Doha
Encyclopedia
Doha is the capital city
of the state of Qatar
. Located on the Persian Gulf
, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar
. Doha is Qatar's largest city, with over 80% of the nation's population residing in Doha or its surrounding suburbs, and is also the economic centre of the country.
Doha also serves as the seat of government of Qatar, which is ruled by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Doha is home to the Education City
, an area devoted to research and education. Doha was the site of the first ministerial-level meeting of the Doha Development Round of World Trade Organization
negotiations. The city of Doha also held the 2006 Asian Games
, which was the largest Asian Games
ever held. It will also be the venue of the 2011 Pan Arab Games
which will be from December 9th to 23rd. It hosted the AFC Asian Cup 2011 and will also host a large number of the venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
. Doha is currently bidding to host the 2020 Summer Olympics
.
, Doha had been severely damaged and Abu Dhabi was helping Bahrain. In 1882, al Rayyan built the Al Wajbah
fortress, in southwestern Doha. The following year, Sheikh Qassim led a Qatari army to victory against the Ottomans
.
The city was made capital of the British protectorate
of Qatar in 1916, and when the nation gained independence in 1971.
In 1917, the Al Kout fortress, which is located in the center of the city, was built by Sheikh Abdulla Bin Qassim Al-Thani. Still, during the early 20th century, much of Qatar's economy depended on fishing and pearling, and Doha had about 350 pearling boats. However, after the introduction of the Japanese cultured pearls in the 1930s, the whole region, including the town of Doha, suffered a major depression and Qatar was plunged into poverty. This lasted until in the late 1930s, when oil
was discovered. However, the exploration and exportation was halted due to the second world war. Today the nation as a whole produces over 800,000 barrels of oil daily. In 1969, the Government House
opened. Today it is considered to be Qatar's most prominent landmark.
The first mention of Al Bida in English sources appeared in 1765, on a rather inaccurate map by Carsten Niebhur, in which Al Bidda is referred to as Guttur. Carsten had not visited Qatar personally, and had relied on the knowledge of local Arabs and English sea captains to fill in this section of his map.
In the nineteenth century, Doha was little more than a small village which was known as Al Bida. In 1820, Major Colebrook described it thus:
"Guttur – Or Ul Budee [Al Bidda], once a considerable town, is protected by two square Ghurries near the sea shore; but containing no fresh water they are incapable of defence except against sudden incursions of Bedouins, another Ghurry is situated two miles inland and has fresh water with it. This could contain two hundred men. There are remaining at Uk Budee about 250 men, but the original inhabitants, who may be expected to return from Bahrein, will augment them to 900 or 1,000 men, and if the Doasir tribe, who frequent the place as divers, again settle in it, from 600 to 800 men.'"
However, the small size of the place didn't stop it from being bombarded by the British vessel Vestal in 1821, after the city had been deemed to have broken a general treaty of peace. They were bombed again in 1841 after Al-Suwaidi, the Sudanese chief who then ruled Al Bidda, was accused of habouring an outlaw, and the village was destroyed in 1847 after its leader – Bin Tarif Bin Salamah – had been killed in battle against the Al Khalifas of Bahrain near Fuweirat.
These major disturbances were probably also punctuated by the customary raids of the nomadic Bedouin;]: raids which would not stop for another hundred years.
At some point after this destruction, the Al Thani family moved from Fuwairet to Al Bidda, for when the British Resident visited the village he found that Sahikh Mohammed Al Thani was now chief of Doha. Doha was now a separate village close to Al Bidda, and in between Al Bidda and Doha lay little Doha, only four hundred yards form Al Bidda.
Paradoxically, the roots of its future as the capital of Qatar lay when Doha, along with Al Wakra, were attacked again – by Bahrain in 1867, aided by Abu Dhabi. Doha and Al Wakra attempted to retaliate in a very bloody sea battle.
The British, who wished to avoid disruption to trade and were angry that the Al Khalifas of Bahrein had broken a treaty forbidding maritime warfare in the area, came to Qatar and were met by the headman of Al Bida, Sahikh Mohamad Bin Thani, on behalf of "all the Sheikhs and tribes" in the peninsula. This meeting was, eventually, to lead to Qatar becoming a nation state under the Al Thanis.
For a time Ottomans took up a rather nominal control of the country, with a base in Doha, with the acquiescence of Qassim Al Thani, who wished to consolidate his control of the area. However, disagreement over tribute and interference in internal affairs arose which eventually led to battle in 1893. The Ottomans were defeated and retreated to their small fort in the centre of Doha, where they remained until they finally left during the first world war.
Partly as a result of the departure of the Ottomans, Qatar was made a formal British protectorate in 1916, with Doha as its capital.
At around the turn of the century, Doha had a population of around 12,000 and around 350 pearling boats. However, the growth of trade in cultured pearls from Japan began to impact upon the region, and this was exacerbated by the depression of the 1930s.
The exploitation of Qatar's oil reserves after the end of the second world war was to save the city, although it was to be some time before the source of their current and future wealth – natural gas – was exploited.
Buildings at the time were simple dwellings of one or two rooms, built from mud, stone and coral. However, the Amirs of Qatar were not long in exploiting the new-found wealth, and slum areas were quickly razed to be replaced by more modern buildings.
As with other countries in the region, in this rush to modernise much of the country’s heritage was lost, and in Doha now there is only a single remaining wind tower. The astonishing development of Doha, and the changing shape of the bay, can be seen to this day in Qatar’s National Museum. Doha was a port of some local significance. However, the shallow water of the bay prevented bigger ships from entering the port until the 1970s, when its deep-water port was completed. Further changes followed with extensive land reclamation, which led to the crescent-shaped bay that we can see today.
In 1973, the University of Qatar opened, and in 1975 the Qatar National Museum
opened in what was originally the ruler's palace in 1912. The Al Jazeera
Arabic satellite television
news channel began broadcasting from Doha in 1996. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani
currently rules in what some consider to be Qatar's most beautiful city.
By 2010, Qatar had a population of 1,696,563, making it one of the world's fastest-developing countries.
Summer temperatures frequently reach 50 °C and above.
The demography of Doha is unusual in that the majority of residents are expatriates, with Qatari nationals forming a minority. The largest portion of expatriates in Qatar are from South Asia
n countries, mainly Pakistan
, India
, Sri Lanka
, Nepal
, Philippines
, Bangladesh
and Indonesia
, with large amounts of expatriates also coming from the Levant
Arab
countries, North Africa, and East Asia
. Doha is also home to expatriates from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, France, South Africa, and Australia as well as many other countries from all over the world.
In the past, expatriates in Qatar were not allowed to own land; however, now people who are not Qatari citizens can buy land in several areas of Doha, including the West Bay Lagoon
, the Qatar Pearl
and the new Lusail City
. Ownership by foreigners in Qatar entitles them to a renewable residency permit, which allows them to live and work in Qatar.
Each month, thousands emigrate
to Qatar, and as a result, Doha has witnessed explosive growth rates in population. Doha's population currently stands at around one million, with the population of the city more than doubling in the past decade. Due to the high influx of expatriates, the Qatari housing market saw a shortage of supply which led to a rise in prices and increased inflation
. The gap in the housing market between supply and demand has narrowed, however, and property prices have fallen in some areas following a period which saw rents triple in some areas.
Several churches have recently been constructed in Doha, following decrees by the Emir
for the allocation of land to churches. In March 2008, the first Catholic Church in Doha, Our Lady of the Rosary, was opened. As a sign of respect to the local (Muslim) population, Christian symbols are not displayed on the outside of the building. Today, several churches exist in Doha, including the Malankara Orthodox Church, Mar Thoma Church (affiliated with the Anglicans, but not part of the Communion), CSI Church, Syro-Malankara Church and the Pentecostal Church.
The following table shows the registered live births by nationality and sex for this municipality. Place of births is based on home municipality of mother at birth.
, Qatargas
and RasGas
. Doha's economy is built on the revenue the country has made from its oil
and natural gas
industries, and the Qatari government is rapidly trying to diversify the Qatari economy in order to move away from this dependence on oil. As a result, Doha is currently experiencing a very large boom, with the city developing very rapidly – this is mostly the result of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa
's modernization program.
