up more than 70% of total revenue in the country, Petroleum is the absolute cornerstone of the Qatari economy. However, natural gas reserves also make up a significant proportion of the Qatari economy with the country owning the third largest natural gas reserves in the world.

Qatar is undeniably the richest country in the world with current GDP per capita growing more than 1,150% during the 70’s, over 50% in the 80’s and over 90% in the 90’s. Prior to the 40’s when the oil and gas fields began being exploited, Qatar was a pearl fishing country and one of the poorest countries in the world.
Experts predict that Qatar’s oil fields will be mostly depleted by 2023 but the natural gas reserves are expected to hold out for significantly longer. The average wage per hour in Qatar is at around QAR 220 (about $60 or £36).

Banking

ATMs are available throughout Doha but in the lesser developed areas of Qatar may not be so available. Banks will typically charge a fee to use another bank’s ATM and both rent and wages are paid via post-dated cheques, among other large bills and cash amounts.

You’ll need a reference letter from your employer which states your salary and their approval for you to open an account, a Passport with copies and often a Residency Permit. Very similarly to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar’s banks generally offer three types of bank account.

The Current Account type is used for everyday banking and typically has no monthly fee as long as around QAR 3000 (about $825 or £500) is maintained in the account’s balance.

The Savings Account type pays out a higher amount of interest but only allow a certain amount of free-withdrawals before a nominal fee is charged, normally a balance of QAR 5000 (about $1,375 or £830) is required to be maintained.

Finally, a Fixed Deposit Account is the other common type which has been optimized for long-term saving and pays out a much higher rate of interest, but requires around QAR 20,000 (about $5,495 or £3,315) to be maintained in the account’s balance.

Taxes

Qatar does not impose any income tax on citizens and only a foreigner owning and operating a business within Qatar needs to pay any tax at all. There is no road tax, car tax, television licence fee, council tax or VAT in Qatar at all but it is rumoured that around five to seven percent VAT may be introduced in the future, although this has yet to be officially confirmed.

However, some statutory fees apply to certain transactions and services, including an import tax on all products brought into the country intended for commercial resale at four-to-five percent of the value of the goods, a service tax on food and drink purchased in hotels at seven percent and a flat corporate tax of ten percent applicable to all profit made by any business owned or partially owned by foreigners in Qatar. 

The State of Qatar enjoys a wide variety of tasty food and meals which are typically made with all-natural ingredients. Commonly, the food has been inspired, influenced and brought in from Iran, India and North Africa but the country supports many traditional dishes such as Crab, Tuna, Red Snapper, Shrimp and Lobster seafood.

Also famous for many lamb and mutton dishes, all meat served in the country is halal in accordance with Islamic Sharia Law and has been prepared as such. These lamb and mutton dishes are commonly served with yoghurt made from goat or cow milk. The grown foods also include dates, almonds and sour applies as well as Machbous, a stew of heavily spiced rice with the aforementioned meat, seafood or both. 

Qatar also includes many other incredible dishes such as Hummus, a dip made from chickpeas, flour and sesame Seeds, Taboulleh, cracked wheat flavoured with mint and parsley, Biriani, another rice dish with a lot of spices and served with lamb and/or chicken and Ghuzi, a full roast lamb on top of rice and nuts. 

VISA Requirements

Visitors to Qatar require a VISA unless they are either a citizen of a GCC Country or another eligible country which include:

• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• Or are a citizen of a country eligible for a VISA on arrival, these countries include:
• Andorra
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Malaysia
• Monaco
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• San Marino
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Vatican City

Citizens of Belarus and Turkey may also obtain a one-month VISA on arrival provided enough money is held on a credit card.

To obtain a VISA, you’ll typically need:

• Two original passport-sized photos
• A VISA application form to be completed online, then printed, signed and one of the two photos attached.
• An original passport valid for at least six months prior to the date of travel with at least one blank page.
• Original bank statements for the last three months with a photo copy of each.

A non-passport holder must provide proof of residency for the nation you are travelling from. 

Health Care

Comparable to other highly developed countries, Qatar has an internationally recognized high quality health care system which is available to all inhabitants of the nation, offering the most advanced medical equipment and most highly trained staff from across the Middle East.

