Check it out here 50 curiosities about the Qatar, the first country in the Middle East to host a World Cup, which is one of the many curiosities of the West Asian country surrounded by the Persian Gulf.
Considered one of the richest countries in the world, due to oil and natural gas exports, the Qatar mixes ancient and traditional architecture with modern infrastructure, especially in its capital, Doha.
To the 2022 World Cup, Qatar has built eight football stadiums, which are close to each other, with a maximum distance of 70 km from each other. The country also built a new city (Lusail) to host the final game of the biggest football competition in the world.
Want to know more about the 2022 World Cup host country? Check out 50 curiosities about Qatar below.
Read too: Facts about football history
General facts about Qatar
Arabic is the official language of Qatar, but English is spoken by the majority of the population.
O islamism It is the main religion of Qatar. But, as the country has many immigrants, there are other religions, such as hiHinduism, Budism It is wChristianity.
The country is considered an emirate, that is, Qatar is administered by a member of the ruling class – in this case, an emir.
O time zone from Qatar is six hours longer than the time in Brasilia.
Qatar is the third country with the highest number of immigrants in the world. About 80% of the population is from other countries, especially from India, of Pakistan it's from Bangladesh.
Qatari immigrants arrived in the country in the 1970s and helped build one of the richest countries in the world.
Another curiosity of the Qatari economy is that, before starting to export Petroleum It is gas Natural in the 1940s, the country was based on the pearl trade and fishing.
Qatar is considered the country with the highest per capita income in the world. Almost no taxes are charged.
The country has a high human development index and quality of life.
Facts about the Geography of Qatar
Qatar is small, having only 11,610 km². The country is a little smaller than the Jamaica, for example.
With just 2.9 million inhabitants, Qatar has population equivalent to savior.
One of the curiosities about Qatar is that drinking water comes from the sea. But for that, this water has to go through the method of desalination (separation of salt from water).
Qatar is one of the flattest countries in the world. The highest elevation is almost 30 m.
The country has almost no forests, but it has mangroves.
At the vit was the, The temperature from Qatar reaches 50 °C. Precisely for this reason, the 2022 World Cup will take place in November, as the temperature is milder in that month.
The country has an extensive coastline of more than 500 km. Among the most famous beaches in Qatar are:
◦ Banana Island, off the coast of the capital Doha;
◦ Al Thakhira, 60 km from Doha;
◦ Fuwayriţ, in northern Qatar, 100 km from Doha;
◦ Zekreet, 100 km from Doha.
Facts about cities and tourism in Qatar
The capital of Qatar, Doha, accounts for more than half of the country's population.
Doha is one of the cities in the country that has grown the most in the last 30 years. Skyscrapers have more rounded architecture.
One of the main postcards of Qatar and Doha is the Burj Doha, also known as Doha Tower. The building is 238 m, which is equivalent to 46 floors.
Another tourist spot in Doha is the seaside promenade called the Corniche, which is over 6 km long. On Qatar's Corniche, people go hiking, sports and boat trips.
The Souq Wagif market, located in Doha, is much visited by tourists for its architecture and for having antique and spice stores.
The Villaggio Mall, in Doha, is a mall whose architecture is inspired by the city of Venice, Italy, which is built on top of the water
Al Rayyan, the second most populous city in Qatar, is a historic center that has several stores sought after by tourists.
Al Zubarah, founded in the 18th century, is one of the cities in Qatar famous for the pearl trade. Al Zubarah is a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) since 2013.
The city of Khawr Al Udayd, also known as the Inland Sea, is famous for being one of the only places in the world where the sea invades the desert.
The artificial island The Pearl (“The Pearl”) is located off the coast of West Bay. The Pearl, in Qatar, was designed on the former site where divers searched for pearls.
Al Khor is a city in Qatar known for having been a famous pearl market center.
Another famous tourist spot in Qatar is the Inland Sea in Khor Al Adaid. The site is a water reserve where the sea invades the desert.
Bin Ghannam Island, also known as Purple Island, is located in the northeast and is another postcard of Qatar.
See too: What are the 20 most populous cities in the world?
Interesting Facts about Qatari Culture
One of the main curiosities of Qatar is that the way of welcoming tourists is offering Arabic coffee and sweets.
Qatari cuisine is famous for its rich blend of spices. Many dishes take saffron and cardamom, for example.
The main dishes of Qatari cuisine are:
◦ Warak Enab — vine leaves stuffed with some kind of meat;
◦ Saloona — typical Arabic stew;
◦ Majboos — rice mixed with some meat;
◦ Madrouba — rice porridge;
◦ Luqaimat — sweet dumpling soft inside and crispy outside;
◦ Kunafa — traditional Qatari dessert made from thin dough and served with cheese.
The Imam Muhammad Ibn Abd Al Wahhab Mosque, also known as the National Mosque of Qatar, boasts some of the most impressive architecture in the Arab world.
The Qatar Museum of Islamic Art opened in 2008 and is located on an artificial island. It has the largest collection of Islamic art in the world.
Considered one of the main representatives of classical Islamic architecture, the Museum of Islamic Art of Qatar was designed by the architect Ieoh Ming Pei, who also designed the pyramid of the Louvre Museum, in Paris, France.
The National Museum of Qatar and the Msheireb Museums are other sights of Qatari culture.
Another curiosity in Qatar is that the Fire Department and the Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art, in Doha, are representatives of contemporary modern art.
Inaugurated in 2010, Katara Cultural, located in Doha, is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Qatar. The space encompasses diverse cultural performances from around the world.
The annual Ajyal film festival at Katara Cultural Village in Doha is an event that takes place every November in Qatar.
With giant dunes that reach 40 m in height, Qatar offers several options for desert tours that can be done by car.
Qatar is home to the largest TV channel in the Middle East, the Aljazeera TV network, which is the largest mouthpiece in the Arab world.
In Qatar it is not allowed to drink alcohol on the street. The population can only drink in private places, such as hotels and bars.
Polygamy, the practice of one man marrying more than one woman, is legal in Qatar.
Same-sex displays of affection are frowned upon in Qatar.
The Arabian oryx antelope is considered the national animal of Qatar.
O ramadan it is a sacred celebration across Qatar and considered a national holiday. Ramadan has three days of festivities.
Qatar sports facts
Qatar is also known for falconry, which is the tradition of keeping and training falcons for hunting. However, the practice no longer occurs as often in the country.
the races of camel are considered one of the most famous sports practices in Qatar. The main camel racing competitions take place in March and April.
Qatar's beaches are popular for water sports, such as diving, kitesurfing, water skiing and rowing.
O soccer it is not very traditional in the country. Qatar will participate in the world Cup 2022 for being the host country.
image credits
[1] Mohammad Gad / Shutterstock
[2] sembler / Shutterstock
By Silvia Tancredi
Journalist
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/educacao-fisica/50-curiosidades-sobre-o-catar.htm