Like the nearby city of Dubai
in the United Arab Emirates
, Doha's economy is moving away from its dependency on the oil and natural gas industries, although unlike Dubai, Doha's main focus is not tourism. Doha is seeing huge amounts of growth, with the population of the city increasing by more than 30,000 between 2004 and 2006; this has caused a boom in the real estate sector, with real estate prices skyrocketing. According to the BBC
, as of late January 2007, Doha is now a more expensive city than Dubai in terms of real estate prices. This rate of growth has led to projects such as the Lusail City
project, which is being constructed north of Doha and will eventually house 200,000 people. Construction is also booming in Doha, a result of increasing corporate and commercial activity in Doha. This is most visible with the changing skyline of the city, as Doha has over 50 towers currently being constructed, the largest of which is the Dubai Towers
. At the same time, 39 new hotels are joining Qatar's booming tourism market, adding about 9,000 new rooms by 2009.
Qatar Airways
is headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha.
Some projects in Doha include:
s, the construction of a new airport
, and the planned construction of a metro
system. This has all been as a result of Doha's massive growth in a short space of time, which has resulted in congestion on its roads.
. As a result of Doha being a relatively young city, Doha's roads are wide and usually include service roads and large central dividers. While traditionally roundabouts have been used as intersections in the city, this has recently changed as a result of the huge load on the city's road networks. Many major roundabouts have been removed and instead either replaced with traffic lights or with underpasses and overpass
es. Furthermore, many major thoroughfares in the city are being converted into highways in order to accommodate the huge increase of traffic on the city's roads.
highway to the west of the city, the Al-Shamal Road, connecting Doha to the north of the country, the Al-Khor Expressway, connecting Doha to the northern town of Al-Khor
, and the Wakrah/Messaid Road, connecting Doha to the south of the country. Finally, Salwa Road runs through south Doha and connects the city to the Saudi
border to the south.
These highways are all currently undergoing expansion, and are being expanded within Doha itself.
The Doha Expressway, also known as the D-Ring Road, is a three-lane dual carriageway that connects the city on a north-south axis. To ease congestion, the D-Ring Road was converted into a major highway through the city between 2006 and 2010, connecting important districts of Doha and connecting Doha with the north of Qatar. Several expansions are planned for the expressway, including connections to the New Doha International Airport
and a new route connecting Doha with Al Wakrah
.
The Doha Expressway connects with the Al Shamal Road in the north of the city. The Al Shamal Road was recently expanded to a four-lane fully grade separated highway (a total of eight lanes). Through the Al Shamal Road, the new Doha Expressway will connect Doha with the planned Qatar-Bahrain Friendship Bridge at al-Zubarah, connecting the two Gulf states in a similar manner to the way in which Bahrain
and Saudi Arabia
are currently connected.
The Lusail expressway is expected to connect the new city of Lusail
, currently being constructed north of Doha, to central Doha, along with connecting the Pearl to the mainland. The expressway is expected to take the path along the former Istiqlal Road, now Lusail St., and will be a 4-lane dual carriageway passing through the city. The expressway will extend from Lusail City, through Rainbow roundabout, Qatar Sports Club
roundabout, and the fire department roundabout.
The existing Dukhan
highway has been undergoing a reconstruction project for several years, with new interchanges having been constructed and the road being significantly expanded. In the future, it is planned to expand the highway so that it connects directly into Doha through a system of underpasses and overpasses, with plans to replace the Tilted Roundabout, the Markhiya Roundabout, and the TV Roundabout, all major roundabouts in Doha, with underpasses and overpasses.
The Salwa Highway project's first phase has been completed. This phase involved the expansion of the highway, which connects Doha to the southwestern town of Salwa on the Saudi Arabian border, into a four-lane highway with grade separated interchanges. The rest of Salwa Road is expected to be expanded and upgraded, from the recently completed Industrial Interchange to the Jaidah flyover, including the construction of an underpass at the Ramada signals, Doha's busiest traffic light intersection. This project is not expected to commence until after the completion of the Doha Expressway.
The F-Ring Road will be the sixth ring road in Doha, and is being constructed as part of the transportation network leading to the New Doha International Airport
. The new highway will connect the airport to the Corniche at the new Ras Abu Aboud interchange, currently under construction, and will involve a new ring road south of the E-Ring Road.
.
The main bus station is located in the Souqs area of downtown
Doha, and services operate to all major towns in Qatar.
The majority of taxis are well-equipped, comfortable sedans including cars such as the Toyota Camry and more recently Skoda, Chevrolet and Volkswagen have been added to the ranks.
Airport taxis, found at the Doha International Airport
, are also available, in the form of the Ford Freestar
.
Numerous unlicensed taxis operate in Doha.
. The port is the main seaport servicing Doha, although plans for a new port are underway due to the port's location in central Doha and the resultant traffic and pollution problems, the proposed location of the port is near the town of Al Wakra, just south of the New Doha airport.
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Doha International Airport
is Qatar's only international airport. It is the hub of Qatar Airways
, and is served by many other international airlines. Because of the rapid growth in Qatar and the rapid growth of Qatar Airways
, many now consider the airport too small and unable to properly handle all of the traffic that goes through the airport. This problem was recently addressed with a large expansion that was made in anticipation of the 15th Asian Games
. In order to accommodate increased traffic, the airport's facilities were expanded significantly, including the construction of a separate terminal dedicated to first and business class passengers, and expansion of the current terminal. Furthermore, new stands have been constructed on the opposite side of the runway to handle additional air traffic. These changes have temporarily eased the problem, but because of the airport's small size and limited space for expansion, this has not been enough to permanently solve the problem of the airport crowding.
A new airport, the New Doha International Airport
, is being constructed near the existing airport (about 3 miles east), and should solve the problems the current airport has. The first phase of the airport should be completed in late 2009 or early 2010 along with the second phase, and will be able to accommodate 25 million passengers annually. Upon the completion of the third phase in 2015, the airport is expected to be able to handle up to 50 million passengers annually. The new airport is located further away from the central areas of the city than the current airport, reducing noise and environmental pollution. The projected total cost of the New Airport is $22 billion.
When the airport is completed, it will cover 2,200 hectares.
The Al Udeid Air Base
, a major U.S. Air Force airbase, is located southwest of Doha.
Education has been a major focus of the Qatari government in recent years. In addition to Qatar University
, established in 1973, the government has solicited other universities to establish campuses in Doha, most notably at Education City
.
Education City
is one of the main projects of the non-profit organization Qatar Foundation
for Education, Science and Community Development. It has also launched the World Innovation Summit for Education
(WISE), a global forum that brings together education stakeholders, opinion leaders and decision makers from all over the world to discuss educational issues. The first edition will be held in Doha, Qatar from November 16 to 18, 2009.
A key player in the educational field in Qatar is the Supreme Council of Communication and Information Technology ictQATAR
. Through its e-education program, ictQATAR is bringing together the power of education and ICT in Qatar.
Doha is also home to many international schools established for its expatriate communities, with dozens of different private schools currently operating in the city, such as
Schools within and around Doha:
Universities/colleges within Education City
: (See Education City
)
Other Universities/colleges around Doha:
, held in December 2006, which Doha spent $2.8 billion for preparation. Doha also hosted the 3rd West Asian Games
in December 2005. Doha is also expected to host the 2011 Asian Indoor Games
; Doha was also host the finals for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
. Qatar is aiming to be the region's sports capital.
Sports venues in Doha and its suburbs include:
ASPIRE Academy
, launched in 2004, is a sports academy which aims to create world-class athletes. It is situated in the Doha Sports City Complex, which also includes the Khalifa International Stadium, the Hamad Aquatic Centre and the Aspire Tower
.
The MotoGP motorcycling grand prix of Doha is held annually at Losail International Circuit
, located just north of the city.
