About Qatar

The State of Qatar is one of the most exciting countries in the Middle East, with the population predominantly young, the economy expanding, and the pace of modernization quickening every year.

It is the home of Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel and of Qatar Foundation's Education City, one of the most ambitious and far-reaching centers for education and research in the Middle East. A peninsula of some 5,000 square miles, Qatar has a landscape of sand dunes in the south and flat, rocky desert with scattered cultivation in the north.

Read more about Qatar here.

Time Zone

GMT/UTC +3

Languages

Arabic is the national language, but English is also widely spoken.

Telephone

The country code for Qatar is +974. City or area codes are not used.

Emergency

The emergency phone number is 999.

Currency

The national currency is the Qatari Riyal (QR). $ 1 U.S. purchases QR 3.65 (fixed rate). One QR is divided into 100 Dirhams. Most major establishments accept major credit cards; some will accept U.S. Dollars. Bank notes are available in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1. Currency exchange can be done at the airport, currency exchange dealers and banks.

Electricity

Voltage is 240 AC at 50 cycles (As for electrical sockets, British-style plug with one grounding blade and two flat blades are used)

Climate

The country has a moderate desert climate with hot summers and mild winters. Winter nights can be cool, but temperatures rarely drop below 7°C. Humidity levels can be extremely high on the coast during the summer months. Rainfall is scarce (average 70 mm per year), falling on isolated days, mainly between October and March.

Qatar Culture

Qatar is a traditional country experiencing rapid social change. It is important to Qatar to maintain its heritage and the modern appearance may mislead people into forgetting that it is still a traditional society.

The following tips may be useful. Read more.

Visa Information

Visas in advance are the normal visas that travelers to Qatar are given prior to their travel to enter the country. This visa should be presented at the arrival port. More information on visas in advance can be found here.

The Ministry of Interior offers a number of immediate on-arrival visas that are granted from the airport to enter the country without the need to obtain a visa in advance. More information on-arrival visas can be found here.

Travel to Qatar & COVID-19

Under the instructions of the Qatar Government, certain restrictions and conditions apply for travel to Qatar from abroad. The Qatar Travel and Return Policy of the Ministry of Public Health explains the policy in full and can be accessed here.

Qatar Airport

Hamad International Airport (HIA) is the international airport of Doha, the capital city of Qatar. Learn more about airport facilities and services here.

Gratuities

An average restaurant tip is 10%, although some restaurants automatically add a service charge to the bill. Tipping of bellmen, hotel doormen, tour guides, taxi drivers etc. are done at an individual’s preference. However, a tip of 10-15% as a gesture of satisfaction is appreciated. It is advisable to carry cash for tipping.