The system is regulated by the Supreme Council of Health in the Emirates which was established in 2005 which helps to supervise and quality check all hospitals and services connected to the medical system in the country, this in turn is driven by the National Health Strategy which has been designed to push health care further than ever before by 2016.

There are also a range of private health care services and facilities which are available for public use, these include clinics, practices, home nursing care, surgeries, dentistry and rehabilitation. Additionally the system has a Preventative Health Department designed to help prevent contagious diseases, qualm quarantines and promote healthy living.

Transportation

Beginning in 2002, the Qatar’s government launches Mowasalat, a company owned by the Royal Family designed to help integrate ground-based transportation throughout the country. This company has been running a monopoly on Taxis around Doha but is also responsible for setting up over 35 routes for Public Buses. There are over 1,230km worth of roads through Qatar with over 1100km of them paved. 

Now under the name Karwa, the company owns over three-thousand Taxis and Airport Taxis as well as over 120 Public Buses, School Buses and private Coaches. The company even set a world record for the largest parade of buses numbering exactly three-hundred. It also runs a Limousine Service with over one-hundred of the cars in its possession as well as over two-hundred VIP Units.

High speed rail lines are planned and under construction in Doha and will consist of three lines; Doha Metro, Long Distance and Light Rail Transit, totalling over 750km of track and over a hundred stations for both passengers and freight alike. These lines are expected to link together the stadiums used for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The country uses two types of pipeline, 235km worth of Crude Oil lines and 400km worth of Natural Gas lines. There are four ports within the Persia gulf with regular ships moving between the ports, these include Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa’id and Ras Laffan. Qatar also has six airports which include the Doha International Airport, the Al Khor Airport, the planned Hamad International Airport and three unpaved airfields.

Embassies

Below is a list of all Embassies in Qatar:

Phone Lines

In Qatar there are over 200,000 telephone lines in use with over a million mobile phones. The system is an up-to-date modern system centred in Doha.

Internet

There are two Internet Service Providers in the country, Ooredoo and Vodafone, which also provide Broadband Internet, with over 75,000 users. The top level domain is .qa and the country is rapidly upgrading to fibre-optic connections. Typical speed to cost per month is:

• ADSL 1mb – QAR 200 (about $55 or £35)
• ADSL 2mb – QAR 300 (about $85 or £50)
• ADSL 4mb – QAR 400 (about $110 or £65)
• ADSL 8mb – QAR 600 (about $165 or £100)

Communications

The Radio broadcast stations are set as AM 6, FM 5 and shortwave one with over 250,000 radios in use. There is only a single Television broadcasting station and there are over 230,000 Televisions in use.

Weather & Climate

Qatar has some of the hottest summers and the mildest winters in the world and remains fairly dry throughout the year. The highest average temperatures are typically between June and August at 41 degrees Centigrade (106 degrees Fahrenheit) and the lowest average temperatures are usually between December and February at around 13 degrees Centigrade (55 degrees Fahrenheit).

Typically the weather is incredibly sunny with sun all year around. However, around 71mm of rain falls a year with the wettest months between January and March (at up to 18mm of rain) and the driest months are typically June to October where it is normal to have no rainfall whatsoever.

Holidays

Qatar houses both some of the most high-class and some of the most affordable hotels in the world, some hotels worthy of notation are listed below:
Designed to stand tall and prominently in the Doha skyline, The Torch features a modern design with a distinct artistic sense of glamour and chic style. Each room features a mood light system with twelve varied colours, free wi-fi, a minibar and an on-suite bathroom.

The Concorde Hotel in Doha has absolutely everything you need for that wonderful getaway in the Middle East, it features an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a high-class restaurant and is situated just five minutes from Souq Waqif. Each room features free Wi-Fi, a large TV and a safe.

Featuring a female-only floor with all-female staff and a private check-in system, The Coral in Doha features a wide array of brightly but stylishly furnished rooms coming complete with a flat-screen TV and an on-suite bathroom. The hotel however, also features a Middle Eastern restaurant, an indoor pool, massage treatments and a gym.

The Swiss-Belhotel in Doha features a wide range of incredibly spacious accommodations with contemporary Arabian décor and each room is equipped with a flat-screen TV a safe and a minibar. The hotel itself features an outdoor poor, a gym and free Wi-Fi all over the hotel.

