I get so many questions about Qatar.
My blog is about my life here (as well as my travels) and has always been intended to be for my friends and family to see and experience the world through my eyes, via the world wide web, all without the Sharia law and 50 degree Celsius summers, -- hey, that's a pretty sweet deal.
So here are a few fast facts about the place where I live and call home.
Qatar?
Pronounced Cat'arr.
The locals say "Guttar." Try saying it with a silent 'n' at the beginning while almost swallowing your tongue and you've got it.
Where is this place?
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia.
Capital?
Doha.
Official Language?
The official language is Arabic, though English is widely spoken.
What are the locals called?
Qatari.
Official Religion?
Islamic.
There is a mosque in our compound (there is one on almost every corner) and we can hear call to prayer five times a day starting at 3am. It can be heard from anywhere in Qatar and is also broadcast on the radio, and over the malls PA system.
We have a Catholic church in Qatar. It is on the outskirts of the city and has no steeple, cross, bell or sign. It's beautiful inside and there is mass almost every hour in a different language.
Government?
Absolute monarchy.
Population?
1,700,00 (30% of which are Qatari).
Expatriatesform the majority of Qatar's residents. Most expats that reside in Doha working in the oil and gas industry are male, making the ratio of males to females a whopping 3.46 males :1 female. Surprisingly, men have far more respect for women here than they do where I come from. Believe it.
Currency?
Qatari Riyal (QAR)
1US = 3.64 QAR
What time is it over there?
UTC +3
That's 7 hours ahead of Trinidad for those that like to call us at 3am.
Big country?
Bigger than Trinidad, but it's only 4,416 sq miles (that's Trinidad x4).
So, it's like desert?
It's mostly a flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel, complete with sand dunes and wild camels outside of the cities. Lately it's one big construction zone and desert - yes. So saying "greener pastures" is a bit of an oxy-moron when saying I've moved on, but it works.
Water?
Zilch. Water here is more expensive than gas.
Is it very hot?
Very hot, but it can also be very cold.
Summers are 29-48 degrees C, but winters are actually quite cool, around 13-22 degrees C. A couple things you'll notice if you ever visit, there are no clouds, and summer nights are hot (30 degrees C, that's mid day heat in the Caribbean at night time).
Qatar... they have oil right?
Qatar produces 1.213 million barrels of oil a day, and has oil reserves of 25 billion barrels, enough to last the country at least another 37 years. Meanwhile, Qatar's natural gas reserves are closer to 25 trillion cu m, ans is larger than the peninsula itself. Oil and gas have made Qatar the highest per-capita income and fastest growing country in the world. Before the discovery of oil, the economy of the Qatari region focused on fishing and pearl diving.
Something interesting.
Qatar has intimate ties with the US military, and is the location of the US Central Command's Forward Headquarters and Combined Air Operations Center (basically huge US military base in the desert just outside Doha).
Weekends are the same everywhere right?
Wrong. Weekends here are Friday & Saturday (not Saturday & Sunday).
So it's strict there right?
Qatar's laws are liberal compared to some of the other Muslim states (such as Saudi), though not as liberal as UAE and Bahrain.
Can you drive?
Yes. Women can legally drive in Qatar.
Do you have to dress?
Yes, I have to 'dress'. I can wear the same things I wear in Trinidad, jeans tops etc, but I always cover my shoulders and chest if not with a conservative top with a large wraparound scarf or shawl. I do not have to wear a hijab or cover my hair.
Can you drink there?
The laws of Qatar tolerate alcohol, however it is only served in a few hotel bars and hotel restaurants. Muslims cannot buy or consume alcohol because the Quran states that "intoxicants are abominations of Satan's handiwork." There is a place that expats can buy their own alcohol to consume at home. The catch? There is exactly one liquor store in the country. The other catch? You have to have a license to buy anything there. It is illegal to show or drink alcohol in a public place in Qatar and you can be fined if you are caught transporting the alcohol bought at the store anywhere other than straight home.
Life in the Middle East has been quite an eye opening experience, and it still feels like I am living in a giant Disney M.E. There is still so much more to tell, and even more for me to see and explore and share.
Posts to come -- Qatar's Anti-terrorism campaign, censorship and the Doha debates!