Under-construction stadiums/sport facilities:
The Wall Stadium would become the world's largest underground stadium, dwarfing the Fjellhallen
ice-hockey arena in Norway, and would be the main venue for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. The stadium is estimated to cost 20 million dollars. The stadium will have the latest technology and roads leading to the stadium will be easy. While the New Paralympic stadium south of the new City of Lusail will be the most advance Paralympic stadium.
In 2001, Qatar also became the first country in the Middle East to hold a women's tennis tournament: Qatar holds both the Qatar Open for Women and the ladies ITF tournament. Since 2008 and at least for 3 years, the Sony Ericsson Championships (equivalent to the ATP's season-ending Championships) takes place in Doha, in the Khalifa International Tennis Complex, and features record prize money of $4.45 million (check of $1,485,000 for the winner, which represents the largest single guaranteed payout in women's tennis today).
Doha submitted a bid for the 2016 Olympics. It already had more than 70% of the venues ready that were used during the Asian Games
in 2006. If Doha had won, an olympic village would have been constructed and would have had the shape of a dove and been 67 hectares in size with a capacity of 18,000 people, housing officials, athletes and coaches. (See Doha 2016 Olympic bid
) On June 4, 2008, the city was eliminated from the shortlist for the 2016 Olympic Games. On August 26, 2011 it was confirmed that Doha would bid
for the 2020 Olympics.
In November 2009, Doha hosted the The Oryx Cup World Championship
. This is a hydroplane boat race in the H1 Unlimited season. The race took place in Doha Bay on the Persian Gulf. The H1 Unlimited and the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) agreed to have the final race of the 2009 H1 Unlimited unlimited hydroplane season in Doha. Ten of the fastest racing boats in the world traveled to Doha November 2009 for the inaugural Oryx Cup
event—the H1 Unlimited World Championship—as a result of an Agreement in Principle reached January 9 between the ABRA and the QMSF.
In December 2010, Qatar won the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup
, and bring the event to the region for the first time. As a result of Qatar's harsh summers and the small population of the country, the bid contained several unique elements which were unprecedented in World Cup history. The winning bid proposed that all stadiums constructed to host the World Cup would be built as air conditioned
indoor venues, in order to ensure that the event could be held in summer.
(DFI) is an organisation established in 2010 to oversee film initatives and create a sustainable film industry in Qatar. DFI was founded by H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
.
The Doha Tribeca Film Festival
(DTFF) is Qatar's annual film festival organised by DFI. In 2011 the festival will take place between October 25 – 29 2011 at Katara Cultural Village in Doha.
, Jordan (since 1995) Beijing
, China (since 2008) Bosaso, Puntland State of Somalia (since 1994) Brasília
, Brazil Houston, United States Marbella
, Spain Port Louis
, Mauritius Stratford-upon-Avon
, United Kingdom Tunis
, Tunisia
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of the state of Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
. Located on the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar
Municipalities of Qatar
||Before 2004, Qatar was divided into 10 municipalities :#Doha الدوحة#Al Ghuwariyah الغويرية#Al Jumaliyah الجميلية#Al Khawr الخور#Al Wakrah الوكرة#Ar Rayyan الريان#Jariyan al Batnah جريان الباطنة#Madinat ash Shamal الشمال...
. Doha is Qatar's largest city, with over 80% of the nation's population residing in Doha or its surrounding suburbs, and is also the economic centre of the country.
Doha also serves as the seat of government of Qatar, which is ruled by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Doha is home to the Education City
Education City
Education City is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Located on the outskirts of Doha, the capital of Qatar, Education City covers 14 square kilometers and houses educational facilities from school age to research level and branch campi of some of...
, an area devoted to research and education. Doha was the site of the first ministerial-level meeting of the Doha Development Round of World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
negotiations. The city of Doha also held the 2006 Asian Games
2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...
, which was the largest Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
ever held. It will also be the venue of the 2011 Pan Arab Games
2011 Pan Arab Games
The 12th Arab Games December 9-23, 2011 in Doha, Qatar. It is the first time the quadrennial multi-sport event being held in a Arab state.-Host awarding:Qatar was awarded rights to organise the games beating Lebanon in the bidding process...
which will be from December 9th to 23rd. It hosted the AFC Asian Cup 2011 and will also host a large number of the venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be the 22nd FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that is scheduled to take place in 2022 in Qatar. The competition is scheduled to take place in June and July, although proposals have been made for a winter season. The tournament will involve...
. Doha is currently bidding to host the 2020 Summer Olympics
2020 Summer Olympics
The 2020 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, will be a major international sports and cultural festival, celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games....
.
History
In 1825, the city of Doha was founded under the name Al-Bida. The name "Doha" came from the Arabic ad-dawha, "the big tree." The reference might be to a prominent tree that stood at the site where the original fishing village arose, on the eastern coast of the Qatar peninsula. Or it might have been derived from "dohat" — Arabic for bay or gulf — referring to the doha bay area surrounding corniche. In 1825, during the war between Qatar and BahrainBahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Doha had been severely damaged and Abu Dhabi was helping Bahrain. In 1882, al Rayyan built the Al Wajbah
Al Wajbah
Al Wajbah is one of the oldest forts in Qatar. Located in southwestern Doha, the fort was built in 1882 by al Rayyan and was the location of an important battle when the army of Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani defeated the Ottoman army in 1893....
fortress, in southwestern Doha. The following year, Sheikh Qassim led a Qatari army to victory against the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
The city was made capital of the British protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
of Qatar in 1916, and when the nation gained independence in 1971.
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
was discovered. However, the exploration and exportation was halted due to the second world war. Today the nation as a whole produces over 800,000 barrels of oil daily. In 1969, the Government House
Government House
Government House is the name of many of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. It serves as the venue for the Governor's official business, as well as the many receptions and functions hosted by...
opened. Today it is considered to be Qatar's most prominent landmark.
The first mention of Al Bida in English sources appeared in 1765, on a rather inaccurate map by Carsten Niebhur, in which Al Bidda is referred to as Guttur. Carsten had not visited Qatar personally, and had relied on the knowledge of local Arabs and English sea captains to fill in this section of his map.
In the nineteenth century, Doha was little more than a small village which was known as Al Bida. In 1820, Major Colebrook described it thus:
"Guttur – Or Ul Budee [Al Bidda], once a considerable town, is protected by two square Ghurries near the sea shore; but containing no fresh water they are incapable of defence except against sudden incursions of Bedouins, another Ghurry is situated two miles inland and has fresh water with it. This could contain two hundred men. There are remaining at Uk Budee about 250 men, but the original inhabitants, who may be expected to return from Bahrein, will augment them to 900 or 1,000 men, and if the Doasir tribe, who frequent the place as divers, again settle in it, from 600 to 800 men.'"
However, the small size of the place didn't stop it from being bombarded by the British vessel Vestal in 1821, after the city had been deemed to have broken a general treaty of peace. They were bombed again in 1841 after Al-Suwaidi, the Sudanese chief who then ruled Al Bidda, was accused of habouring an outlaw, and the village was destroyed in 1847 after its leader – Bin Tarif Bin Salamah – had been killed in battle against the Al Khalifas of Bahrain near Fuweirat.
These major disturbances were probably also punctuated by the customary raids of the nomadic Bedouin;]: raids which would not stop for another hundred years.
At some point after this destruction, the Al Thani family moved from Fuwairet to Al Bidda, for when the British Resident visited the village he found that Sahikh Mohammed Al Thani was now chief of Doha. Doha was now a separate village close to Al Bidda, and in between Al Bidda and Doha lay little Doha, only four hundred yards form Al Bidda.
Paradoxically, the roots of its future as the capital of Qatar lay when Doha, along with Al Wakra, were attacked again – by Bahrain in 1867, aided by Abu Dhabi. Doha and Al Wakra attempted to retaliate in a very bloody sea battle.
The British, who wished to avoid disruption to trade and were angry that the Al Khalifas of Bahrein had broken a treaty forbidding maritime warfare in the area, came to Qatar and were met by the headman of Al Bida, Sahikh Mohamad Bin Thani, on behalf of "all the Sheikhs and tribes" in the peninsula. This meeting was, eventually, to lead to Qatar becoming a nation state under the Al Thanis.
