Language Arabic is the official language of Qatar. English is widely spoken and understood, although some official documents will be in Arabic. Road signs and menus are typically in both Arabic and English. Business Hours Working hours for ministries and governmental institutions are 7.00am-2.00pm, Sunday through Thursday. Most international companies and the private sector operate 8.00am-5.00pm those…
After weathering a succession of external shocks in recent years, Qatar’s trade and investment outlook is promising in the short and medium term. Years of low global oil and gas prices, the 2017-21 economic blockade, and the Covid-19 pandemic have all affected the flow of cross-border commerce and finance in recent years. However, Qatar is gearing up to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which it aims…
The beginning of the 21st century heralded a period of rapid industrial growth for Qatar, fuelled by its abundant oil and gas wealth. The country possesses the world’s third-largest natural gas reserves and is vying with the US for the position of the world’s largest producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Those resources have been harnessed to develop strong downstream industries…
Since gaining independence in 1971 Qatar has developed into an economic, political and cultural powerhouse in the Middle East. With a relatively small population and substantial revenue generated from having the third-largest proven natural gas reserves globally, Qatar has one of the world’s highest GDP per capita, at nearly $84,500 at current prices and $112,800 in purchasing power parity in 2022,…
Travel and tourism was one of the hardest-hit sectors globally in 2020 and early 2021 as the Covid-19 pandemic swept around the world, and the situation in Qatar was no different. However, reflecting the gains made in the tourism industry in the years leading up to the health crisis, the opening months of 2020 saw a strong performance in terms of arrivals – so much so that when travel began to normalise…
Well capitalised and supported by one of the world’s wealthiest economies per capita, Qatar’s banking sector has successfully navigated a range of external challenges in recent years. It has emerged strong and resilient, in an advantageous position to leverage the resurgence in local and international demand for a wide variety of financing options. Consisting of commercial, Islamic, investment…
Qatar’s Islamic banking industry is one of the world’s largest and most experienced, given than its first entity – Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) – was established in 1982. Four decades later, as business confidence and economic growth is returning after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Islamic finance sector stands ready for renewed expansion. It can build on the important role it played…
Faced with the changes associated with technological innovation, the global transition towards renewable energy and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, the dynamics of the global insurance industry are shifting. While Qatar’s insurance market is growing, certain segments remain underdeveloped. The sector has traditionally been hindered by low insurance penetration and therefore has significant…
Decades of concerted investment in education have helped Qatar create a qualified workforce equipped with the skills needed to succeed in growing professions. The country’s literacy rate in 2019 was 99.2% of individuals 15 years old and above, while the gross enrolment rates for primary, preparatory and secondary education are all around 100% – a reflection of the mission to provide education for…
Qatar’s air and sea ports have long been central to the country’s economic expansion. The 2010 announcement that the country would host the 2022 FIFA World Cup accelerated the government’s drive to upgrade transport infrastructure, prompting significant increases in public financing. There is also a renewed emphasis on sustainability in the sector, as the development of environmentally friendly…
