Formal Name: State of Qatar

Location

The State of Qatar lies halfway along the West Coast of the Arabian Gulf, east of the Arabian Peninsula between 24 degrees 27 minutes and 26 degrees 10 minutes north – and at 50 degrees 45 minutes to 51 degrees 40 minutes east. Its territory comprises a number of islands including Halul, Al Shat, Shira’wa and others.

Land Area

It is a peninsula that extends northward covering an area of 11521 sq. km.

Topography

The topography of the Qatar peninsula generally consists of flat rocky surfaces with some limestone outcrops scattered in the west of the country. However, it includes some ills and sand dunes that reach an altitude of 40 meters above sea level in the eastern and northern parts of the country.

The surface of Qatar is characterized by a number of geographical features, which are popular to the East Coast the Arabian Gulf such as coves, inlets, depressions and surfaces rainwater-draining basins known as al-Rawdat (the gardens). The northern and central region has the most fertile soil where vegetation grows in abundance.

Climate

Qatar has a desert climate of hot summer and relatively warm winter. In summer, the temperature ranges between 25 and 46 degrees centigrade. Rainfall in winter is minimal and on average does not exceed 75.2 mm per year.

Capital City

Doha is the capital city, the seat of government and the location of the main commercial and financial institutions. Situated halfway along the East Coast of the peninsula, the city is an important cultural and commercial center with a vast commercial seaport and a modern international airport that link the country to the rest of the world. More than half of the population lives in Doha.

Population

The population of Qatar is estimated at 744,000 according to the 2004 census, compared to about 522 thousand counted in 1997 census. 83% of the population lives in Doha and its suburb, al-Rayyan.

The People

The people of Qatar are the descendants of Arabian lines of kinship. This relation resulted from the close proximity of their country to the Arabian Peninsula, and the deep-rooted historical and cultural background they share with the people of Arabia. In addition, the composition of the present population was formed by a major migration from the neighboring areas of Najd, a;-lhsa and the Omani mainland in 17th to 18th centuries AD.

Religion and Language

Islam is the official religion of the state and Shari’a (Islamic law) is the main source of legislation. Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken.

Independence

The State of Qatar became an independent country on the 3rd of September 1971.

Accession of the H.H. The Emir

On the 27th of June 1995 H.H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani acceded to power in the country.

Currency

The official currency is the Qatari Riyal (QR), which is divided into 100 dirhams. The Exchange parity has been set at the fixed rate of US $ = 3.65QR's.

Work Hours

Government Offices: 7 am to 2 pm
Private establishments: 8:00 am to 12 noon and 4 pm to 8 pm
Friday and Saturday are the weekend holidays.

Public Holidays

Independence Day: 3rd September.
Eid Al-Fitr: 4 days from 1st to 4th of Shawwal of al-Hijrah
Eid Al-Adha: 5 days from 10th to 15th of Zilhijjah of al-Hijrah.

Local Time:

3 hours + Greenwich Mean Time.

Electrical Current:

240 Volts + 6% with frequency 50 hertz.

Other Main Cities and Villages

Qatar in Early History

Evidence of early habitation in Qatar that can be traced as far back as to the 4th century BC appeared in many artifacts such as inscriptions, rock cravings, flint spearheads and examples of pottery, which were all uncovered by the Danish (1965), the British (1973) and the French (1976) expeditions.

In the 5th century BC, the Greek historian Herodotus referred to the seafaring Canaanities as the original inhabitants of Qatar.

The Greeks came to the Gulf with Alexander the Great and settled in Failaka in Kuwait, in Bahrain, in the Emirate of Sharjah and had logged all the ports that could be turned into profitable trading posts. It was in the first century AD that Pliny the Elder, a Roman writer, used the work “Catharrei” to refer to the people who lived in this area.

In the following century, Ptolemy, the famous Greek geographer, added the word “qatara” over the peninsula on his map of the Arab countries, which is believed to refer to the Qatari town of Zubarah.
 

Qatar in the Islamic History

In the middle of the 7th century AD, the Qatar peninsula and the surrounding region were under the rule of the Al Munzir Arabs. Their king, al-Munzir Ibn Sawi al Tamimi, embraced Islam, making Qatar to enter, ever since, the realm of the Islamic civilization and participate in all its successive stages and eras.

Records of Arabic Islamic history reflect the presence of the skilled seafaring Qataris and acknowledge their valuable contribution towards the formation and provision of the first naval fleet, which was assembled to transport the Islamic army under the leadership of Abu al-Al’a al-Hadrami.

Under the Abbasid state during the 8th century AH, Qatar experienced great economic prosperity and pledged a great deal of financial support towards maintaining the Caliphate in Baghdad.

During the 10th century AH, the Qataris aligned with the Turks to drive out the Portuguese.

Subsequently, Qatar, like the entire Arabian Gulf region, came under the Turkish rule for four successive centuries. Ottoman sovereignty, however, was only minimal as the real power and control were in the hands of the sheikhs and princes of local Arab tribes.
 

Qatar in the 20th century

In the early 18th century, Al-Thanis who had come from the oasis of Jebrine became the rulers of Qatar. Initially they stayed in the north of the peninsula before moving to Doha in the mid 19th century under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Thani.

In 1878, Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed al Thani came to power.

In 1913, Sheikh Abdulla Bin Jassim Al Thani reigned. It was during his time when the First World War ended and the Turkish rule in Qatar came to an end. Qatar signed a protection treaty with Britain in 1916. However, the British influence in the country was limited to supervision of some administrative matters. Oil exploration also started during his term.

In 1940, Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdullah Al Thani ruled Qatar.

In 1949, Sheikh Ali Bin Abdullah Al Thani’s term followed. Offshore oil resources opened a whole new era for Qatar, an era of modernization.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Ali Al Thani succeeded Sheikh Ali Bin Abdulla Al Thani in 1960. Qatar officially became an independent country, the Emirate of Qatar, in September 3, 1971.

In 1972, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Hamad al Thani ruled the country. There was a real economic boom in Qatar. Construction sector grew quickly. Hospitals were built.

Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al Thani assumed power on the 27th of June 1995, supported by the ruling family and the Qatari people.

 

The comprehensive educational policy is based on firm principles of preserving the nation’s Islamic heritage and identifying the discrete nature of the people, while continuing to enhance the development of school curricula and the educational system and benefiting from the achievements of the times and the latest technological innovations.

Since the accession of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani to power in the country in 1995, the educational policies and programs at the Ministry of Education took an upturn. They started focusing more on quality rather than quantity, besides paying attention towards developing the educational process on new basis in line with the requirements of the times.

The government launched its initiative of developing higher education in Qatar under the slogan “education for a new era”, which aims to provide the best educational programs for the sons and daughters of Qatar in order to prepare them to meet the requirements of the economic and social development process of the country.
 

Public Education

Specialized Education

Religious Institute
The term of this institute is 6 years, divided equally between a preparatory course and a secondary course, which is subdivided into scientific and literary segments.

Secondary School of Commerce
Students are admitted to this school after completing preparatory third year. The School’s term is three years after the successful completion of which students obtain the Secondary Commercial Diploma.

Scientific Secondary Schools
Within the context of a new educational strategy seeking to develop secondary education, two scientific secondary schools, one for boys and one for girls, were opened.

Literacy and Adult Education
This has been a project of the Ministry of Education since 1954. It aims to irradiate illiteracy among male and female Qatari aged from 10 to 45. The number of male and female learners at literacy classes reached 3091 in the school year 2003/2004.

Special Education
Two institutes have been formed namely Al-Amal School for Boys and Al-Amal School for girls. Subsequently, two mental schools and two audiovisual schools, assigned separately for boys and girls, were built. These schools provide the students with Islamic guidance to help them become good citizens and offer them the chance to achieve optimum physical, mental, emotional and social growth compatible with their potential and disabilities.

The Qatari Center for the Gifted and Creative
This center was opened in 2001 to cater for the educational needs of gifted and creative students.

Languages Institute
Established in 1973, this institute receives students from among the employees of the government and semi-official organizations to improve their standards in Arabic, English and French languages.

Department of Training and Vocational Development
This department was established to prepare average skilled tradesmen in some technical specialties, predispose the Qatari youth to like handwork, train the Qatari government employees on various jobs and carry out tests to assess the vocational and clerical abilities of the persons nominated to take government posts.
 

Private Education

The Ministry of Education provides private schools with educational inspection, health service and free electricity and water. It encompasses private kindergartens and schools as well as educational services and training centers that provide training on computer, secretarial and administrative skills or refresher courses in addition to the university services centers that facilitate the registration of students in foreign university for distant learning.
 