For a time Ottomans took up a rather nominal control of the country, with a base in Doha, with the acquiescence of Qassim Al Thani, who wished to consolidate his control of the area. However, disagreement over tribute and interference in internal affairs arose which eventually led to battle in 1893. The Ottomans were defeated and retreated to their small fort in the centre of Doha, where they remained until they finally left during the first world war.
Partly as a result of the departure of the Ottomans, Qatar was made a formal British protectorate in 1916, with Doha as its capital.
At around the turn of the century, Doha had a population of around 12,000 and around 350 pearling boats. However, the growth of trade in cultured pearls from Japan began to impact upon the region, and this was exacerbated by the depression of the 1930s.
The exploitation of Qatar's oil reserves after the end of the second world war was to save the city, although it was to be some time before the source of their current and future wealth – natural gas – was exploited.
Buildings at the time were simple dwellings of one or two rooms, built from mud, stone and coral. However, the Amirs of Qatar were not long in exploiting the new-found wealth, and slum areas were quickly razed to be replaced by more modern buildings.
As with other countries in the region, in this rush to modernise much of the country’s heritage was lost, and in Doha now there is only a single remaining wind tower. The astonishing development of Doha, and the changing shape of the bay, can be seen to this day in Qatar’s National Museum. Doha was a port of some local significance. However, the shallow water of the bay prevented bigger ships from entering the port until the 1970s, when its deep-water port was completed. Further changes followed with extensive land reclamation, which led to the crescent-shaped bay that we can see today.
In 1973, the University of Qatar opened, and in 1975 the Qatar National Museum
Qatar National Museum
The Qatar National Museum opened in 1975 in a restored palace originally built in the early 20th century by Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani. It served as his family residence and the seat of government for approximately 25 years. In addition to the original Amiri Palace, the former Qatar...
opened in what was originally the ruler's palace in 1912. The Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
Arabic satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
news channel began broadcasting from Doha in 1996. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani
Hamad bin Khalifa
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is the ruling Emir of the State of Qatar since 1995.Sheikh Hamad was the appointed Heir Apparent of Qatar between 1977 and 1995 and at the same time Minister of Defense. In the early 1980s he led the Supreme Planning Council, which sets the Qatar's basic economic...
currently rules in what some consider to be Qatar's most beautiful city.
By 2010, Qatar had a population of 1,696,563, making it one of the world's fastest-developing countries.
Climate
Doha features a subtropical arid climate. Temperatures average over 38 °C (100.4 °F) from May to September, and humidity is variable. Dewpoints can reach above 25 °C (77 °F) in the summer. During the summer months, the city averages almost no precipitation, and less than an 20 mm (0.78740157480315 in) during other months. Rainfall is scarce, at an average of 75 mm (2.95 in) per annum, falling on isolated days mostly between October to March. Winters are mild, and the temperature rarely drops below 7 °C (44.6 °F).Summer temperatures frequently reach 50 °C and above.
Demographics
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
n countries, mainly Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, with large amounts of expatriates also coming from the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
countries, North Africa, and East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
. Doha is also home to expatriates from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, France, South Africa, and Australia as well as many other countries from all over the world.
In the past, expatriates in Qatar were not allowed to own land; however, now people who are not Qatari citizens can buy land in several areas of Doha, including the West Bay Lagoon
West Bay Lagoon
West Bay Lagoon also known as Al Qutaifiya is a neighborhood of Doha, Qatar.Reaching from Doha Corniche to west bay lagoon the area has a variety of accommodations and lifestyle options. The area is smart and rather impressive with massive villas on one side and sky-scraping high rises on the other...
, the Qatar Pearl
Qatar Pearl
The Pearl-Qatar in Doha, Qatar is an artificial island spanning nearly four million square metres. When completed it will be the first land in Qatar to be available for freehold ownership by foreign nationals.. As of spring 2011, there are more than 3000 residents...
and the new Lusail City
Lusail
Lusail is the newest planned city in Qatar, located on the coast, in the northern part of the municipality ofAl Kheisa. Lusail is located about 15 km north of the city centre of Doha, just north of the West Bay Lagoon, on over 35 km² and eventually provide accommodation for up to 250,000...
. Ownership by foreigners in Qatar entitles them to a renewable residency permit, which allows them to live and work in Qatar.
Each month, thousands emigrate
Emigrate
Emigrate is a heavy metal band based in New York, led by Richard Z. Kruspe, the lead guitarist of the German band Rammstein.-History:Kruspe started the band in 2005, when Rammstein decided to take a year off from touring and recording...
to Qatar, and as a result, Doha has witnessed explosive growth rates in population. Doha's population currently stands at around one million, with the population of the city more than doubling in the past decade. Due to the high influx of expatriates, the Qatari housing market saw a shortage of supply which led to a rise in prices and increased inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
. The gap in the housing market between supply and demand has narrowed, however, and property prices have fallen in some areas following a period which saw rents triple in some areas.
Several churches have recently been constructed in Doha, following decrees by the Emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
for the allocation of land to churches. In March 2008, the first Catholic Church in Doha, Our Lady of the Rosary, was opened. As a sign of respect to the local (Muslim) population, Christian symbols are not displayed on the outside of the building. Today, several churches exist in Doha, including the Malankara Orthodox Church, Mar Thoma Church (affiliated with the Anglicans, but not part of the Communion), CSI Church, Syro-Malankara Church and the Pentecostal Church.
| Year | Population | Metro |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 217,294 | |
| 1992 | 313,639 | |
| 2001 | 299,300 | |
| 2004 | 339,847 | 612,707 |
| 2005 | 400,051 | |
| 2008 | 998,651 |
The following table shows the registered live births by nationality and sex for this municipality. Place of births is based on home municipality of mother at birth.
| Year | Qatari Male | Qatari Female | Total Qatari | Non Qatari Male | Non Qatari Female | Total Non Qatar | Total Male | Total Female | Grand Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1045 | 1035 | 2080 | 1878 | 1741 | 3619 | 2923 | 2776 | 5699 | |
| 2002 | 932 | 943 | 1875 | 1877 | 1780 | 3657 | 2809 | 2723 | 5532 | |
| 2003 | 1104 | 1068 | 2172 | 2064 | 1963 | 4027 | 3168 | 3031 | 6199 | |
| 2004 | 1054 | 1000 | 2054 | 1946 | 1814 | 3760 | 3000 | 2814 | 5814 | |
| 2005 | 867 | 900 | 1767 | 2007 | 1892 | 3899 | 2874 | 2792 | 5666 | |
| 2006 | 961 | 947 | 1908 | 2108 | 2008 | 4116 | 3069 | 2955 | 6024 | |
| 2007 | 995 | 918 | 1913 | 2416 | 2292 | 4708 | 3411 | 3210 | 6621 | |
| 2008 | 955 | 895 | 1850 | 2660 | 2623 | 5283 | 3615 | 3518 | 7133 | |
| 2009 | 1098 | 1043 | 2141 | 3025 | 2954 | 5979 | 4123 | 3997 | 8120 |
Districts
The following is a list of some of Doha's more prominent districts:
|
Old Airport (Doha) Old Airport is a district of Doha, Qatar. The district is located on the site of the only airport servicing Qatar before the construction of the Doha International Airport, prior to Qatar's oil and gas boom. Running through the district Old Airport St, around which a large number of businesses and... المطار القديم أو المطار العتيق Onaiza Onaiza is a north-eastern district of Doha, Qatar. It is located between Al Dafna, Qatar's emerging central business district, and Lusail, a development north of Doha which is set to hold 200,000 residents in the near future... عنيزة West Bay Lagoon West Bay Lagoon also known as Al Qutaifiya is a neighborhood of Doha, Qatar.Reaching from Doha Corniche to west bay lagoon the area has a variety of accommodations and lifestyle options. The area is smart and rather impressive with massive villas on one side and sky-scraping high rises on the other... القطيفية Ras Abu Aboud Ras Abu Aboud is a neighborhood of Doha, Qatar. A number of hotels are located in the district.... راس أبو عبود Al sadd (Qatar) Al Sadd is a neighborhood of Doha, in the state of Qatar. The football club Al-Sadd is located here.... السد Rumeilah Rumeilah is a neighborhood of Doha, Qatar.... الرميلة Al Waab Al Waab is a district of Doha, Qatar, located in the south of the city. The district has witnessed tremendous growth beginning in the mid-1990s, resulting in the construction of numerous residential compounds to house expatriates, villas, and commercial and medical developments.Key locations in the... الوعب Wadi Al Sail Wadi Al Sail is a neighborhood of Doha, Qatar. The area has undergone much renovation and development in recent years.-External links:*... وادي السيل West Bay (Doha) West Bay is a newly developed neighborhood of Doha, in the state of Qatar. It is considered as one of the most prominent districts of Doha, being the latest district to be built. West Bay includes many modern buildings unlike other, older districts of Doha... الخليج الغربي |
Economy
Much of Qatar's oil and natural gas wealth is visible in Doha, which is the economic centre of Qatar. Doha is home to the headquarters of the country's largest oil and gas companies, including Qatar PetroleumQatar Petroleum
Qatar Petroleum is a state owned petroleum company in Qatar. The company operates all oil and gas activities in Qatar, including exploration, production, refining, transport, and storage. QP's Chairman Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, is also the head of the Ministry of Energy and Industry and, as...