Prefer a bit of a castle by the sea? You’ll love the Sealine Beach Resort placed between the Arabian Sea and the Desert in Mesaieed. Designed to look and feel like an oasis and tropical paradise, the Sealine Beach Resort features a carefully landscaped pool area and the excellently staffed Lagoon Ristaurante.

Not far from Mesaieed is the Holiday Villa Hotel & Residence Centre. Just a short ten minute drive from Doha International Airport, the Centre includes an outdoor pool, fully serviced apartments and several restaurants serving Arabic and Asian food. The rooms each include a large flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a warmly themed décor.

Featuring a unique blend of Asian and Arabic stylizations, the Ritz-Carlton in Al Khor has been situated on a beautiful island and entails a large lagoon-style outdoor pool as well as a private marina, a spa, an indoor pool, a sauna, roman baths, a steam room and eight different lounges, bars and restaurants.

Featuring over three-hundred-and-forty rooms, the Grand Hyatt keeps a traditional Arabian architectural theme and incorporates both indoor and outdoor pools as well as a private beach. Each room has been warmly furnished and each one features a balcony with a wondrous view.

Moving to Al Wakrah, the Doha International Airport houses the Oryx Rotana Hotel. This exclusive hotel has been designed to help you recooperate and recover from all that travelling and jet lag with soundproof rooms, several restaurants, an outdoor pooz and a club which regularly plays live jazz music.

The Copthorne Hotel is based not far from Al Wakrah in Doha and features a range of massage treatments, a gym, a sauna, a spa and an indoor swimming poor. Each room comes fully equipped with free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, a minibar and is furnished brightly. 

Only an expatriate earning more than QAR 10,000 (about $2,800 or £1,700) a month is allowed to bring their family with them. It’s also important to mention that women employed by private companies often struggle to sponsor their families and some companies do not allow family VISAs until six months into the employment. All successful sponsored spouses and children can be brought into Qatar on a special entry VISA then must complete the residence permit process by the end of the following week, this involves tests for Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and HIV as well as fingerprinting.

Unmarried couples are not allowed to live together in Qatar. This may cause complications if you have dependants and are not married to your partner who intends to move with you.

To bring a pet into the country, first you must obtain a permit from a veterinary clinic under the Department of Animal Resources, this will require your employer’s sponsor, a health certificate for the animal issued from the home country within 14 days of the animal’s entry into Qatar and an up-to-date vaccination against rabies, additionally:

Dogs must have vaccinations for:

• Distemper
• Hepatitis
• Parvovirus
• Parainfluenza
• Leptospirosis

Cats must have vaccinations for:

• Calicivirus
• Rhinotracheitis
• Panleukopaenia.

All vaccinations must be given 30 days before travel and the animal can’t be more than four months old and permits are valid for one month at a time. Upon arrival in Qatar the pet will be held in a special facility in Doha International Airport until they have cleared customs. You should provide a container for the animal approved by the airline you are using, generally speaking any container which is properly ventilated and is big enough for the animal to stand and turn around is suitable. Finally, all pets must be micro-chipped and must have collars to identify them from strays in case of escape and/or loss.

The following breeds of dog are prohibited from entering the country:

• Afghan
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Boxer
• Bulldog
• Bull Mastiff
• Bull Terrier
• Doberman
• Great Dane
• Japanese Akita
• Pug
• Rottweiler
• Shar Pei
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Directed and controlled by the Ministry of Education and more so by the Supreme Education Council, the education system in Qatar is considered to be one of the most diverse in the world with schools originating from all over the globe.

Primary education is obligatory for all children but is free in all public schools. Most expatriates and some Qatari nationals tend to send their children to either international schools or private schools and these will tend to use the IB, UK and CBSE Curricula, or a combination. Popular schools include Qatar Academy, Doha College, Doha Academy, MES Indian School, The Cambridge School and the American School of Doha.

Additionally a multitude of prestigious universities have satellite campuses all over the country, especially in Doha and especially in Education City. These include United States campuses for Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Virginia Commonwealth and Texas A&M Universities, Canadian campuses for the Universities of Calgary-Qatar and the North Atlantic-Qatar, the British campus University College London and the Dutch campus Stenden University. 