University Education

Qatar University aims to provide education training and research opportunities in various fields of specialization needed to enhance the potential of the people and advance the welfare of the nation. Today, Qatar University hosts the following faculties: Education, Humanities and Social Studies, Shari’a and Islamic Studies, Law, Engineering, Business and Economics and Technology.

The University is working hard to continue developing its instructional plans; introduce new scientific sections and units; follow up and assess the compatibility of programs and curricula at the faculties with the needs and concerns of the community and support the Qatari Ph.D. holders and members of the teaching staff, among whom there are many females.


Private Universities

· College of the North Atlantic - Qatar
College of the North Atlantic - Qatar (CNA-Q) is Qatar's leading institution in technical education. Founded in 2002, CNA-Q offers programs in six areas of study: Business Studies, Engineering Technology, Health Sciences, Information Technology, Security and Trades. For more information, visit www.cna-qatar.com .

· C.H.N. Dutch University
C.H.N. University is one of the best European universities in spite of its relatively recent age. It offers a 4-year bachelor’s degree program in hospitality and tourism.


· Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF)
QF is a private, nonprofit, nonchartered organization founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalfa Al Thani, The Emir of Qatar, and Her Highness Sheikha Mouza Bint Naser Al Misnad, The Emir’s wife who is personally steering the organization towards attaining its objectives of unlocking the potential of the people of Qatar through a network of centers devoted to world-class education, cutting edge research and social progress.

Education City
This is one of the government’s pioneering projects that aim to prepare qualified cadres and invest in human resources. The city also plans to bring branch campuses of world leading universities specializing in the field of technologies, administration and economics with the same admission guidelines, same curricula and same graduation requirements and degrees as their parent universities. It includes the following:

· Texas A & M University (TAMU-Q)
Texas A & M University offers graduate degrees in petroleum engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

· Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q)
WCMC-Q is a pioneering project that is committed to excellence in teaching, research, patient care and the advancement of the art and science of medicine.

· Virginia Commonwealth University – School of Arts in Qatar (VCU-Q)
VCU-Q was founded in 1997 to deliver programs leading to Bachelor of fine arts degrees in communication arts and design, fashion design and merchandising and interior design.

· Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Carnegie MeIllon University joined QF and was opened in autumn semester 2004. It offers undergraduate business and computer science degree programs.

· Georgetown University – Qatar
This branch of American university will open in autumn 2005 and will offer the same programs as in the parent university.

Other Establishments and Institutes
The education city comprises the following establishments and institutes that form QF:

· Qatar Academy – It is a private non-profit school open for boys and girls of all nationalities. The school accepts students aged from 2 to 18.

· The Learning Center – Its mission is to assist particular sector of the students aged 7 to 15 who have average or above average intelligence but suffer from learning difficulties.

· The Academic Bridge Program – Its aim is to prepare graduates from secondary schools in Qatar and the Gulf region to join university programs given in English instruction.

· Rand-Qatar Policy Institute – The institute trains policy analysts in the region on the methods of research that will help the leaders take sound political decisions based on a reliable information base.
 

Health sector has come a long way to provide the most advanced medical equipments and qualified cadres as well as expand the cover of health services allover the country through a wide network of hospitals and health centers. Health services in Qatar are discharged through a compact link chain from primary to intensive care and from health centers and major hospitals.

The National Health Authority (NHA) was established in 2005. It aims at providing the medical preventive and treatment services and supervising over the provision of public health services at home and the medical treatment of Qatari nationals abroad. Besides, it regulates the marketing and manufacturing of drug in accordance with international quality standards, within the frame work of the public policy of the State and in accordance with a national -laid strategy aimed at realizing the abovementioned objectives.
The National Health Authority also supervises over Hamad Medical Corporation, Hamad Specialist and Educational Hospital, private medical facilities, laboratories, pharmacies, councils of auxiliary medical professions, hospitals, primary health care centres and other public medical treatment utilities. The National Health Authority undertakes the organization of the medical private sector and it acts in coordination with the Health Insurance System to upgrade the level of health service and disseminate health education and awareness.

The National Health Authority comprises the following units:
. Department of Health Research
. Department of Health Information Technology
. Department of Health Care Funding
. Public Health Department
. Quality Management
. Planning and Evaluation Department
. Department of Foreign Health Relations
. Department of legal Affairs
. Department of Administrative and Financial Affairs

Preventive Health Care Services

The Preventive Health Department is responsible for fighting contagious diseases; carrying out vaccination, immunization and food and quarantine watch control; providing health education in the field of mother and child care and insuring environmental health and safety. A section for incommunicable diseases was set up comprising three units: tobacco control unit, chronic diseases and accidents control and statistics unit and nutrition unit.

Primary Health Care 
The Primary Health Services Department of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) supervises 23 primary health care centers, which are conveniently distributed across the country. It provides various programs including health awareness; child and mother care; immunization against child diseases; diagnostic and treatment services of common and chronic diseases; medicines; nutritious food; clean water and ambulance and emergency services. 
The Ministry of Public Health is working to set up health centers on the highways such as al-Shamal, Dukhan, Abu Samra and Mesaieed highways, in collaboration with the ambulance and emergency health services centers, thus effectively stretching health care activity outside Doha. In the same context, a number of developments have been made including the inauguration of a child emergency unit in al-Wakrah health center and al-Matar health center; enlarging the parking lot of Madinat Khalifa health center; completing the emergency unit of al-Shaml health center and rehabilitating some other health centers. Two health centers are going to be opened for the first time in Doha central market and al-Kara'ana areas on the road to Abu Samra.

Health Commission Services
Health Commission Department carries out medical checks on everybody entering the country for work or visit, and issues certificates of health fitness for such categories as those who are about to get married and who are applying for jobs, universities or public housing. 

The Higher Institute of Nursing 
Inaugurated in October 1999, the Higher Institute of Nursing is a national educational body affiliated to the National Health Authority (NHA. It offers a two and a half-year program to obtain the Associated Diploma of Nursing (ADN) in English instruction, and in the future it will introduce a bridge program to qualify for a bachelor's degree course in collaboration with the Faculty of Science at Qatar University. The institute aims to prepare qualified nursing national cadres, with a special emphasis on encouraging females to take up this profession. This is why Qatari female students at the institute are offered a monthly allowance of QR1800 each, and tuition is free for non-Qatari female students.

Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)
Established in 1982, HMC is one of the region's most distinguished specialized medical establishments. 60 of its Qatari staff formed the first batch of students to be sponsored at the North Atlantic College - Qatar branch. HMC was preparing those staff to join the staff of its hospitals in various technical specialties including x-ray, respiratory system, ambulance services, computer and medical engineering.
Presently, the corporation supervises the following hospitals: Hamad General Hospital, Rumaila Hospital, Women Hospital, Al-Khoor Hospital and Al-Amal Hospital.

. Hamad General Hospital (HGH)
Inaugurated in 1982, HGH has 616 beds distributed among all sections, the most important of which are: surgery, pediatrics, internal diseases, anesthetic, laboratory medicine and pathology. Accidents and emergency section works round the clock, and was augmented by the enhanced ambulance service program in June 1999 to cater for urgent medical cases. Outpatient clinics have witnessed several innovations in 1999 with the opening of the new four-story, 104-checkroom building, several laboratories, a pharmacy and spacious waiting areas.

. The Women's Hospital
Inaugurated in 1988, the Women's Hospital has 334 beds, an assisted conception unit and a 71-bed neonatal intensive care unit. It conducts a comprehensive prevention and immunization program for newborns. Mothers are also vaccinated before they leave the hospital. Expectant mothers are checked at the hospital with advanced equipments including ultrasonic wave systems, which are operated by a number of highly trained Qatari female doctors.

. Rumailah Hospital
This 362-bed hospital was opened in 1957 and renovated in 1977. The corporation is in the process of transforming Rumaila into a general hospital. Thus a comprehensive upgrading of diagnostic services including x-ray and laboratory units is underway. Three operating theatres with attached supplementary observation and intensive care units were added and an advanced dental clinic was completed. The physical therapy unit is under development and is being supported with the most advanced rehabilitation equipments and therapy techniques. The hospital provides geriatric medical care for men and women, rehabilitation and physical therapy for victims of accidents and curative services for disabled children. It has specialized treatment units for burns, tuberculosis and chest diseases, plastic surgery; sections for dermatology and venereal diseases and a dental clinic, which are all operating from a 45-room examination facility.