, Qatargas
Qatargas
Qatargas is the world's largest liquefied natural gas company. It annually produces and supplies the globe with 42 million metric tons of LNG from across its four ventures . It is headquartered in Doha, Qatar, and maintains its upstream assets in Ras Laffan, Qatar...
and RasGas
RasGas
RasGas Company Limited is a liquefied natural gas producing company in Qatar. It is the second-biggest LNG producer in the world after Qatargas. RasGas operates seven LNG trains located in Ras Laffan Industrial City.-Operations:...
. Doha's economy is built on the revenue the country has made from its oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
and natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
industries, and the Qatari government is rapidly trying to diversify the Qatari economy in order to move away from this dependence on oil. As a result, Doha is currently experiencing a very large boom, with the city developing very rapidly – this is mostly the result of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa
Hamad bin Khalifa
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is the ruling Emir of the State of Qatar since 1995.Sheikh Hamad was the appointed Heir Apparent of Qatar between 1977 and 1995 and at the same time Minister of Defense. In the early 1980s he led the Supreme Planning Council, which sets the Qatar's basic economic...
's modernization program.
Like the nearby city of Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, Doha's economy is moving away from its dependency on the oil and natural gas industries, although unlike Dubai, Doha's main focus is not tourism. Doha is seeing huge amounts of growth, with the population of the city increasing by more than 30,000 between 2004 and 2006; this has caused a boom in the real estate sector, with real estate prices skyrocketing. According to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, as of late January 2007, Doha is now a more expensive city than Dubai in terms of real estate prices. This rate of growth has led to projects such as the Lusail City
Lusail
Lusail is the newest planned city in Qatar, located on the coast, in the northern part of the municipality ofAl Kheisa. Lusail is located about 15 km north of the city centre of Doha, just north of the West Bay Lagoon, on over 35 km² and eventually provide accommodation for up to 250,000...
project, which is being constructed north of Doha and will eventually house 200,000 people. Construction is also booming in Doha, a result of increasing corporate and commercial activity in Doha. This is most visible with the changing skyline of the city, as Doha has over 50 towers currently being constructed, the largest of which is the Dubai Towers
Dubai Towers - Doha
Dubai Towers - Doha is a super-tall skyscraper with a roof height of under construction in Doha, Qatar. The estimated cost of Dubai Towers - Doha is 2.3 billion Qatari Riyal...
. At the same time, 39 new hotels are joining Qatar's booming tourism market, adding about 9,000 new rooms by 2009.
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. , operating as Qatar Airways, is the flag carrier of Qatar. Headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha, it operates a hub-and-spoke network, linking over 100 international destinations from its base in Doha, using a fleet of over 100 aircraft...
is headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha.
Some projects in Doha include:
- Aspire TowerAspire TowerThe Aspire Tower is a tall tower-like skyscraper located in the Doha Sports City complex in Doha, Qatar. Designed by architect Hadi Simaan and AREP and engineer Ove Arup and Partners, the tower served as the focal point for the 15th Asian Games hosted by Qatar in December 2006.The Aspire Tower is...
- Education CityEducation CityEducation City is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Located on the outskirts of Doha, the capital of Qatar, Education City covers 14 square kilometers and houses educational facilities from school age to research level and branch campi of some of...
- Museum of Islamic Art
- The Pearl
- LusailLusailLusail is the newest planned city in Qatar, located on the coast, in the northern part of the municipality ofAl Kheisa. Lusail is located about 15 km north of the city centre of Doha, just north of the West Bay Lagoon, on over 35 km² and eventually provide accommodation for up to 250,000...
- Al Waab City
- Dubai Towers - DohaDubai Towers - DohaDubai Towers - Doha is a super-tall skyscraper with a roof height of under construction in Doha, Qatar. The estimated cost of Dubai Towers - Doha is 2.3 billion Qatari Riyal...
- Commercialbank PlazaCommercialbank PlazaCommercialbank Plaza is a 20 storey office building on the North Shore of Doha, Qatar, built as a new head office by the Commercial Bank of Qatar. The building was opened on May 13th 2009 by H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar. The building...
- KataraKatara (cultural village)Katara is the name given to the cultural village in Qatar, it is located between Doha's West Bay and the pearl. It has been soft-opened in October 2010 During Doha Tribeca Film Festival the DTFF, and TEDxDoha....
Transportation
Doha has recently been undergoing a huge expansion to its transportation network, including the addition of new highwayHighway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
s, the construction of a new airport
New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport is an international airport currently under construction in Doha, capital of Qatar. NDIA was slated to replace the old Doha International Airport as Qatar's only international airport in 2009. Current estimates have a completion date of 2011/2012...
, and the planned construction of a metro
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system. This has all been as a result of Doha's massive growth in a short space of time, which has resulted in congestion on its roads.
Roads
Doha has a comprehensive road network made up primarily of two and three lane dual-carriagewaysDual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
. As a result of Doha being a relatively young city, Doha's roads are wide and usually include service roads and large central dividers. While traditionally roundabouts have been used as intersections in the city, this has recently changed as a result of the huge load on the city's road networks. Many major roundabouts have been removed and instead either replaced with traffic lights or with underpasses and overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
es. Furthermore, many major thoroughfares in the city are being converted into highways in order to accommodate the huge increase of traffic on the city's roads.
Highways
There are five main highways connecting Doha to its neighboring cities. These are the DukhanDukhan
Dukhan is an industrial city located in western Qatar. It is located approximately 60 kilometers west of the capital, Doha. Dukhan is administrated by Qatar's state oil agency Qatar Petroleum and holds an important place in Qatar's oil industry...
highway to the west of the city, the Al-Shamal Road, connecting Doha to the north of the country, the Al-Khor Expressway, connecting Doha to the northern town of Al-Khor
Al-Khor
Al-Khor Sports Club, , is a Qatari professional sports club featuring teams in a number of sports such as football, futsal, basketball, volleyball, handball, athletics, table tennis and swimming. It is best known for its football team which plays in the Stars League at Al-Khawr Stadium in Al Khor...
, and the Wakrah/Messaid Road, connecting Doha to the south of the country. Finally, Salwa Road runs through south Doha and connects the city to the Saudi
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
border to the south.
These highways are all currently undergoing expansion, and are being expanded within Doha itself.
Doha Expressway
The Doha Expressway, also known as the D-Ring Road, is a three-lane dual carriageway that connects the city on a north-south axis. To ease congestion, the D-Ring Road was converted into a major highway through the city between 2006 and 2010, connecting important districts of Doha and connecting Doha with the north of Qatar. Several expansions are planned for the expressway, including connections to the New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport is an international airport currently under construction in Doha, capital of Qatar. NDIA was slated to replace the old Doha International Airport as Qatar's only international airport in 2009. Current estimates have a completion date of 2011/2012...
and a new route connecting Doha with Al Wakrah
Al Wakrah
Al Wakrah is a city and municipality of Qatar located halfway between Ad Dawhah and Mesaieed municipalities. Al Wakrah's eastern edge is the shores of the Persian Gulf. Originally al wakra was a tiny fishing and pearling village. Now it has evolved into a small town with a population of more than...
