|
General
Information |
| Location: |
Qatar is a peninsula
situated halfway along the West Coast of the Arabian Gulf.
It has a number of islands, the most important of which are
Halool, Shira'aw, Al-Ashat and others. Its topography
consists of a rocky flat surface with some limestone
outcrops in Dukhan area in the west and Fuwairit area in the
north. The surface is full with characteristic depressions
called Rawdat, particularly in the north and central plants. |
| Land Area: |
The total land area of Qatar is
approximately 11,521 square kilometers.Population:Qatar's
population is about 743,000, half of whom live in the capital
city of Doha. |
| Capital City: |
DohaOfficial |
| Language: |
Arabic is the official language in Qatar,
but English is widely spoken. |
| Religion: |
Islam is the official religion of the
country, and the Shariah (Islamic Law) is the principal source
of legislation in the country. |
| Climate: |
Qatar has a moderate desert climate with
long hot summers and short mild winters and little rain in
winter. |
| Major Towns: |
Doha, Al Wakrah, Al Khor, Dukhan, Al
Shamal, Ras Laffan, Mesaieed and others. |
| Currency: |
The official currency is the Qatari Riyal
(QR), which is divided into 100 dirhams. The Exchange parity has
been set at the fixed rate of US $ = 3.65QR's. |
| Independence: |
Qatar gained independence on September 3rd
1971. |
| June 27th 1995: |
On this date His Highness, the Emir Sheikh
Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani assumed power. |
| Public Holidays: |
Independence Day: 3rd September.Eid Al-Fitr:
1st to 4th of Shawwal of Al-Hijrah. |
| Eid Al- Adha: |
10th to 15th of Zilhijjah of Al-Hijrah. |
| National flag: |
The national flag is maroon colour with a
broad vertical white stripe at the pole, the two colours being
separated with a nine-point serrated line. |
| Meaning of the flag:
 |
a- The white colour reflects the
internationally recognized symbol of peace.
b- The
maroon colour symbolizes the bloodshed during the several wars
Qatar had undergone, particularly in the second half of the 19th
century.
c- The nine-point serrated line indicates
that Qatar is the 9th member of the "reconciled Emirates" of the
Arabian Gulf in the wake of concluding the Qatari-British treaty
in 1916. This information on design and colour of Qatar flag was
mentioned in the Archives of the British Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in 1931. |
| WORK HOURS: |
Government offices: 7 am to 2 pm.
Private establishments: 8 am to 12 noon, and 4 pm to 8 pm.
Thursday and Friday are the weekend holidays. |
| LOCAL TIME: |
3 hours + Greenwich Mean Time. |
| ELECTRICAL CURRENT: |
240 Volts + 6% with frequency 50 hertz |
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