. Al Amal Hospital (for tumor treatment)
This is a pioneering center for tumor diagnosis and specialized treatment of cancer. Its services include early detection, treatment, consultation, rehabilitation, education and awareness services for patients and their families. It has the required equipment and staff to accommodate 3000 to 4500 patients per year.
This QR45-million hospital has 82 beds divided among men, women and children; 3 radiation treatment systems and sections for x-ray, laboratories, drug dispensary, physics and nuclear diagnosis.

 . Al-Khor Hospital
Al-Khor hospital, the total cost of which has amounted to 85 QR million, was inaugurated in May,2005. The hospital aims at providing quality and integrated medical, health and diagnostic services that cover all medical specializations. The hospital dedicates its services to the people of the north areas of Qatar. It has special wings for the in-patients provided with 119 beds for the different medical specializations . 13 beds are allocated to the intensive care units for adults and children. 4 other beds are dedicated to the newly born infants. Al-Khor hospital also has 8 state-of-the art wings for surgical operations, ready to receive and deal with different cases. The hospital is further supported by a 24-hour sophisticated auxiliary services. There is, for example, the x-ray department which boasts ultra-modern medical equipment like those used in computed axial tomography (CAT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There is also the department of medical laboratories, which carries out various tests, such as blood and immunity tests. The hospital also has a blood bank, an emergency unit as well as a children emergency unit.
The hospital envisages to increase the number of beds to 200 as part of a plan aimed at expanding the hospital . The aforesaid plan includes building lodgings for nurses, clubs for the staff and a laundry as well as other service facilities. The main departments of the hospital had already started rendering their services to patients three months ago. During which period the number of those patients amounted to 4000.

. Hamad Medical City Complex (HNCC)   
Scheduled for delivery to Hamad Medical Corporation at the end of the Asian games tournament hosted by Qatar in December 2006, (HMCC) will be the largest comprehensive medical facility in the Middle East. It incorporates three specialized hospitals including a 320-bed hospital for children, a 220-bed hospital for bone diseases and a 350-bed hospital for medical rehabilitation; in addition to a dialysis unit, minor surgery unit, a 300-bed nursing home for the aged. These will double the number the inpatient capacity of the government hospitals from 1346 to 2596 beds. The city will include the building of the National Health Authority (NHA), 16 apartment blocks for the accommodation of nurses and a social and sports club for the staff of the medical sector.

. The Private Health Sector
With private hospitals playing a vital role, the private health sector in the state of Qatar has developed considerably. In 2003, the private health sector included 23 health complexes, 131 dental clinics, 128 medical clinics and 2 general hospitals, in which 1294 doctors were employed.

. Al-Ahli Specialized Hospital
Al-Ahli Hospital occupies 43,000 square metres. The outpatient clinics started on 28 November 2004 to receive patients in the pediatrics, internal medicine and dentistry clinics, as well as the laboratories, X-Ray department, physical therapy department and the pharmacy. The remaining clinics are to be opened respectively.

National Council for Culture, Arts and Heritage

Established on the 3rd of October 1998 as an autonomous body with a judicial personality and independent budget, the Council sponsors national culture, arts and heritage affairs.

Its objectives include the following:
. Develop and enrich cultural gains and intellectual products
. Provide the suitable atmosphere in which artistic and literary productions can develop and    diversify
. Protect national heritage, highlight its peculiarity and intensify researches thereon
. Encourage, develop and spread fine arts
. Preserve national legacy of heritage and archeology

The Council takes on the following duties in order to fulfill its objectives:
. Survey prevailing cultural, artistic, literary conditions as well as conditions related to heritage    and collect data on efforts of various bodies in their individual fields of interest and specialty
. Prepare required studies to upgrade cultural, artistic and literary production and preserve    national heritage
. Issue directories, dictionaries, indexes and other published works, compile documents and    contribute in publishing the worthy genuine and translated works of the intellect
. Participate in cultural and artistic exhibitions, conferences and festivals, locally, regionally and    internationally
. Give opinion on draft agreements, in which the State is a party and which falls within the    responsibilities of the Council
. Designate quality standards for various fields of intellectual production in the country and    decide material support, awards and incentives in relation to such production

Administrative units forming the Council:

. Department of Culture and Arts
The Responsibilities:
· Sponsor intellectual, literary and artistic movement in the country
· Support plastic arts and develop music and theatrical arts
· Stimulate cultural movement by holding lectures, symposia and shows
· Stage cultural and artistic exhibitions

The Theatre in Qatar
Qatar has known the theater since the 1950s through the activities of clubs. In the 1960s the popular theatrical troupe was formed, but the real beginning of the theatrical movement was started early in the 1970s with the establishment in 1972 of Qatar Theater Troupe, the first of its kind in the country.
Culture and Arts Department supports every theatrical work presented by private theatrical troupes, secures free of charge all kinds of artistic and technical services and potential and allows commercial marketing of works after airing them first on Qatar TV.
Culture and Arts Department hosts Arab theater scholars, who impart their expertise to Qataris through lectures and training courses, sends trainees to attend courses abroad and encourages artists who wish to have academic studies on theater.
Qatar National Theater hosts touring theatrical troupes to perform in Qatar. Al Ahli theatrical troupe is considered to be the nucleus of the national theatrical movement and its members, who are elected from other private troupes, are chosen to participate in Arab festivals held abroad. Theatrical troupes in the county mark the International Theater Day, which falls on the 27th of March of each year.

. Department of Culture and Arts
Dar Al Kutub Al Qatariyya is one of the oldest national libraries in the Gulf and the Arab world and one of the most outstanding cultural landmarks in Doha. It was established on the 29th of December 1962 by a decision from HE the Minister of Ma'arif (Education) merging the Public Library and the library of the Ministry of Ma'arif into one body, which was put under the direct authority of the Minister of Ma'arif and given an independent budget. The new body, now called the National Library, is now part of the Department of Public Libraries at the National Council for Culture, Arts and Heritage.

The responsibilities of the department:
. Compile, store and preserve the Qatari heritage
. Prepare indexes, bibliographies, appendixes and guides
. Organize book fairs for local and international books
. Provide book-lending service for the public
. Exchange data, information, copies of manuscripts and periodicals with data centers
. Supervise, monitor and evaluate services of branch libraries

The library gets publications in various forms such as dictionary, encyclopedia, map, manuscript, disc, and microfiche besides books.
Documentation and Microfilm Section prepares and builds up microfilm inventory in line with latest technological advances. The facility has a restoration laboratory since 1976, and there is a binding unit where books, newspapers and periodicals are treated with modern binding equipment.
To facilitate the work of researchers and give better chances for the youths to use the Internet for nominal fares, an Internet center was opened at the library, which receives visitors two times a day.

Branch Libraries
.  Al Khor Public Library, established on 22/6/1977
.  Al Shamal Public Library, established on 22/10/1979
.  Al Khansa Library (for women), established on 26/10/1981
.  Al Rayyan Public Library, established on 10/4/1982
.  Al Wakrah Public Library, established on 1/1/1985

. Department of Museums and Archeology
The Responsibilities:
. Preserve national heritage by means of compiling, sorting, categorizing and explaining its    components as well as conducting researches on them. Highlight the peculiarities and    historical qualities of heritage by displaying it in the State's various museums
. Excavate antiquities and survey various archeological sites in the country with the aim to fill the    historical gaps in the sequence of civilized evolution of the past human life and activities of the    people of the country
.  Restore archeology and historical buildings in order to preserve them
. Supervise and organize museums, highlight and enhance their civilized, cultural and    educational role in society and establish new museums
. Send cadres of archeology and museums sector to attend training courses to be more    conversant with this field and to obtain more experience
.  Hold symposia and lectures inside the museums on archeology, museums and heritage
.  Organize archeology and heritage exhibitions locally and abroad
.  Prepare and compile data on archeology, museums and heritage in the State of Qatar for the    benefit of researchers and students
. Direct attention towards preparing and publishing books, publications, newsletters and    researches on archeology, museums and heritage in the State of Qatar
.  Participate in archeology Arab and international conferences
.  Carry out electrical, structural and mechanic maintenance and other restoration works for all    the museums in the country

The Department of Museums and Archeology is formed of the Museums Section, Archeology Section and General Maintenance and Services Section.

