Qatar
Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia.
It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares its sole land border with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. The Gulf of Bahrain, an inlet of the Persian Gulf, separates Qatar from nearby Bahrain. The capital is Doha, home to over 80% of the country's inhabitants. Most of the land area is made up of flat, low-lying desert.
Getting to Qatar
Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) do not require a visa to enter Qatar, and may use National ID Cards to enter the country. They may also stay indefinitely with no restrictions including on employment.
Worth seeing
For a comparatively small peninsula in the Middle East, there is quite a lot to see in Qatar. The history-seeker will not be disappointed, with an assortment of ruins, cave art and museums to keep the mind wandering. Most famous is the archaeological site of Zubarah, where there are the remains of what was once a thriving port city.
Things to do
A great activity for tourists is simply to experience the nation's tradition. The traditional Qatari way of life was simple: Bedouin nomads wandering the desert with their camels, and fisherman scouring the ocean floor for pearls to trade. While these two lifestyles are mostly extinct on the peninsula, the government has taken some measures to preserve their traditions for future generations to experience.
Where to eat
Qatar has seemingly endless options for food, much of it excellent. If you would like European cuisine in a fancy setting, visit a hotel like the Ramada or the Marriott, both of which also offer excellent sushi and the choice of having alcoholic drinks with your meal (the only restaurants in town that can do this are in the major hotels), but at a steep price.
Getting around Qatar the local way
- Get aroundTo follow the camel races or to explore the area, it's best to have your own vehicle.
From Wikivoyage: Al Shahaniyah, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Matti Blume (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.