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Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe.

Qatar occupies 11,437 square kilometers on a peninsula that extends approximately 160 kilometers north into the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Peninsula. Varying in width between fifty-five and ninety kilometers, the land is mainly flat (the highest point is 103 meters) and rocky. Notable features include coastal salt pans, elevated limestone formations (the Dukhan anticline) along the west coast under which lies the Dukhan oil field, and massive sand dunes surrounding Khawr al Udayd, an inlet of the gulf in the southeast known to local English speakers as the Inland Sea. Of the islands belonging to Qatar, Halul is the most important. Lying about ninety kilometers east of Doha, it serves as a storage area and loading terminal for oil from the surrounding offshore fields.

Places to go:

Doha
Doha means 'the big tree; in Arabic. It is not quite clear why. Located on the eastern and the only really large city in the country. Almost 80% of all Qatari's live there. So it is not suprising that Doha is where it all happens in Qatar. The main sights in the city are the museums, the old fort, the many mosques and the Corniche. The seashore street lined with palm trees and a relaxing sea breeze makes Doha a pleasant town to spend some time in. The lively markets are another good way to spend an afternoon.

Khor
Khor Al Udeid, or the Inland Sea, in the extreme south-east of the country is of great natural beauty. This is a large area of natural sand dunes, surrounding a calm inlet of the Gulf. The dunes are quite stunning - tall, shapely sand masses formed by the prevailing winds and subject to radical overnight changes of shape To visit the Inland Sea you need a four-wheel drive. If you don't have one, they can be rented for the weekend from major car companies (but book well in advance, as they get snapped up very quickly) or you can go as part of an organised tour through the hotels.

Visits can be made for as little as a couple of hours through to three days (which entails camping out). During the winter season, while the weather is comfortably warm, the Inland Sea is a very popular weekend and holiday destination, and it is worth going early to ensure a good camping spot. Remember that you will need to take absolutely everything with you, as there are no shops for miles around, and that you should take warm bedding, as it gets quite cold at night. A tent is also a very good idea.

Zubara
AL ZUBARA FORT, on the north-west coast of Qatar, about 60 kms from Doha, is housed in what looks like an ancient building, but was actually constructed in the 1930's as a police border post.

There is a major archaelogical site nearby that can also be visited. The museum houses various local artefacts, but is principally interesting for the building itself, the archaelogical site and the fishing villages nearby, many of which are now deserted

Umm Salal Mohammed
The first town north of Doha, Umm Salal Mohammed's raison-d'etre is its fort, which is open when someone is around to unlock the door (mornings are your best bet). It's a relatively small, whitewashed rectangular building with two towers, one of which rises to a height of four storeys.

Near the fort is a small mosque with an old minaret that has recently been restored to its original state, and some ruined mud-brick fortifications. While there's not a lot going for it, Umm Salal Mohammed is only 25km (15mi) from Doha, so is worth a stop if you're heading north.

Culture

Qatari culture revolves almost entirely around Islam. A monotheistic religion, Islam's holy book is the Qur'an, and Friday is its Holy day. Most Qataris adhere to the austere Wahhabi sect of Islam which also dominates Saudi Arabia. Qatari Wahhabism, however, is less strict. For example, alcohol, which is strictly prohibited in Saudi Arabia, is available in Qatar and there is no prohibition on women driving cars. Arabic is the official language in Qatar, though Doha's sizable population of Pakistanis make Urdu, the Pakistani language, seem more useful. English is also widely spoken.

Qatar is primarily a Bedouin culture, and the tribal ethos is still strong in modern society. Bedouins (being nomads) had a culture traditionally based on poetry and song rather than buildings or art. However, the practical art of weaving has produced some beautiful Bedouin artefacts, such as tents, rugs, cushions and saddlebags. The Bedouin weavers work with wool from sheep, goats and camels, using simple tools made from wood and gazelle horn. Qatar was once renowned for its weaving industry - it's said that even Mohammed preferred his clothes made from Qatari fabric. Traditional Qatari dress is characterised by gold or silver embroidery, known as al-zari or al-qasab. Women are veiled - most take the veil when they are around seven years old, and by adolescence they will cover their body entirely with an al-darraa, a long black dress. They also wear a black mask, called al-battoulah, which covers all of the face except the eyes, nose and mouth. Qatari men wear a thobe, a long white shirt over loose pants. They also wear that symbol of the Arab world, a loose headdress called a gutra, held on with a black rope known as the agal.

Qatar does not have an indigenous cuisine worth mentioning. Outside the big hotel restaurants, Doha is filled with the usual collection of Western fast-food places and small Indian and Pakistani restaurants offering little more than curries and biryani dishes. Fruit juice and soft drinks are the only beverages you'll find in the average Qatari restaurant. The good news is that Arab hospitality is legendary, and it is common for Qataris to invite strangers into their homes for qahwa - spiced Turkish coffee - served strong and in copious quantities.