First: Museums Section
.  Supervise and organize museums in the country and prepare development plans for them
. Enhance the role of museums by means of establishing cooperation avenues with other    establishments
.  Prepare and compile data on museums locally and internationally
.  Record antiquities on display at the museums and verify authenticity thereof

Second: Archeology Section
.  Conduct and supervise excavation works in the country
.  Preserve archeological sites and historical buildings by restoring them
.  Record archeological sites and acquisitions and verify authenticity thereof
.  Publish and compile data on archeology and historical buildings
.  Prepare and compile data on archeology locally and internationally

Cultural Neighborhood Establishment:
Cultural Neighborhood Establishment is a commercially oriented legal entity with an independent budget and is based in Doha.The establishment aims through the usage of its premises to contribute in stimulating the cultural movement; encourage and highlight the creative potential; create a suitable and nurturing environment for cultural, creative, intellectual and artistic activities; act as a forum for the creative and intellectuals; contribute in spreading cultural awareness through the organization of festivals, fairs, exhibitions and symposia alongside with other activities of cultural nature; conduct researches and studies relating to the objectives and activities of the establishment and issue the publications and periodicals that further these objectives and activities in collaboration with the National Council for Culture, Arts and Heritage.

Plastic Arts in Qatar:
Plastic arts movement in the State of Qatar has been influenced by the country's socioeconomic environment as well as a number of factors and developments in the local arena. Trials of the plastic arts in the 1970s brought about new variations due to more openness towards cultural resources and easy communication with arts enthusiasts. With more requirement for support, the Ministry of Information was established to take up the role of sponsoring arts sector in the 1970s, just as attention started to grow towards arts and towards more participation in cultural events staged in the Arab world, Europe or Asia. In 1980, Qatar Plastic Arts Society was accredited as representative of Qatar's private arts sector with a responsibility to support the role played by the Ministry of Information in extending artistic and cultural services.

Visual Arts Center:
The Center provides its services in all cultural, visual artistic and human production fields, including: Basics of coloring and painting, all kinds of printing, graphics, photography, pottery, sculpture, Arabic calligraphy, Islamic professional ornamentation, designing and shaping of various materials, textile printing, batik, designing by computer and video filming and production. The Center's activity includes organizing international symposia and exhibitions in the field of visual arts, preparing studies and researches and establishing strong ties and coordination with international establishments, museums, institutions and artists.

Qatar National Olympic Committee (QNOC)

QNOC is responsible for the administrative and technical supervision over Qatar's sports federations and sports establishments numbering 24 federations and sporting establishments, 10 premier league clubs and 6 second league clubs, for which the Committee has provided all human and material support in order to further their ability to carry out their missions. It also supervises the all-girls sports committee and is preparing to host in Doha in 2006 the 15th Asian games tournament, the world second largest sporting gathering.

The objectives of the Committee
QNOC aims to spread sports and pastime sporting activities in the country, sponsor and develop the Olympic movement in accordance with the basics of the Olympic convention and support and develop the Olympic sporting practice within the tenets of Olympic spirit.

The Responsibilities of the Committee
· Sponsoring and developing the Olympic movement in the country in accordance with the    Olympic convention
· Working to spread and promote the basic Olympic principles locally within the context of    various sporting activities
·  Ensuring the abidance by the provisions of the Olympic convention in the country
· Helping to train sports administrators through organizing training courses and ensuring that    these courses contribute to the efforts intended to highten the awareness and promotion of    Olympic principles
.  Forming, organizing and preparing the country's teams that participate in Olympic games and    regional, continental and international championships and training camps
.  Supporting the organization of regional and international sporting events held in the country
.  Estimating the requirements for and working to provide sporting installations and facilities in    accordance with the international standards

The Organizational Structure of the Committee

. Sports Affairs Department
This department is responsible for the general supervision over all sporting-related matters concerning the normal, handicapped and gifted in various fields through Sports For All program and contests in coordination and collaboration with QNOC, sports federations, sports clubs, Qatar University and the Ministry of Education, which are considered to be the main practice fields for children.

. Department of Public Relations and Information
This department is responsible for strengthening the relations of the committee with government departments and private establishments locally and overseas, highlighting the role of the committee, following the directions of the public opinion and gathering the information from similar apparatuses.

. Sports Installations Department
This department conducts economic feasibility studies on installation projects, endorses installation designs according to the international standards, prepares maintenance programs, carries out periodical inspection on and manages the affairs and usage of buildings, playgrounds and sporting installations.

. Administrative and Financial Affairs Department
This department discharges all administrative, financial, accounting, inspection, archives, warehousing, transportation and general services affairs.

. Planning and Training Department
This department is responsible for preparing and following up the implementation of the committee's general plan in collaboration with the concerned bodies; compiling and analyzing the data on the committee's activities and capabilities to use as performance indicators which to publish in periodical reports; documenting the information on youth and sports activities and preparing the training plan as per training requirements, which it predetermines in cooperation with concerned bodies.

. Khalifa Sports City Department
This department supervises sports installations, facilities and playgrounds at khalifa Olympic sports city. Its duties include managing, maintaining, developing and providing technical support for these facilities.

. Information Systems Center
The center is responsible for managing and supervising the committee's computer network, besides developing the administrative, financial and technical performance at the committee.

Sports installations and facilities

. Khalifa Olympic City
Built in 1976 to the highest specifications, this facility comprises a main football stadium with seating for 40 thousand spectators, an Olympic-size athletic track, an indoor sports hall with a capacity of 1800 spectators, a number of multipurpose courts for basketball volleyball, handball and tennis and a sports medical center.

. Khalifa International Complex for Tennis and Squash
Established in 1992 to the international standards, this complex hosts international tennis and squash events on annual basis. Foremost of these is the international Qatar Open championship.

. Sports medical center
This center was established in 1995 within the perimeters of Khalifa Sports City.

. Doha Golf Club
Founded by Qatar National Hotels Company in 1997, this club hosts all the activities of Qatar Golf Federation. It has an international standard course on which the prestigious Qatar Masters tournament is held annually since 1998.

. Hamad International Complex for Water Sports
Situated next to khalifa Olympic Stadium, this complex is designed to the Olympic and international standard technologies and specifications. It has the required most advanced equipment and installations that qualify it to host all local and world-class tournaments.

. Ladies Tennis Hall
With two new courts and terraces, this facility is one of the most modern sports installations in Qatar where ladies can practice tennis.

. Al-Wajbah Center for Girls Sports
This facility is equipped with advanced training systems to coach girls in various sports.


Women Sports in Qatar
Qatar Women Sports Committee (QWSC) was established in accordance with the decision No (3) for 2000 taken by Her Highness Sheikha Mouza Bint Naser Abdullah Al Misnad the President of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs. It was proclaimed by His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani the President of Qatar National Olympic Committee (QNOC) in the year 2001 under the chair of Dr. Anisa Al-Hitmi.
QWSC was a major milestone in women's sports movement in Qatar. It heralded the opening of several women sports centers where women sporting talent can be discovered and developed under the guidance of specialized female coaches in all fields of sports.
QWSC started to participate in sporting competitions abroad; and made a landmark accomplishment by the election of Dr. Anisa Al-Hitmi as Vice-President of the Islamic Women Union (Asia region).
Under the precious care of QNOC, the committee is looking forward to participating in the 15th Asian Games to be hosted by Qatar in 2006.

Aims of QWSC
QWSC works to push forward women sports and raise sports performance in Qatar through the following objectives:
.  To support women sports and reinforce women participation in sports activities
. To emphasize Qatari women participation in sports activities, seminars, conferences and    specialized studies locally and internationally
. To elevate the technical and administrative standards of the women's sports activities in Qatar    within the general plan designed by QNOC
.  To create a common awareness of the necessity for women to practice sports
. To open communication channels with local and international sports federations to develop    local women sports activities
. To exchange experiences and information plus reinforcing the collaboration with women's    sports developing points
. To assist the concerned women sports bodies in the country and remove the obstacles that    might hinder their progress so that they can carry out their missions

QWSC Centers
.  Al-Wajba Sports Center
.  Asmaa' Bint Abi Bakr Sports Center
.  Aamna Mahmoud Al-Jaida Sports Center
.  Jou'aan Sports Center
.  Al-Risala Sports Center

Sport Centers Statistics
. There are 233 players of various sports in all age groups
. There are 26 Qatari female coaches in various sports fields in addition to coaches from other    countries

Sports and Games
Handball - basketball - Volleyball - Table Tennis - Chess - Athletics - Gymnastics - Shooting - Archery

QWSC Membership in Regional and International Bodies
.  Islamic Women Union (Tehran)
.  Arab Women Sports League (Cairo)
.  Asian Work Group For Women and Sports (Japan)
.  The International Council for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sports (Virginia)

TRADITIONAL SPORTS IN QATAR

. Traditional Boat Race
This annual event reflects the traditional way of life in Qatar, as traditional boats have and will always remain an integral part of the sense of being of the people, who used to depend on the sea for their livelihood. This race turns this very peculiar and traditional side of the Qatari character into an enjoyable sporting contest dominated by sportsmanship and spirit of the team.