.
The Doha Expressway connects with the Al Shamal Road in the north of the city. The Al Shamal Road was recently expanded to a four-lane fully grade separated highway (a total of eight lanes). Through the Al Shamal Road, the new Doha Expressway will connect Doha with the planned Qatar-Bahrain Friendship Bridge at al-Zubarah, connecting the two Gulf states in a similar manner to the way in which Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
are currently connected.
Lusail Expressway
The Lusail expressway is expected to connect the new city of Lusail
Lusail
Lusail is the newest planned city in Qatar, located on the coast, in the northern part of the municipality ofAl Kheisa. Lusail is located about 15 km north of the city centre of Doha, just north of the West Bay Lagoon, on over 35 km² and eventually provide accommodation for up to 250,000...
, currently being constructed north of Doha, to central Doha, along with connecting the Pearl to the mainland. The expressway is expected to take the path along the former Istiqlal Road, now Lusail St., and will be a 4-lane dual carriageway passing through the city. The expressway will extend from Lusail City, through Rainbow roundabout, Qatar Sports Club
Qatar Sports Club
Qatar Sports Club is a sports club based in Doha, Qatar. It is best known for its football team that plays in the Qatari League.Qatar Sports Club players wear a yellow shirt and black shorts as their home kit and have the fourth largest stadium in Qatar, Qatar SC Stadium, which has a capacity of...
roundabout, and the fire department roundabout.
Dukhan Highway
The existing Dukhan
Dukhan
Dukhan is an industrial city located in western Qatar. It is located approximately 60 kilometers west of the capital, Doha. Dukhan is administrated by Qatar's state oil agency Qatar Petroleum and holds an important place in Qatar's oil industry...
highway has been undergoing a reconstruction project for several years, with new interchanges having been constructed and the road being significantly expanded. In the future, it is planned to expand the highway so that it connects directly into Doha through a system of underpasses and overpasses, with plans to replace the Tilted Roundabout, the Markhiya Roundabout, and the TV Roundabout, all major roundabouts in Doha, with underpasses and overpasses.
Salwa Highway
The Salwa Highway project's first phase has been completed. This phase involved the expansion of the highway, which connects Doha to the southwestern town of Salwa on the Saudi Arabian border, into a four-lane highway with grade separated interchanges. The rest of Salwa Road is expected to be expanded and upgraded, from the recently completed Industrial Interchange to the Jaidah flyover, including the construction of an underpass at the Ramada signals, Doha's busiest traffic light intersection. This project is not expected to commence until after the completion of the Doha Expressway.
F-Ring Road
The F-Ring Road will be the sixth ring road in Doha, and is being constructed as part of the transportation network leading to the New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport is an international airport currently under construction in Doha, capital of Qatar. NDIA was slated to replace the old Doha International Airport as Qatar's only international airport in 2009. Current estimates have a completion date of 2011/2012...
. The new highway will connect the airport to the Corniche at the new Ras Abu Aboud interchange, currently under construction, and will involve a new ring road south of the E-Ring Road.
Bus system
An extensive bus system, operated by the government-owned Mowasalat company, currently operates in the city of Doha. The bus system covers many areas of the city, and there are stops throughout the city. The bus system is mainly used by lower-income groups, and does not attract many from the higher-income groups in the city, which has resulted in increased congestion on the roads of Doha, as most people prefer carsAutomobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
.
The main bus station is located in the Souqs area of downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
Doha, and services operate to all major towns in Qatar.
Taxis
The Mowasalat company operates all taxis in Qatar under its Karwa brand, with over a thousand taxis operating in the capital. There are a few taxi stands in the city, and difficulties arise in finding taxis due to the small number of taxis on the roads. It is not possible to book a taxi for immediate use.The majority of taxis are well-equipped, comfortable sedans including cars such as the Toyota Camry and more recently Skoda, Chevrolet and Volkswagen have been added to the ranks.
Airport taxis, found at the Doha International Airport
Doha International Airport
Doha International Airport is the only commercial airport in Qatar. It has three mosques, free Wi-Fi, a duty-free area, a few eateries and 42 parking bays for aircraft. There are also 60 check-in gates, 8 baggage claim belts and over 1,000 car parking spaces.The airport suffers from...
, are also available, in the form of the Ford Freestar
Ford Freestar
The Ford Freestar is a minivan that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 2004 until November 2006. It replaced the Ford Windstar for the 2004 model year. The name change accommodated Ford's strategy to rename all their cars to words beginning in F...
.
Numerous unlicensed taxis operate in Doha.
Port
The Doha Port is among the country's largest ports, and is located just off the Doha CornicheDoha Corniche
The Doha Corniche is a waterfront promenade extending for several kilometers along Doha Bay in the capital city of Doha, the state of Qatar. Running parallel to the Corniche is Corniche St., a main thoroughfare which connects Doha's emerging West Bay business district with the south of the city and...
. The port is the main seaport servicing Doha, although plans for a new port are underway due to the port's location in central Doha and the resultant traffic and pollution problems, the proposed location of the port is near the town of Al Wakra, just south of the New Doha airport.
Air
Doha International Airport
Doha International Airport is the only commercial airport in Qatar. It has three mosques, free Wi-Fi, a duty-free area, a few eateries and 42 parking bays for aircraft. There are also 60 check-in gates, 8 baggage claim belts and over 1,000 car parking spaces.The airport suffers from...
is Qatar's only international airport. It is the hub of Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. , operating as Qatar Airways, is the flag carrier of Qatar. Headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha, it operates a hub-and-spoke network, linking over 100 international destinations from its base in Doha, using a fleet of over 100 aircraft...
, and is served by many other international airlines. Because of the rapid growth in Qatar and the rapid growth of Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. , operating as Qatar Airways, is the flag carrier of Qatar. Headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha, it operates a hub-and-spoke network, linking over 100 international destinations from its base in Doha, using a fleet of over 100 aircraft...
, many now consider the airport too small and unable to properly handle all of the traffic that goes through the airport. This problem was recently addressed with a large expansion that was made in anticipation of the 15th Asian Games
2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...
. In order to accommodate increased traffic, the airport's facilities were expanded significantly, including the construction of a separate terminal dedicated to first and business class passengers, and expansion of the current terminal. Furthermore, new stands have been constructed on the opposite side of the runway to handle additional air traffic. These changes have temporarily eased the problem, but because of the airport's small size and limited space for expansion, this has not been enough to permanently solve the problem of the airport crowding.
A new airport, the New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport is an international airport currently under construction in Doha, capital of Qatar. NDIA was slated to replace the old Doha International Airport as Qatar's only international airport in 2009. Current estimates have a completion date of 2011/2012...
, is being constructed near the existing airport (about 3 miles east), and should solve the problems the current airport has. The first phase of the airport should be completed in late 2009 or early 2010 along with the second phase, and will be able to accommodate 25 million passengers annually. Upon the completion of the third phase in 2015, the airport is expected to be able to handle up to 50 million passengers annually. The new airport is located further away from the central areas of the city than the current airport, reducing noise and environmental pollution. The projected total cost of the New Airport is $22 billion.
When the airport is completed, it will cover 2,200 hectares.
The Al Udeid Air Base
Al Udeid Air Base
Al Udeid Air Base is a military base west of Doha, Qatar. It houses foreign coalition personnel and assets. It is host to a forward headquarters of United States Central Command, headquarters of United States Air Forces Central Command, and home to both No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group RAF and the...
, a major U.S. Air Force airbase, is located southwest of Doha.
Education
Qatar University
Qatar University is a public university in Qatar, located on the northern outskirts of the capital Doha. In 2009 there were 8,221 students, of whom 73% were female. Courses are taught in Arabic or English . The university is the only government university in the country...
