Surrounded by water on three sides, Qatar is a peninsula in the Arabian Gulf with its only land border existing at the southern end where Qatar meets Saudi Arabia. The entire country is approximately 160 kilometers from North to South and a total area is about 11, 493 Sq km.

The state of Qatar became an independent state on September 3, 1971. Doha is the capital of Qatar. Qatar has a rich and vibrant history - a history that can be traced back as far as 4000 BC. Throughout the centuries, fishing and pearling trades have established Qatar as an important port in the Gulf. Oil and gas reserves are the main stays of Qatar's economy. With oil reserves of 13.2 billion barrels and gas reserves of 900 trillion cubic feet, Qatar has the highest per capita in the world and the second largest gas reserve in the world after Russia.

The people of Qatar are friendly and make visitors feel very welcome. Arabic is the official language, although English is widely used. Qatar is an Islamic state, which guides not only the religious beliefs of Qataris but also plays a large part in daily living.

Qatar has a desert climate and enjoys sunshine just about every day of the year. It has mild winters and hot summers. The best time to visit is November - March, when temperatures are at their mildest. Humidity, however, is very high along the coast. Cotton and linen are recommended during the summer months and warm clots during the winter.

The sea and the desert are the back bone of tourism in Qatar. Work hours for government offices are form 7 am - 2 pm and their weekend is Friday and Saturday. Currency in Qatar is Qatari Rias (QAR).