. Camel Race
Race competitions for Arabian-bred camels are held annually in Qatar. They mainly include the race of His Highness the Emir, the race of His Highness the Heir Apparent, the race of His Highness the Prime Minister and the Challenge Race.

. Challenge Race
Challenge race, or "dirham at-tahaddi' as it is popularly named, is the brain child of Qatar. In this race, which is expected to be one of the most outstanding sports events in the whole world, the champions of the major camel races in the GCC countries compete for the title of the champion of the champions.

. Falconry
Falconry, (gans) as called in Arabic, is one of the most favorite pastimes among the residents of Qatar. Falconry season in the Gulf region starts usually in the beginning of winter and continues till the end of it. Specialized fairs are held to display different varieties of falcons. Al-hur, ash-shahain, al-wakri and al-sinyari are some of the most popular falcon varieties. However, only two types are used now, al-hur and ash-shahain; and some of the most popular falcon's games are the curlew, bustards, pigeons, partridges, rabbits and sometimes deer.

. Horse Racing
Horse racing is one of the old sports most favored in this country. There are a number of seasonal horse race meetings, in which competition becomes more intense with hefty financial prizes offered for winners. The Equestrian Club organizes these events. International Horse beauty contests held in the country are the focus of attention and appreciation locally, regionally and internationally.

MODERN SPORTS

Modern sports have seen during the last decades a substantial evolution and made wide forward strides. The massive Khalifa International Stadium has 45 thousand seats and Khalifa International Complex for Tennis and Squash is a world icon, while the new 18-hole Doha Golf Course represents another spot of admiration and a destination for the golfers and spectators alike.

While soccer is the first game and the most popular in the country with the national team proving its competence in the regional, Arab and international levels, tennis is rapidly gaining popularity especially after the inauguration of the tennis complex, which contains 17 grounds, a gym, a swimming pool, and other most advanced facilities.

Undoubtedly, the developed sports installations have at least partly contributed to making Qatar able to host some of the most exciting sporting events such as:

. Golf
Qatar Golf Club, where Qatar Masters Tournament was held, has turned that desolate and arid piece of land extending across the West Bay area into what can be rated as the best golf course in the Gulf area. It will undisputedly leave a lasting impression and happy memories with popular international golf stars who practiced in it. Doha Golf Club boasts international fame and state of the art equipment and installations. Based on this, the Club is on the threshold of a bright future as a regular venue for international championships.

. Tennis
Qatar Open Tennis Tournament is a prestigious international event, annually attracting scores of the world first class players such as Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Michael Stich, Thomas Muster and others, all of whom boast having participated in this renowned tournament.

. Squash
Qatar Tennis and Squash Federation organizes Qatar Squash International Tournament every year. This tournament attracts the best world well-known players, of whom Jahangir Khan, Rodney Eyles and Mack Cairns are just examples.

. Qatar Rally
Qatar International Rally is one of the best well-known events of its kind in the Middle East, by virtue of the highest level participation it gets from all over the world. Competitors, who represent the elite of their class, use the best of their skills and dash off with their vehicles to win this rally.

. International Regatta
The Arabian Gulf water with its cadet blue color and the region's deep blue sky with its warm provide the most favorable conditions for boat sailing. The International Regatta, nicknamed "Sail the Gulf", attracts the participation of competitors from many countries including China, Russia, Singapore, Thailand and others, and entries from other countries are increasing every year.

. Athletics
Among the best world well known sporting event is Qatar International Athletics Championship, which is listed in the annual program of, and supervised by the International Amateur Athletics Federation. Qatar is distinguished by being the only Middle Eastern country to organize and host world athletics events on annual basis, and the only Arab country to allow the participation of women in athletics competitions.

. Desert Horseracing Marathon
Qatar International Desert Marathon is a real test for both man and beast, where competitors do the standard marathon distance of 42 km and 200 meters. The event attracts media people from all over the world to participate in the excitement and the suspense.

All these events and many more other activities won Qatar its deserved name as "the sporting capital of the Gulf".

. Swimming
The State pays a lot of attention for swimming. The Swimming Committee, which was formed in accordance with the 1992 decision of General Authority for Youth, formed the nucleus for Qatar Swimming Federation, established in 1993.

The Swimming School was opened in 1993. Qatar national swimming team participated in all Gulf, Arab, Asian and international swimming competitions.

In the year 2000, Hamad International Complex for Water Sports was established. It contains training, instruction and competition programs and facilities for swimming and diving.

Qatar Swimming Federation organized the 12th GCC Swimming Championship in Doha in 2000 for the first time in Qatar.

The State's preparations for the Asian Tournament

Qatar is preparing to organize the 15th Asian Games Tournament in December 2006. It will be the first Arab Gulf country and the second Western Asian country (after Iran) to host this prestigious international event. Doha Asian Games will feature for the first time in the tournament's history 423 competitions in 39 sports for over 10000 athletes coming from 45 Asian countries.

The Supreme Organizing Committee for the Asian Games
A high-level committee chaired by His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani the Heir Apparent was formed to organize the forthcoming Asian Games Tournament - Doha 2006. The committee meets extensively with the representatives of the consultancy to draft and finalize the tournament's general plan in preparation to submit the same to the Olympic Asian Council for endorsement as a work schedule for the event. The organizing committee is mandated to manage all the requirements of the tournament including installations; infrastructure; listed competitions; technical services; IT programs, systems and data; information services including information centers, TV transmission, marketing, advertisement, expected financial sources and all relevant administrative and financial issues pertaining to the information field; human resources including staff and volunteers; the organization of the opening and closing ceremonies and the accompanying cultural functions; accommodation, transportation and security affairs; health and environmental services besides other organizational and administrative aspects of the games.

Asiad's Installations
Within Qatar's preparations to host the Asian 2006, work is underway to construct the sports village in the heart of Doha to accommodate 12 thousand persons and provide accommodation, restaurants, entertainment, spa and training facilities for the athletes and officials participating the Asian games tournament. The village enjoys its an edge as an impressive facility for sporting events due to its close proximity of the tournament's events and its easy accessibility of 10 to 20 minutes drive from all installations.
The football stadium of Al Gharraffa sports club is one of the modern sports installations that had been prepared for the Asian Games tournament Doha - 2006. With no athletics track, the stadium will be exclusively used for football matches. It has a 25 thousand seating capacity, 22 hotel-class rooms to be used in training camps, 4 changing rooms that can accommodate up to 4 teams at the same time, training halls, a live TV transmission studio, a modern lighting system, an advanced electronic live video display screen.
Preparations are underway to inaugurate a number of 3, 4 and 5- star hotels alongside with several hotel-class and 5-star residential compounds that can be successfully utilized for accommodation during the tournament.

International, Regional and Championships Held in Qatar

Qatar hosts several international championships that have given it a prominent place on the Gulf, Arabic and international sports map that has drawn world's attention.

Championships
.  HH The Emir Camels Race Final Cup regional- organized by the Camel Race Committee on    Shihania Camel Race Track
.  HH Heir Apparent Football Final Cup- local- organized by Football Association
.  Qatar Masters Squash Championship-international- organized by Squash Association
.  HH Heir Apparent Volleyball Final Cup-local- organized by The Volleyball Association
.  Qatar Gymnastics Grand Prize-international- organized by Gymnastics Federation
.  HH The Emir Football Final Cup-local- organized by Football Association
.  Qatar International Bowling Championship- international- organized by Bowling Association
.  HH The Emir Basketball Final Cup- local- organized by the Basketball Association
.  Qatar Cycling Tour - international- organized by The Cycling Association
.  Qatar Car Rally- international- organized by Car Rally Association
.  Qatar International Sailing Regatta- international- organized by Sea Games Association
.  Qatar Masters Golf Championship-international-organized by The Golf Association
.  Qatar International Equestrian Festival-international-organized by The Equestrian Association

Qatar's Academy of Sports Excellence (Aspire)
One of the world's most advanced sports institutions and the first of its kind in the middle east, Aspire is built around turning young sporting hopefuls into winners at the highest levels of international competition. Presently it has 92 students of whom 25 are non-Qataris.
The Academy offers state-of-the-art and world-class educational and sporting installations and technologies; and comprises an integrated array of facilities either on the academic side including study halls and advanced sports science labs; or on the sporting side including training fields and courts, a physiotherapy and medical center, fitness halls and recreation facilities.
It has a spacious 290 thousand sq. meters sports dome comprising a football training field, an international standard athletics track, an Olympic swimming and diving pool, a gymnastics hall, a sports games hall, contact sports mats, fencing strips and squash courts.
The Academy is composed of two main administrative units: the academic unit, which is concerned with developing the intellectual capacities of the students; and the sports unit, which adopts modern expertise and scientific techniques in physical training, talent development and nutrition to achieve international excellence in psychological preparedness and sports performance.

