Qatar fast facts

Hamad International Airport, opened in 2014, is the home of Qatar Airways, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines with direct flights to over 160 destinations. Some 40 other international airlines fly into Qatar.

The working week is from Sunday to Thursday, with most offices closed on Friday and Saturday. Government working hours are from 7am to 2pm.

Qatar has a desert climate with year-round sunshine, hot summers and mild winters. Mean temperatures range from 17°C in January to 36°C in July, reaching highs of 45°C+ during the summer. Rain is infrequent, falling in brief showers mainly in winter.

The official currency is the Qatari Riyal (QAR). The exchange rate is fixed at US $1= QAR 3.64.

220/240 volts AC 50Hz.

Socket type is square three-pin 13 amp (as used in the UK).

Qatar is an 11,500 square kilometre peninsula extending northwards into the Arabian Gulf. It has 563 km of uninterrupted coastline.

While Arabic is the official language,  English is widely spoken.

The State of Qatar, an independent sovereign country since 1971. The population stands at 2.73 million and the capital city is Doha.

Metered taxis and buses are easily accessible. Book a taxi or find a bus route by calling +974 4458 8888.

A state-of-the-art metro system has 37 lines connecting major points of interest.

The official religion is Islam is, and followers of other religions enjoy complete freedom of worship.

The local time is GMT/UCT + 3 hours. There are no daylight savings adjustments.

The country code for Qatar is +974. Telecom providers Ooredoo and Vodafone offer pre-paid and post-paid mobile services. Wi-fi broadband is easily accessible in hotels and at many other public places and is often complimentary.