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Doha Cultural Festival
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Doha Cultural Festival attracts numerous tourists to Qatar every year. The event is showcases to promote the cultural side of the region. The
progress of the event is personally looked after by his Majesty Al Sheikh Hamad Ben Khalifah Al Thani the prince of the Qatar Al Sheikh Hamad
Ben Khalifah Al Thanias also takes special care in the latest happenings of the event.
The annual Doha cultural festival is held in March and it is the biggest event of its kind. The festival hosts many programs, such as music,
poetry, theatre and dance that promote the heritage and culture of Qatar.
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Qatar Masters
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Qatar masters is a popular golfing tournament that attracts golf enthusiasts come to Qatar to see the spectacular event. The event was set up in the year 1998 to promote golf in Qatar. Over the past few years this sports event has become extremely popular all over the world.
Qatar Masters is played at the famous Doha Golf Club. Over the past few years participation at Qatar Masters golf tournament has steadily increased. World class facilities at the golf course have also helped to promote the event.
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International Trade Fair-Doha
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International Trade Fair-Doha is a shopper's paradise as many products and services are showcased under one roof. The exhibition gives you an excellent opportunity to enjoy shopping in Qatar.
International Trade Fair-Doha is an annual event held in the Qatar International Exhibition Center, Doha. The exhibition is held for a week. Many traders from all over the world come to Qatar to exhibit their merchandise at the famous International Trade Fair-Doha.
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Qatar Open
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Qatar Open is the most popular tennis tournament in the region. Qatar open has played an important role in promoting tennis in Qatar. The country now has many popular tennis clubs like the Al Arabi, Al Saad, Al Ahli, and Al Rayyan sports clubs.
The first ATP Qatar Open was only for men. The first match was played in January 1993. Over the years Qatar Open has become very popular as many top ranked players have played here. Some of the tennis stars who have played Qatr open are Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Enquist, Nicolas Kiefer, Marc Rosset, Fabrice Santoro etc.
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Qatar Arabian...
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Arabian Oryx
The once near-extinct Arabian Oryx now live and breed in protected herds on a farm located in Shahaniya. These social antelopes graze on the sparse vegetation offered by the arid Arabian peninsula and use their large horns as weapons of self-defense against enemies. This graceful white animal is believed to be the basis of the legend of the unicorn and is featured prominently on the tails of all Qatar Airways aircraft.
Borders
There are two land border points at Abu Samra and Sauda Nathil, two sea port border points at Doha port and Mesaiseed port, and one main air port of entry through the Doha International Airport.
Climate
Qatar enjoys sunshine just about everyday of the year. The average temperatures during the summer range from 38°C to 42°C during the day and 18°C at night, while winter temperatures are 34°C during the day and 10°C at night. Swimming in the Arabian Gulf or in the many hotel pools, water sports, desert and city tours, shopping – a perfect location for visitors to soak up the sunshine.
Once the sun sets, go star-gazing in the clear night sky, enjoy a moonlight stroll along the Corniche, or view the skyline from Doha Bay on a traditional dhow. This clean and pristine environment offers visitors ideal conditions to completely unwind and enjoy their time in Qatar.
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Qatar is an Islamic state....
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The Holy Quran not only guides the religious beliefs of Qataris, but also plays a large role in daily life. Law, business practices, and family traditions in Qatar are governed by Muslim beliefs and values.
Beautiful mosques are located all over the country for daily worship, from which calls to prayer are announced throughout the day.
Non- Muslims should refrain from entering a mosque and should at all times speak respectfully of the Muslim religion. Prayer schedules are published in daily newspapers and are announced on the radio broadcast.
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GDP Growth in Qatar...
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Qatar’s GDP growth in nominal terms averaged 13.5% over the past five years.
In 2001, nominal GDP declined marginally by 1.8% to reach QR 58.8 billion ($16.2 billion), as a result of a 12.9% decline in average crude
oil prices to $23.6 p/b, from $27.1 p/b in 2000.
Qatar’s crude oil production also declined in 2001 to 681,000 bpd from 696,000 bpd in 2000, due to quota stipulations put in place by OPEC.
In spite of the oil price and production fallback, Qatar has been able to stem the decline in GDP, with an effective economic
diversification plan, that has seen natural gas and downstream industries gaining ground over crude oil.
Natural gas and downstream industries will dominate industrial activities in the coming years and fuel a two-fold increase in GDP by 2005.
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Investment laws...
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Various new laws which will have a direct impact on business were enacted in 2002. They were: Commercial Companies Law (No. 5); Commercial
Agents Law (No. 8); Copyright Law (No. 7); Pensions Law (No. 24); Money Laundering Law (No. 28); and the Mutual Funds Law (No. 25).
The new mutual funds law will allow for expatriates to invest in the Doha Securities Market, through the medium of mutual funds. Qatar has
already brought about a new investment law in 2000, which allows for foreign investors to acquire up to 100% in projects in certain sectors
of the economy.
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New Vision for the Future...
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Qatar's hosting of the Asian games in 2006 has brought along with it various infrastructural obligations. Qatar has already started work on
the construction of an estimated $700 million 'Asian Games Village', which will include additional sporting facilities and accommodations for
athletes and sports officials.
Qatar is also hoping to have a new International Airport ready in time for the Asian Games, Qatar's Tourism efforts are beginning to gather
pace with the setting up of the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) in 2000.
The QTA launched Qatar's first ever shopping festival called 'Qatar Summer Wonders Festival of Fun' in July/August 2002. The QTA also plans
to open offices in other gulf states to promote Qatar as a tourist destination.
Qatar continues to be the choice venue for conducting various international seminars and conferences. Privatization efforts have led the
state-owned tourism and leisure firm Qatar National Hotels Company (QNHC) to hand over the management of Sealine Beach resort to Movenpick
Hotels and Resorts Ltd. in 2001.
Qatar's long-term vision has also led it to invest heavily in education, through the development of an 'education city', under the aegis of
the 'Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development', set up by H.H. the Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
The facility will have amongst others, professional higher educational institutions. The 'Weill-Cornell Medical College-Qatar', which is a
central feature of the 'education city' started its first ever academic year in October 2002.
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Strategy of Economic Development...
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Qatar's abundant hydrocarbon wealth, reduction in external debt, and its strategy of economic development based on the diversification away
from oil, has led to sovereign ratings upgrades in 2002, by leading credit rating agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Capital
Intelligence.
These upgrades certify that the seeds of Qatar's resource development strategy has come to fruition and Qatar's image as an investment
destination is set to strengthen further in the coming years.
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MAJOR MUSEUMS & FORTS...
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Qatar National MuseumT
he 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.
Work hours: daily from 9 am to 12 noon except Saturdays and Fridays and from 4 pm to 7 pm except Saturdays. Tuesday's afternoon period is assigned for families only.
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.
Al Wakrah Museum
It lies in Al Wakrah town about 17 km from the capital and displays marine life and natural history materials.
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
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 |
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