The State cares a lot for tourism and provides all facilities and incentives so that this vital sector can cope with the pace at which other sectors are developing. This patronage stems from the firm policy adopted by HH the Emir, HH the Heir Apparent and the government to open up to the outside world. Qatar Tourism Authority was established in line with this policy, with the aim to promote Qatar locally, regionally and internationally, and support activities relating to the general trends of the Qatari policy.

Qatar National Hotel Company (QNHC) has gone a long way in the field of tourist achievements and has established several tourist attractions and first class hotels.

QATAR TOURISM AUTHORITY

In July 2000 HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, issued a law ordering the establishment of the QTA as a public authority with an artificial personality and autonomous budget, to be affiliated to the Council of Ministers and based in Doha.

The authority aims to draw up the State's general tourist policy, organize and develop tourism, promote Qatar as a destination locally and abroad and undertake supervision and control over all tourist activities in the country.

Major Cities

. Doha
The capital city, is situated on a calm bay halfway along the East Coast of the Qatar peninsula. It is inhabited by 83% of the population in both Doha and Rayan suburb. Doha is the commercial and cultural center of the country.

. Al Wakrah
It's a small town situated halfway between Doha and Mesaieed. It is the center for a booming commercial and fishing activities and has an old fishing port, which is still in use to date. The town is famous for its fine mosques and many houses reflecting the old Islamic architecture style. There is also a museum displaying among other things traditional Arabic style doors.

. Alkhor
Lies north of Qatar, 57km north of Doha. Until the early 1940s of the past century the town used to be a thriving port and pearl fishing center. Despite that other trades have started to replace those trades, the town teems with relics that testify to the town's venerable history. Its fine mosques, its museum that houses valuable archeological pieces and acquisitions and its historical towers are some examples of those relics.

. Mesaieed
It's situated south east of the country. It is the center for heavy industry with a major seaport for oil explortation and a commercial seaport.

. Madinat Al-Shamal
It's a modern town functioning as an administrative center for a number of coastal villages north of the country.

. Dukhan
It was developed following the discovery of oil in the surrounding fields.

. Shahaniya
It's situated 60km west of Doha and has a purpose-built camel racetrack. It is famous for camel races.

Tourist Attractions

. Sealine Beach Resort
Situated 55 km from the capital, the resort offers a large variety of rooms, villas and chalets, all with a sea view. The resort also has many sports and recreational activities and a number of restaurants, alongside with meeting and conference facilities.

The charge for using the resort facilities and the swimming pool is QR30. Entrance fee for visitors is QR50 per person on Thursdays and Fridays. Membership fee is QR2000 per year for a family of 5. The standard room rates inclusive of tax are as follows:
Room: QR595
Chalet for 2: QR850 Chalet for 5: QR1200
Tel. 4765299-Fax. 4765298- Reservations. 4765233

. Al-Gharriyya Resort
This resort lies on the waterfront of al-Ghariyya area and comprises a number of deluxe and super deluxe villas, children playgrounds, a swimming pool and restaurants.
Tel: 4728888 / 4728000
Fax: 4728877

. The Palm Tree Island
The Palm Tree Island is 10- minute boat ride off Doha Corniche. The Island has children and family amenities, a restaurant offering seafood and barbecue meals and a cafe serving snacks and refreshments. There is also a jetty for traditional Dhow boats close to Doha Sheraton Hotel on the Corniche waterfront. The Island is open daily from 9 am to 9:30 pm. Entrance fees are QR15 for adults and QR10 for children, including the ferry fares.
Tel. 4869151

. Entertainment City (the Kingdom of Aladdin)
The Kingdom of Aladdin lies in the West Bay area. It has more than 18 play features to suit all age groups. It also has a rest house, an artificial lagoon, a theater and a cafeteria. It opens from 4 pm to 11 pm from Sunday through Friday. Mondays and Wednesdays are dedicated exclusively for ladies and children under 12. The usual entrance fee is QR10. Additional play tickets can be bought inside the Entertainment City.
Tel. 4831001

. The Zoo
The zoo lies 20 km from Doha on Salwa Road. It has a varied collection of animals, reptiles and birds as well as a mini amusement park for children. The zoo opens from 2 pm to 7 pm and closes on Sundays. Entrance fees are QR2 for children and QR5 for adults.
Tel. 4682610

. Al- Rumaila Park
This park lies on Doha Corniche. It has grass areas, children rides, a popular market and restaurants. It opens around the clock and entrance is free of charge.
Tel. 4435348

There are other parks on different locations in the capital, besides Al Wakrah and Al Khor parks. Entrance is either free of charge or at nominal rates.

. Dahl El-Hamam Public Park
Situated in Hhalifa Al-Shamalia, this public park contains several green lawns, passages for walking in addition to playgrounds for children. It is open for families free of charges.

. Khor Al Udaid Beach
This beach lies on the southeastern most part of the country, 78 km from Doha. This beautiful beach is distinguished by its fine sand dunes that can be as high as 40 meters in some locations. Other fine beaches include Fuwairit, Dukhan and others.

. Al Jassasiya
Al Jassasiya are a range of rocky hills overlooking the northeastern coast of the country between the two villages of Al Huwailah and Fuwairit. They are famous for their numerous stone carvings and engravings, some of which date back to prehistoric times.

. Almaha Sanctuary
Among the tourist attractions is Almaha (oryx) farm, which has been established to protect this species of endangered desert deer. Almaha is the national symbol of the State of Qatar.

Major Museums & Forts

MUSEUMS

. Qatar National Museum
The museum lies on the eastern part of the Corniche. It displays the geological history of Qatar as well as a collection of Islamic artifacts and relics. There is also a maritime museum in which the fish wealth of Qatar is displayed, and a small lagoon where wooden traditional boats built in Qatar are moored.(The museum is closed now for maintainance)
Tel. 4442191

There are also a number of regional museums including:

. Al Khor Museum
Al Khor museum lies in Al Khor town about 57 km north of Doha. It is a two-storey building. The ground floor is assigned for anthropological life, while the upper floor hall is set for the display of excavation discoveries in Al Khor area.
Tel. 4721866

. Al Wakrah Museum
It lies in Al Wakrah town about 17 km from the capital and displays marine life and natural history materials.
Tel.4643201

. Weaponry Museum
The museum displays rare samples of swords, daggers and miscellaneous firearms and their accessories. It lies in Al Lagta area in the suburbs of Doha.
Tel. 4867436

. Ethnographic Museum
Situated on Grand Hamad Street, this building is the last remaining construction of its kind in Doha. It opens from Sunday through Tuesday from 9 am to 12 noon and from 3 to 6 pm and closes on Saturdays. On Fridays it is open from 3 to 6 only. Entrance is free of charge.

Major Forts

. Al Zubara Fort
Al Zubara Fort lies 105km northwest of Doha. It is open for the public and the Entrance is free of charge.

. Doha Fort (Al Koot)
It is one of the remaining military forts in Doha. It lies on Jassim Bin Mohammed Street and opens daily and the Entrance is free of charge.

. Umm Salal Muhammad Fort
This fort lies in Umm Salal Mohammad area, 21 km from Doha. It is one of the residential forts that date back to the late 19th century.

. Burzan tower
Situated in Umm Salal Mohammed, the tower dates back to the late 19th century AD.

Entry Regulations to the State of Qatar

Qatar grants tourist visas at border points for the nationals of more than 33 countries including USA, Canada, Iceland, West European countries, some East European countries, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Brunei, Australia and New Zealand, besides the nationals of the GCC countries. Visit visas for the residents of the GCC countries and their companions are issued at border points, while entry visas for businessmen coming from places other than the countries mentioned above need to be arranged beforehand.
Visitors on tourist visas are required to use Qatar Airways to enter the country. The passport section at Doha international airport can issue renewable 14-day tourist visas in 24 hours for all visitors to Qatar with the exception of travel documents holders. Such visitors should have their next of kin living in Qatar, and they are not required to have residence permits in one of the GCC countries in order to get a tourist visa. This arrangement goes in line with the policy of openness currently prevailing in various fields in the State of Qatar.
For more information, please visit the Ministry of Interior.