, established in 1973, the government has solicited other universities to establish campuses in Doha, most notably at Education City
Education City
Education City is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Located on the outskirts of Doha, the capital of Qatar, Education City covers 14 square kilometers and houses educational facilities from school age to research level and branch campi of some of...
.
Education City
Education City
Education City is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Located on the outskirts of Doha, the capital of Qatar, Education City covers 14 square kilometers and houses educational facilities from school age to research level and branch campi of some of...
is one of the main projects of the non-profit organization Qatar Foundation
Qatar Foundation
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is a government-funded, chartered, non-profit organization in the state of Qatar, founded in 1995 by decree of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar and chaired by Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned...
for Education, Science and Community Development. It has also launched the World Innovation Summit for Education
World Innovation Summit for Education
The World Innovation Summit for Education aims to transform education by fostering innovation and linking education to global issues and leading fields of development....
(WISE), a global forum that brings together education stakeholders, opinion leaders and decision makers from all over the world to discuss educational issues. The first edition will be held in Doha, Qatar from November 16 to 18, 2009.
A key player in the educational field in Qatar is the Supreme Council of Communication and Information Technology ictQATAR
IctQATAR
ictQATAR, the Supreme Council of Information & Communication Technology, is Qatar’s independent telecommunications regulator and the Government’s technology advocate and facilitator....
. Through its e-education program, ictQATAR is bringing together the power of education and ICT in Qatar.
Doha is also home to many international schools established for its expatriate communities, with dozens of different private schools currently operating in the city, such as
Schools within and around Doha:
- Qatar AcademyQatar AcademyQatar Academy is a private, co-educational school in Doha, Qatar. It is an international school located in Qatar Foundation's Education City. It was founded in 1996 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar. The school offers the International Baccalaureate...
- Qatar International SchoolQatar international schoolQatar International School is an international school that is located in Doha, Qatar, following the British Curriculum. The school is an English-speaking independent day school located in Doha, capital city of the State of Qatar....
- The American School of Doha
- Lebanese School
- Doha CollegeDoha CollegeDoha College is a school located in Doha, Qatar. Doha College was founded in the 1980's and originally taught only British nationals. It has a student body of over a 1200 people from over 50 different nationalities. Doha College's current motto is Excellence for all, Excellence from all.The...
- DeBakey High School for Health Professions at QatarDeBakey High School for Health Professions at QatarMichael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions at Qatar is a private international middle and secondary school in Doha, Qatar. The school is a branch campus of Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions of Houston, Texas, United States. Charlesetta Deason is the CEO and...
- The Qatar Canadian SchoolQatar Canadian SchoolThe Qatar Canadian School is a school for children of Canadians living and working in Qatar junior kindergarten to grade nine. The school was opened in Doha in September 2006. Initially it was located in a villa near Al-Markiya Roundabout. In its first year the school offered kindergarten to...
- Philippine School DohaPhilippine School DohaPhilippine School Doha is a non-stock, non-profit, educational corporation focused on the Filipino community in Qatar.-History:Philippine School Doha was established in October 1992 to serve the educational needs of the children of the Filipino community in the State of Qatar...
- Bangladesh M.H.M High School & College, Doha-QatarBangladesh M.H.M High School & College, Doha-QatarBangladesh Mashoor-ul Haque Memorial High School and College, commonly known as Bangladesh M. H. M. School, is a private school for boys and girls in Qatar. It is a charitable institution managed by the Bangladesh Embassy. It is the largest private school in Qatar, primarily catering to the large...
- MES Indian School
- DPS-Modern Indian School, Doha-Qatar
- Ideal Indian SchoolIdeal Indian SchoolIdeal Indian School was established on May 20, 1985 by 62 prominent members of the Indian community in Doha, Qatar. The school is an English medium educational institution affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education in New Delhi and approved by the Ministry of Education for the State...
- Doha Modern Indian SchoolDoha Modern Indian SchoolDoha Modern Indian School, commonly known as DMIS, is a unit of Taleb School founded by the philanthropist Nassim Nicholas Taleb.It is located on the outskirts of the city of Doha, in Abu Hamour.-General Facilities:...
- The Cambridge School (Doha)
- Newton International School
- Shantiniketan Indian SchoolShantiniketan Indian SchoolShantiniketan Indian School was founded on 27 July 2000 by a team of promoters who felt the need to establish a school to provide quality education at affordable fees...
(wakra) - Birla Public School, Doha-Qatar
- Compass International SchoolCompass International SchoolCompass International School is a private, co-educational school in Doha, Qatar. It is an international school with campuses located in Gharaffa, Madinat Khalifa and Rayyan. It was founded in 2006 by the WCL Group. The school offers the International Primary Curriculum, the International Middle...
- Qatar Leadership Academy, Al Khor
Universities/colleges within Education City
Education City
Education City is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Located on the outskirts of Doha, the capital of Qatar, Education City covers 14 square kilometers and houses educational facilities from school age to research level and branch campi of some of...
: (See Education City
Education City
Education City is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Located on the outskirts of Doha, the capital of Qatar, Education City covers 14 square kilometers and houses educational facilities from school age to research level and branch campi of some of...
)
- Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
- Weill Cornell Medical College in QatarWeill Cornell Medical College in QatarThe Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar was established on April 9, 2001, when Cornell University signed an agreement with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development to bring a branch of its medical school to Education City, Qatar, near the capital of Doha...
- Texas A&M University at QatarTexas A&M University at QatarTexas A&M University at Qatar is a branch of Texas A&M University located in Education City, Doha, Qatar. The University offers undergraduate degrees in chemical, electrical, mechanical, and petroleum engineering. A graduate program for chemical engineering commenced in 2011...
- Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
- Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar
- Northwestern University in QatarNorthwestern University in QatarNorthwestern University in Qatar is Northwestern University’s first overseas campus. Founded in partnership with Qatar Foundation in 2008, NU-Q is located in Education City, Doha, Qatar. NU-Q offers a liberal arts and media education with undergraduate degrees awarded in communication and...
Other Universities/colleges around Doha:
- Qatar UniversityQatar UniversityQatar University is a public university in Qatar, located on the northern outskirts of the capital Doha. In 2009 there were 8,221 students, of whom 73% were female. Courses are taught in Arabic or English . The university is the only government university in the country...
- College of the North AtlanticCollege of the North AtlanticCollege of the North Atlantic is the public college of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The enabling legislation is theCollege Act....
- CHN University
- University of CalgaryUniversity of CalgaryThe University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
Sports
Doha is home to a number of sports stadiums, many of which were renovated in preparation for the 15th Asian Games2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...
, held in December 2006, which Doha spent $2.8 billion for preparation. Doha also hosted the 3rd West Asian Games
West Asian Games
West Asian Games are a bi-annual multi-sport event held among the athletes from West Asia.At present, WAG are joined by thirteen members namely Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.The West Asian Games were first...
in December 2005. Doha is also expected to host the 2011 Asian Indoor Games
2011 Asian Indoor Games
The 4th Asian Indoor Games was scheduled be hosted in Doha, Qatar that announced on the Olympic Council of AsiaNational Olympic Committee Meeting in Kuwait on April 16, 2007.-Doha withdrawn:...
; Doha was also host the finals for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
2011 AFC Asian Cup
The 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals were held in Qatar on 7–29 January 2011. It was the fifteenth time the tournament has been held, and the second time it has been hosted by Qatar, the other being the 1988 AFC Asian Cup...
. Qatar is aiming to be the region's sports capital.
Sports venues in Doha and its suburbs include:
- Hamad bin Khalifa StadiumAl-Ahly StadiumAl-Ahly Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The football team Al-Ahli play there. The stadium holds 20,000 people....
– Al-Ahly Stadium - Thani bin Jassim StadiumAl-Gharrafa StadiumAl-Gharrafa Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The football team Al-Gharrafa play there. The stadium holds 27,000 people and was built in 2003...
– Al-Gharrafa Stadium - Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium (Al Sadd Stadium)Jassim Bin Hamad StadiumJassim Bin Hamad Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar. It is currently used mostly for football matches and it also has facilities for athletics. The football team Al-Sadd plays there. The stadium, originally built in 1974, was rebuilt in 2004 for the Gulf Cup and currently has a...
