Top Ten Qatar Facts

The Teddy Bear at Hamad International Airport

When anyone arrives at the Hamad International Airport, they are bound to see the enormous teddy bear. It is estimated that the massive sculpture is 20 tons and costs around $6.8 million.

The Hamad International Airport is the best airport in the world, according to the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2021. It is also home to the longest runway in western Asia, at 15,912 ft and sixth longest in the world.

Qatar Airways also won at the 2021 Skytrax Awards, named as the airline of the year for a record six times. It is also one of a very exclusive group of airlines that flies to all seven continents, including the longest flight in the world from Doha to Auckland, which takes roughly about 16 and a half hours.

The Weather in Qatar

During the winter World Cup, temperatures are expected to vary from 17 degrees to 36 degrees Celsius. This is the average temperature in the country from November until January.

In the summer months, Qatar has an incredibly hot climate. The temperature is between 40 to 50 degrees during the months of June and July.

Qatar is the Second Flattest Country in the World

The highest point in Qatar only ascends to 338 ft. This makes Qatar the second flattest country in the world. The Maldives is the only country that is flatter than Qatar, with its highest point only lying at six feet.

Qatar is the Safest Country in the World

Qatar is known as being the safest country in the world. It was honoured with the title in 2020 having previously been declared the safest country two times before. According to Numbeo crime index, Qatar has an incredibly low crime rate with only 14.03 points out of one hundred.

Men outnumber Women by 3-to-1

The consensus figures of December 2020 reported that Doha, the capital city of Qatar, has a population of 2,846,118 people. Of that figure, only 811,600 of those are women. Those figures give Qatar a statistic of having the highest male to female ratio in the world. The approximation is that there are three males for every one female. Worldwide, the average ratio is 1.02 males to every female from over 8 billion people.

The name ‘Qatar’ dates back to 50 AD

According to Qatari history, the Roman writer Pliny the Elder first referred to Qatari inhabitants as ‘Catharrei’ in 50 AD. Over the years, the name has been slightly altered but kept the same structure and sounds. Catharrei became Catara until the 18^th century, before it changed to Katara. Over the past three hundred years, the name changed from Katara to Katr, Kattar and Guttur before it was officially adopted and recognized as ‘Qatar’.

Qatar is one of the Riches Countries in the World

The tall skyscrapers and buildings in Qatar are home to one of the wealthiest countries on the planet. In Qatar, it is possible to see many lavish buildings including the Pearl-Qatar and Lusail.

In 2020, the International Monetary Fund estimated the country to have a whopping GDP per capita of $138,910. The second placed Luxembourg is listed with $112,045 per capita, making Qatar the outright leader in the category. The main reason behind the wealth of Qatar comes from petroleum and natural gas, which accounts for more than 60% of the GDP.

Purple Shellfish Dye is a Product of Al Khor Island

The Al Khor Island is one of the most attractive sights to see in Qatar. It is possible to go to the island by taking a kayak. In recent times, archaeologists have found that the purple shellfish dye originates from the island. The purple dye has been traced back to the second millennium BC, making it a timeless product. It is also the reason why the Al Khor is known as the Purple Island.

The Desert meets the Sea at Khor Al Adaid

In addition to the Purple Shellfish dye, Qatar also has one of the most spectacular natural horizons in the world. The sand dunes in Khor Al Adaid are photo-worthy in their own right, but that is not the reason why the reserve may potentially become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is where the sea meets the desert and definitely a site worth visiting for tourists.