Hotels & Clubs

. Qatar National Hotels Company (QNHC)
Established in 1993 and totally owned by the government of Qatar, QNHC holds possession of the assets of the former Qatar Hotels National Company, which was established in 1970. QNHC undertakes, in collaboration with the local and foreign private sector, the establishment of tourist attractions. It has several subsidiaries including Doha Sheraton Hotel and Resort, Ritz Carlton Hotel, Sealine Beach Resort, Golf Club, Doha Club, Palm Tree Island, Tourist Transport Department, Qatar Holidays, and Qatar Limousine Services.

. Four Seasons Hotel
5 stars
Four Seasons Hotel is distinguished by its exclusive beach and marina curved at its feet, this traveller's haven gazes over the Arabian Gulf as the centrepiece of the outstanding waterfront landmark, the West Bay business and residential complex. It Contains 232 guest rooms including 57 suites, and it contains numbers of meeting halls, fitness centre, and numbers of restaurants.
Tel 4948888- Fax 4948282

. Ritz-Carlton Hotel
5 stars
Ritz-Carlton Hotel is located in West Bay Lagoon area of Doha, Qatar, 10 minutes from downtown Doha and 25 minutes from Doha International Airport. It Contains 376 guest rooms including 61 suites, all rooms are luxuriously appointed and many offer panoramic sea views.
Tel 4848000- Fax 4848484

. Doha Sheraton Hotel and Resort
5 stars
Doha Sheraton is distinguished by its excellent location in the West Bay area and its most eye-catching pyramidal structure on the city's skyline. The hotel provides a wide range of luxurious facilities to choose from including a fitness center, tennis and squash courts as well as a number of restaurants and cafes.
Tel. 4833833 - Fax. 4832323

. Doha Marriott Gulf Hotel
5 stars
Doha Marriott Gulf Hotel is close to the city center adjacent to the sea. It has luxurious suites, a recreation and sports center and a large choice of restaurants and cafes.
Tel. 4432432 - Fax. 4418784

. Ramada hotel
5 stars
The Ramada hotel is close to the city center. It has luxurious rooms and suites and a recreational center with impressive leisure and sports facilities.
Tel. 4417417 - Fax. 4410419

. Doha InterContinental Hotel
5 stars
Inter-Continental Doha, the latest luxury hotel in Qatar, opened in October 2000. Sited by the sea, the nine-storey hotel's architecture reflects a harmonious integration between modern style and traditional Arabic elements. The ingenious design ensures that all 268 rooms have views over the Arabian Gulf and the extensive landscaped gardens. The hotel proudly boasts the country's newest facilities, being the only hotel to offer rooms especially designed for those with special needs.
Tel 4844444 - Fax 4839555

. Movenpick Hotel
4 stars deluxe
The Movenpick Hotel centrally located in the heart of the city - on Doha's Corniche, 10 minutes driving to the Airport, 5 minutes driving to the National Theatre, Exhibition Centre and all commercial, shopping, , leisure and government locations. It Contains 154 extra-large rooms, including 6 diplomat suites and 11 business suites. The hotel provides 6 different restaurants, the gym and large swimming pool.
Tel. 4291111 - Fax. 4291144

. Mercure Hotel (Grand Hotel)
4 stars deluxe
The Mercure Hotel lies in the heart of the city's commercial center and it offers prestigious services at reasonable rates.
Tel. 4462222 - Fax. 4439186

. Oasis Hotel and Beach Club
4 stars
The Oasis Hotel and Beach Club is next to Marriott Doha Hotel. It offers extensive services.
TTel. 4424424 - Fax. 4327096

. Al Bustan Hotel
4 stars
Some of its rooms enjoy a view over the Doha Corniche.
Tel. 4328888 - Fax. 4436111

RECREATIONAL CLUBS
Recreational clubs offer their members a wide variety of sports and recreational facilities commensurate with the resources and equipment available in each individual club. Most major clubs are concentrated in Doha, the capital, and other cities such as Mesaieed and Dukhan.

. Dana Club
The club has a grass track and a sand track as well as courts for camel and horse beauty contests and local championships. The club organizes the Emiri Sword event and Qatar International Desert Marathon.
Tel. 4805901

. Doha Golf Club
Due to its good location and spectacular services, Doha Golf Club boasts one of the finest golf grounds in the Middle East. This made it the focus of international attention and a suitable venue for Qatar Masters Golf Tournament, with entries from Japan, America and Europe.
Tel. 4832338

. Falcon Club
This club offers Qatar Petroleum senior staff members a wide variety of recreational and sports facilities including a bowling center, 3 tennis courts and 2 squash courts. The club is open 7 days a week from 9 am to 11 pm. On Thursdays it closes well after midnight.
Tel. 4443701

. Al Ghazal Club
This club dedicates its services for Qatar Petroleum junior staff members. It has among its many facilities a swimming pool, a tennis court, a basketball ground, a football ground and a garden for children. It is open 7 days a week from 8 am to 10 pm. On weekends it closes at 11 pm.
Tel. 4433030

Shopping Malls

FIRST: TRADITIONAL MARKETS

. Souq Waqif
is in the city center. Its shops open early in the morning, close for noon recess and open again in the evening. Most of the traditional handcrafted objects, incense, perfumes and spices are displayed there. This market has many jewelry, tailoring, embroidery, bishoot (men's cloaks) and abayat (women's cloaks) shops. Swords, daggers and various goods are also on display in this market.

. Thursday and Friday Market
It displays goods in stalls in a spacious open area on Salwa road. Shoppers gather in this market from Thursday and Friday morning till late in the evening, and the market sells miscellaneous low-quality goods at low prices.

SECOND: CITY CENTRE MARKETS

These markets include Souq Faleh, Souq Al Aseeri, Souq Al Jabr, Souq Al Deerah and Souq Al Ahmed. They sell fabrics, clothes and small electrical goods and they open day and night.

THIRD: MODERN SHOPPING CENTRES

They include City Centre, The Mall, The Center, Land Mark, Hayatt Plaza, Royal Plaza, Al Fardan Complex, Al Mana Center, Al Muftah, Al Salam Plaza, Blue Saloon, Al Sadd Plaza, Lulu Center and others.

These centers sell various goods imported from America, Europe and East Asia and offer recreational facilities including restaurants, cafes, and cinema houses and children play areas. They open from 9 am to 12 noon and from 4 pm to 9 pm. At some centers Friday is dedicated for families from 3 pm to 10 pm. A lot of such centers flank Al Sadd, Al Mirghab, C-Ring and Grand Hamad streets in the city center.

Other Services

AIRLINES COMPANIES

. Qatar Airways
Tel: 4621717

. Gulf Air
Tel: 4455444

. Saudi Arabian Airlines
Tel: 4322991

. Emirates
Tel: 4418877

. Kuwait Airways
Tel: 4435340

. Royal Jordanian Airlines
Tel: 4351422

. Tunis Air
Tel: 4458306

. Moroccan Airways
Tel: 4458306

. Yemenia Airlines
Tel: 4458309

. Egypt Air
Tel: 4426685

. Cathay Pacific
Tel: 4328450

. Lufthansa
Tel: 4418666

. Alitalia
Tel: 4321427

. British Airways
Tel: 4321434

. Turkish Airlines
Tel: 4458311

. Aeroflot
Tel: 4412100

. Air France
Tel: 4441161

. Austrian Airlines
Tel: 4321427

. KLM
Tel: 4321210

. American Airlines
Tel: 4436600


TRAVEL AGENTS

. Qatar Holidays
Offers a wide range of tourist programs and tours.
Tel. 4857764 - Fax. 4838934 - Mob. 5500413

. Fahad Services and Tours
It has a team of tourist guides who can be able to use three foreign languages.
Tel. 4443111

. Arabian Adventures
This agency organizes guided tours.
Tel. 4361461


LIMOUSINE SERVICES

. Doha Limousine
Tel. 4322772

. Al Watan Limousine
Tel. 4477999

. Mustafawi Limousine
Tel.4671007


CAR RENTAL

. Avis
Tel.4447766

. Budget
Tel.4419500

. Hertz
Tel.4622891

. Europcar
Tel. 4438404


TAXI TARIFF

Daytime within Doha 10 Dirhams for every 200 m.
Daytime outside Doha 15 Dirhams for every 200 m.
Waiting daytime 10 Dirhams per minute.
Nighttime within Doha 20 Dirhams for every 200 m.
Nighttime outside Doha 30 Dirhams for every 200 m.
Waiting nighttime 20 Dirhams per minute.
Night tariff applies from 9pm to 5am.


