Qatar’s sizable oil and natural gas reserves have underpinned its rapid economic growth over the past two decades. Home to the world’s largest non-associated gas field, the country is the world’s fourth-largest producer of dry natural gas and the largest producer of liquefied natural gas, with hydrocarbons revenues forming the bulk of national income as a result. Although the drop in global
Over the past half-decade Qatar has posted robust economic growth on the back of strong hydrocarbons revenues, state-led infrastructure development and a rapidly maturing financial sector. According to Standard & Poor’s, from 2010 to 2015 it was one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, posting average annual GDP growth of 8.6%. Qatar is the world’s top exporter of liquefied natural…
The Guide contains listings of some of the leading hotels and resorts in Qatar and contacts for important government offices and services. It also contains useful tips and information for business and leisure visitors alike.…
This chapter contains an outline of the legal framework in which local and foreign investors operate in Qatar, including the rules and regulations for foreign investors, the guidelines for incorporating a new company, a rundown of the foreign property ownership laws and regulations, and a review of the new changes to the Labour Law. This chapter contains a viewpoint from James Elwen, Partner and Head…
The combination of high disposable income, a growing population and rising tourist arrivals makes Qatar an attractive market for retailers of all segments. On the back of real GDP growth of 3.7% in 2015, private consumption was expected to have expanded by 9.5% in 2015, according to BMI Research. This surge is projected to continue, with household spending forecast to increase by an average of 15.8%…
Qatar has cultivated significant soft power over the last decade by hosting international events, stepping up to play a role in diplomatic mediation and developing itself into a regional and global media hub. In the mid-1990s the authorities took ambitious steps in establishing the news network Al Jazeera, which has gone on to become a highly regarded cornerstone of international broadcasting. Building…
In the past decade or more, Qatar has started to assert itself in the world of global sports. It has achieved this mainly through its athletics federation and Olympic committee with the country’s winning bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup evidence of the increasingly prominent role that sport is taking in Qatar. The government has also made efforts to expand the role of sports and related industries,…
The large-scale investments of the past half-decade look set to continue driving Qatar’s health sector in 2016. With a rapidly rising population and household incomes well above the developed-world average, public and private sector outlays are on track to keep rising alongside a state-led push to raise quality and expand services. As the public sector enters a new cost-optimisation phase in the…
Human development is one of the four pillars of the country’s economic blueprint, Qatar National Vision 2030, with the 2011-16 National Development Strategy highlighting the importance of education in driving the state’s push toward a knowledge-based economy. Efforts to raise the standards of education in Qatar have been gathering pace and over the past decade the country has introduced a decentralised…