- Al Rayyan Stadium- Ahmed bin Ali Stadium
- Al-Arabi StadiumGrand Hamad StadiumGrand Hamad Stadium, also known as the Al-Arabi Sports Club, is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The football team Al-Arabi SC play there. The stadium holds 15,000 people...
– Grand Hamad Stadium - Hamad Aquatic CentreHamad Aquatic CentreHamad Aquatic Centre is a large swimming pool complex in Doha, Qatar. As part of the Doha sports city that encompasses a number of other complexes in the area it was the venue for aquatic events at the 2006 Asian Games....
- Khalifa International StadiumKhalifa International StadiumKhalifa International Stadium or also known as National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar as part of the Doha Sports City complex, which also includes Aspire Academy, Hamad Aquatic Centre, and the Aspire Tower. It is named after Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar's former Emir...
– Main venue for the 2006 Asian Games. - Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex
- Qatar Sports Club StadiumQatar SC StadiumQatar SC Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar. It is currently used mostly for football matches and home of the football team Qatar Sports Club. The stadium holds 20,000 people....
ASPIRE Academy
ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence
ASPIRE Dome is an indoor sporting arena located in Doha, Qatar, and the home of the ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence. The ASPIRE academy is a part of the Aspire Zone which also houses the Khalifa Stadium....
, launched in 2004, is a sports academy which aims to create world-class athletes. It is situated in the Doha Sports City Complex, which also includes the Khalifa International Stadium, the Hamad Aquatic Centre and the Aspire Tower
Aspire Tower
The Aspire Tower is a tall tower-like skyscraper located in the Doha Sports City complex in Doha, Qatar. Designed by architect Hadi Simaan and AREP and engineer Ove Arup and Partners, the tower served as the focal point for the 15th Asian Games hosted by Qatar in December 2006.The Aspire Tower is...
.
The MotoGP motorcycling grand prix of Doha is held annually at Losail International Circuit
Losail International Circuit
Losail International Circuit is a motor racing circuit located just outside Doha in the Persian Gulf State of Qatar.Built in just under a year by 1,000 workers at the cost of $US 58 million, the track opened in 2004 to the inaugural Marlboro Grand Prix of Qatar, won by Sete Gibernau...
, located just north of the city.
Under-construction stadiums/sport facilities:
- The Wall Stadium
- Paralympic Stadium
- Doha Sports Museum
The Wall Stadium would become the world's largest underground stadium, dwarfing the Fjellhallen
Fjellhallen
Gjøvik Olympic Cavern Hall is an ice hockey rink located within a mountain hall in Gjøvik, Norway. With a capacity for 5,500 spectators, the hall also features a 25-meter swimming pool and telecommunications installations. Opened in 1993 and costing 134.6 million Norwegian krone , it was built for...
ice-hockey arena in Norway, and would be the main venue for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. The stadium is estimated to cost 20 million dollars. The stadium will have the latest technology and roads leading to the stadium will be easy. While the New Paralympic stadium south of the new City of Lusail will be the most advance Paralympic stadium.
In 2001, Qatar also became the first country in the Middle East to hold a women's tennis tournament: Qatar holds both the Qatar Open for Women and the ladies ITF tournament. Since 2008 and at least for 3 years, the Sony Ericsson Championships (equivalent to the ATP's season-ending Championships) takes place in Doha, in the Khalifa International Tennis Complex, and features record prize money of $4.45 million (check of $1,485,000 for the winner, which represents the largest single guaranteed payout in women's tennis today).
Doha submitted a bid for the 2016 Olympics. It already had more than 70% of the venues ready that were used during the Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
in 2006. If Doha had won, an olympic village would have been constructed and would have had the shape of a dove and been 67 hectares in size with a capacity of 18,000 people, housing officials, athletes and coaches. (See Doha 2016 Olympic bid
Doha 2016 Olympic bid
Doha, the capital city of Qatar, bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. It is the only city in the Arab World other than Cairo, Egypt to mount a serious bid....
) On June 4, 2008, the city was eliminated from the shortlist for the 2016 Olympic Games. On August 26, 2011 it was confirmed that Doha would bid
Doha bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics
Doha 2020 is a bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics launched by the city of Doha and the Qatar Olympic Committee. The IOC will announce the official candidate cities on May 23, 2012. The winning bid will be announced on September 7, 2013 at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires...
for the 2020 Olympics.
In November 2009, Doha hosted the The Oryx Cup World Championship
Oryx Cup
The Oryx Cup is a hydroplane boat race in the H1 Unlimited season. The race is held in November in Doha Bay on the Persian Gulf in Doha, Ad Dawhah, Qatar...
. This is a hydroplane boat race in the H1 Unlimited season. The race took place in Doha Bay on the Persian Gulf. The H1 Unlimited and the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) agreed to have the final race of the 2009 H1 Unlimited unlimited hydroplane season in Doha. Ten of the fastest racing boats in the world traveled to Doha November 2009 for the inaugural Oryx Cup
Oryx Cup
The Oryx Cup is a hydroplane boat race in the H1 Unlimited season. The race is held in November in Doha Bay on the Persian Gulf in Doha, Ad Dawhah, Qatar...
event—the H1 Unlimited World Championship—as a result of an Agreement in Principle reached January 9 between the ABRA and the QMSF.
In December 2010, Qatar won the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be the 22nd FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that is scheduled to take place in 2022 in Qatar. The competition is scheduled to take place in June and July, although proposals have been made for a winter season. The tournament will involve...
, and bring the event to the region for the first time. As a result of Qatar's harsh summers and the small population of the country, the bid contained several unique elements which were unprecedented in World Cup history. The winning bid proposed that all stadiums constructed to host the World Cup would be built as air conditioned
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
indoor venues, in order to ensure that the event could be held in summer.
Film
The Doha Film InstituteDoha Film Institute
The Doha Film Institute is an independent cultural organisation established to incorporate Qatar’s film initiatives under one banner. DFI was founded in 2010 by H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani...
(DFI) is an organisation established in 2010 to oversee film initatives and create a sustainable film industry in Qatar. DFI was founded by H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani is the 14th child of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the current Emir of Qatar, and the eldest daughter of the Emir with his second wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned....
.
The Doha Tribeca Film Festival
Doha Tribeca Film Festival
The Doha Tribeca Film Festival is an annual five-day film festival founded in 2009 to promote Arab and international film, and to develop a sustainable film industry in Qatar. The Festival is one of Qatar's largest entertainment events attracting over 50,000 guests in 2010.DTFF is the annual film...
(DTFF) is Qatar's annual film festival organised by DFI. In 2011 the festival will take place between October 25 – 29 2011 at Katara Cultural Village in Doha.
Twin towns and sister cities
AmmanAmman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan (since 1995) Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China (since 2008) Bosaso, Puntland State of Somalia (since 1994) Brasília
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
, Brazil Houston, United States Marbella
Marbella
Marbella is a town in Andalusia, Spain. It is situated on the Mediterranean Sea, in the province of Málaga, beneath the La Concha mountain. In 2000 the city had 98,823 inhabitants, in 2004, 116,234, in 2010 approximately 135,000....
, Spain Port Louis
Port Louis
-Economy:The economy is dominated by its port, which handles Mauritius' international trade. The port was founded by the French who preferred Port Louis as the City is shielded by the Port Louis/Moka mountain range. It is the largest container handling facility in the Indian Ocean and can...
, Mauritius Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
, United Kingdom Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
, Tunisia
See also
- Doha DeclarationDoha DeclarationThe November 2001 Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health was adopted by the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2001 in Doha on November 14, 2001...
- The Doha Development Round of World Trade OrganizationWorld Trade OrganizationThe World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
(WTO) talks - Qatar National DayQatar National DayQatar National Day In commemoration of the historic day in 1878 when Shaikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani - the founder of the State of Qatar - succeeded his father, Shaikh Mohammed bin Thani, as the ruler and led the country toward unity, Qatar celebrates its National Day on December 18 every...
which is held in Doha every year on December 18th