COMMUNICATIONS

. LOCAL CALLS To call within Qatar dial the number without adding extra numbers for calls outside Doha or calls made to mobile phones. Telephone numbers consist of 7 digits. Fixed telephones start with digit 4, mobile phones start with digit 5 and bleep numbers start with digit 2.

. INTERNATIONAL CALLS Qatar has direct dialing with more than 215 countries.
For international calls dial 0+country code + required number. Phone cards for public telephone use are available at most small shops. They are in the following denominations: QR20, QR30,QR50 and QR100.

. Calling Qatar from Abroad
To call Qatar from abroad dial +974 the required number.
Use the Electronic Telephone Directory via the Internet to get telephone numbers of individuals, companies and institutions in Qatar, both in Arabic and English.


BANKS AND CURRENCY EXCHANGE

Major banks in Qatar have their main branches on Grand Hamad Street and their other branches spread around Doha and other major cities. ATM machines are available in main streets, bank branches, shopping complexes and big companies. Most shopping complexes accept international credit cards.

Working hours:
Saturday - Wednesday 7 : 30 am - 12 pm
Thursday 7 am - 11 : 30 am
Weekend recess on Friday and Saturday

MAJOR BANKS IN QATAR

. Qatar Central Bank
Tel. 4456456

. Qatar National Bank
Tel. 4407407

. Arab Bank
Tel. 4437979

. Commercial Bank of Qatar
Tel. 4490222

. HSBC (ex-British Bank)
Tel. 4423124

. Al Ahli Bank of Qatar
Tel.4326611

. Doha Bank
Tel.4435444

. Qatar Islamic International Bank
Tel.4332600

. Qatar Islamic Bank
Tel. 4409409

. Qatar International Bank
Tel. 4473700

. Mashreq Bank
Tel. 4413213

. Banque Paribas
Tel4433844

. Standard Chartered Bank
Tel. 4414252

. Bank Saderat Iran
Tel. 4414646


CURRENCY EXCHANGE

The monetary unit in Qatar is the Qatari Riyal, which is divided into 100 Dirhams. The currency is issued by Qatar Central Bank and available in the following denominations:
1 Riyal, 5 Riyal, 10 Riyal, 50 Riyal, 100 Riyal and 500 Riyal.
The coins are 25 Dirhams and 50 Dirhams.
The QR/US$ exchange rate is fixed at 3.65 Foreign currency can be exchanged without any restrictions at any bank, Doha International Airport and exchange dealers.


POSTAL SERVICES

The General Post Office in the West Bay area provides all modern postal services. Other post office branches spread in Doha, Doha outskirts and other towns as well.
Postage denominations for ordinary letters:
025 Dirhams local post.
075 Dirhams post dispatched to GCC countries.
100 Dirhams post dispatched to other Arab countries.
200 Dirhams post dispatched to Europe, East Asia, America and Australia.

Additional fee is charged for registered mail.


CINEMA HOUSES AND THEATERS

. Al Khaleej Cinema
Tel. 4671811

. Doha Cinema
Tel. 4671811

. The Mall Cinema
Tel. 4678888

. City Centre Cinema
Tel. 4934934

. Amir Cinema
Tel. 4424913

. Landmark Cinema
Tel.4881674

. Qatar National Theater
Tel. 4831333


USEFUL TELPHONE NUMBERS

Police, Fire and Ambulance 999
Telephone Directory 180
International calls 150
QNA News (Arabic) 144
Abu Samra Passports inquiries 4715246
Qatar Petroleum (QP) 4402000
Ministry of Interior - Public Relations 4448720
Flight Inquiries 4622999
Doha Airport - Inquiries 4656666
Doha Seaport - Inquiries 4464660
Hamad General Hospital 4394444
The General Post Office 4466000
GSM Telephone Service 4325333
Naturalization and Travel Documents Department. 4890333
Visa Office (instant) 4656417
Visa Office (prearranged) 4621751
Qatar National Olympic Committee 4454444
Foreign Information Agency 4847777
Supreme Council for Culture, Arts and Heritage 4668777
Qatar Tourism Authority 4411555
Qatar Photographic Society 4410209
Bisan Gallery for Plastic Arts 4433991
Qatar Radio and TV Corporation 4859555
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 4334334
Ministry of Energy and Industry 4491491
Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation 4494444
Ministry of Economy and Commerce 4932020
Qatar Telecom (Q-Tel) 4400400
Directorate of Immigration, Passports and Naturalization 4882882
The Supreme Council for Family Affairs 4628444
The Council of Planning 4381111
Qatar Industrial Development Bank 4421600
Qatar University 4832222
Al Jazeera Satellite Channel 4890890
Qatar News Agency 4322725
Qatar Radio and TV 4894444
Youth and Sports General Authority 4453333
Qatar Fine Arts Society 4410207
Qatar National Museum 4442191
The Medical Commission 4420444
Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry 4621131
Futuristic Studies Center 4355484

Transport and communications networks in the State of Qatar have been undergoing a large scale development day after day in recent years. A lot have been achieved in the field of wire and wireless communications, postal services and seaport and airport construction in line with the growing importance of the country’s position within the international communications network.
 

Transportation

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways, which was established in 1994, is the national carrier of the State of Qatar. It has many achievements including owning giant airliners and concluding passenger and fright exchange agreements with more than 52 international airline companies. Qatar Airways serves more than 42 destinations in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Far East. The company is planning to increase its flights to 50 international destinations by 2005 and increase its aircraft fleet to 52 aircraft by 2008.

Doha International Airport
Doha International Airport covers about 17094 sq. meters and has a 4575-meter long runway. Recently, 6600 sq. meters were added to the total area as part of an expansion project of the existing airport.

In January 2005, Qatar signed a $2.5 billion contract with the American company Bechtel to build the first phase of the new 3-phase $5 billion Doha international airport project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2015. The contract offered to Bechtel involves all design, management and construction works of the buildings and facilities of the new airport. The first phase, which will be completed in 2008, will raise the airport’s annual passenger capacity to about 12 million, while the total annual passenger capacity of the airport at the end of all phases of the project will stand at 50 million in 2015.

Customs and Ports Authority
Customs and Ports Authority aims to manage and upgrade the standard of services extended at customs, seaports and land transport facilities. The responsibilities of the Authority include enforcing the laws and regulations pertaining to the customs procedures, seaports and land transport affairs; monitoring all goods imported and exported through all customs points of the country; controlling all kinds of ship traffic; supervising shipbuilding industry; biers construction; maritime facilities installation, navigation and sea transport companies, sea services, sea transport agencies, duty-free markets, warehouses and checking customs evasion practices.

Seaports
The State spares no effort to develop and expand its seaports and associated facilities and to provide all required equipment and services in order to facilitate their operation. Doha commercial seaport, Mesaieed commercial and industrial seaport and Ras Laffan industrial seaport are the country’s main seaports specializing in handling giant vessels.

Abu Samra Customs Point
Abu Samra Customs Point is Qatar’s land gateway on the Qatari-Saudi border; and it has all the necessary facilities and services.

Qatar General Postal Corporation
Qatar is a member in the Arab Postal Union, the GCC Postal Committee and the Universal Postal Union. The transformation of post services into a corporation reflected positively in its budget. At present, the Corporation has 32 branch post offices in Doha and other cities.
 

Cable and Wireless Communications

Qatar Telecom (Q-tel)

Since its inception in 1987, Qatar Telecom (Q-Tel) has been working to keep pace with the development presently in progress in all aspects of life in the country. The company has the exclusive rights of providing all communications services in the country including fixed mobile telephone lines, international communications services and cable TV services.

International Calls
Qatar is connected to more than 150 countries with direct dialing services and is committed to commercial agreements on international dialing services with 125 companies in more than 68 countries throughout the world.

Ship-to-shore Maritime Communication Station
Opened in 1985, this station is used to transmit telephone and telex communication between land and ships on all seas and oceans and to secure radio communication between ships through local satellite communications network.

Satellite Communications
The two land satellite communications stations Doha 1 and Doha 2 continue to operate within the communications network linked to the satellites over the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, while the third land station operating through the satellite Arabsat provides exchange channel between Qatar and the Arab world for telephone, cable data and TV programs. Presently, work is underway to procure, install and operate the new satellite earth communication station in line with the new developments in this field.

The Supreme Council for Communications and Information Technology
The Council was established in August 2004. It aims to organize the two sectors of communications and information technology and create a developed information community through preparing the right atmosphere of efficient infrastructure and a community knowledgeable in the field of communications and information technology.