Applicants are expected to be Native speakers of English, have a Degree in line with your chosen field as well as teaching qualifications and must be western trained (UK, US, Canada or Australia). Two years of experience is also very commonly demanded.

Also, CEFL, TEFL, Delta and other similar certificates, although not considered to be valid teaching qualifications will still be considered by the employer as a bonus if you have them. 

Also don’t forget to check our guide to VISA & Work Permit Restrictions. 

Beginning with housing, monthly rent for a one bedroom apartment in the city centre of Doha will cost you around QAR 7000 (about $2000 or £1200), while three bedroom apartments will set you back around QAR 14,000 (about $3900 or £2400). Meanwhile outside of the city centre a one bedroom apartment will cost about QAR 5000 (around $1400 or £900) and a three bedroom apartment costs about QAR 10,000 (around $2800 or £1700).

Food is similarly priced with restaurants varying between QAR 30 to QAR 200 ($8.25 to $55.95 or £5 to £33.15). A liter of Milk costs around QAR 6.15 ($1.70 or £1), 500g of Bread is typically at QAR 5.45 ($1.50 or £0.90) and 12 Eggs are usually QAR 9.35 ($2.60 or £1.55).

Half a litre of Beer typically costs about QAR 19.25 ($5.30 or £3.20), a Pack of Cigarettes tend to be around QAR 9 ($2.50 or £1.50) and a bottle of mid-range Wine ends up at QAR 75 ($20.60 or £12.45). The average monthly Salary in Qatar is at around QAR 14,800 ($4000 or £2500). 

Qatar also comprises a large variety of clubs, societies and organizations, some of the most notable are listed below:

The QCF or Qatar Cycling Federation is responsible for holding a range of cycling-related events, days out and competitions throughout the year and features a variety of teams for all ages. They recently completed one of their biggest events, the tour of Al Zubarah!

Like Squash? Perhaps you should consider the John Lord Duffers League. This tongue-in-cheek-humour group is Qatar’s premiere Squash group and is home to over a hundred members!

Perhaps you like your Rugby? Doha RFC welcomes newcomers with open arms as both players and spectators alike and features players of all ages from six to sixty, the RFC even includes a ladies club!

Organizing a monthly programme of talks, field days out in the nearby desert and age-old structures, the Qatar Natural History Group regularly meets and works together to uncover the secrets held by this age-old region.

Doha Golf Club practices at a range of courses but has their clubhouse situated in Doha’s Golf Course. The clubhouse itself features a range of Arabian-style motifs but the club is comprised of both Qatari nationals and expatriates.

Founded in 1959, the Doha Sailing Club has been authorised to use Qatar’s national waters by the Qatari government. The club is multi-national and is affiliated with the International Sailing, RYA, 470, Optimist and Laser International Classes Associations.

The Qatar Chess Association comprises the various clubs from across the region and is world-revered for their repeated champion-level chess players sent to compete in the World Chess Championships.

Featuring a variety of international and national players, the Doha Hockey Club regularly organizes tournaments with other teams from Bahrain, Kuwait, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and the rest of Qatar and is known for their friendly attitude.

The Al Rayyan Football Club is one of Qatar’s top teams and some of its top sporting prowess. The team features mainly Qatari Nationals but some expatriates do take part as well.

A club for the ladies, the Doha Gardening Club is a relaxed venue determined to develop gardening skills to the next level and overcome the unfavourable conditions of the country’s climate. 

The Crime Rate in Qatar is incredibly low compared to any other developed or developing nation and only petty crime and violence ever occurs, although it is incredibly rare in either case. Abuse of domestic workers and labourers is uncommon but does occasionally happen too and even rarer is commercial sexual exploitation. Terrorist attack is of higher concern and the region has received several threats from terrorist sects such as al Qaeda, as well as a single bombing in 2005 but none since.

In the Corruption Perceptions Index 2007 Qatar was ranked 32^nd least corrupt country in the world and Transparency International rated Qatar 6.0 on their scale of 0 to 10 (with 10 being least corrupt). The rates of homicide, rape and other serious crimes are remarkably low within the country.

Emergency Numbers

• General Emergency – 999
• Worldwide Emergency Number – 112
• Electricity and Water – 991
• Telephone Assistance – 111
• Local Directory – 180
• International Calls Enquiries – 150
• Time – 140 (or) 141