The State of Qatar (Arabic: دووققق, English: The State of Qatar), Qatar for short, the capitalDoha , onPersian GulfSouthwesterlyQatar PeninsulaOn.genustropical desert climateThe country is low and flat, and rich in oil and natural gas resources.With a total area of 11521 square kilometers and a coastline of 563 kilometers, there is no clear provincial administrative division. Centered on some major cities, the country is divided into nine regions.Qatar has a total population of 3.09 million,[39]belong toArab nationIslam is the state religion of Qatar, and most of its residents believe in Islam.Arabic is the official language, and English is also widely used locally.[5]
In the 7th century, Qatar wasArab EmpirePart of.From 1517 to 1776Portugal、NetherlandsandbritainRule.In 1846, Sani Bin Mohammed established the Emirate of Qatar.1872, incorporatedOttoman Empireterritory.In 1882, Britain invaded and declared the area a "protected area" for Britain.In 1970, the first interim constitution issued stipulated that Qatar was an independent sovereign monarchy,IslamismIt is a national religion.On September 3, 1971, Qatar officially declared its independence.[6]
The pillar industry of Qatar's economy is oil and gas and its related petrochemical industry. It is the world's largest producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas, and its oil and gas export revenue is rich.With the implementation of the economic diversification strategy, the prospect of economic growth is stable, the business environment is increasingly perfect, modern roads, subways, airports, ports, communications and other infrastructure are available, and social security is in good condition with a high degree of marketization.Qatar isthe United Nations、Organization of Islamic Cooperation、arab leagueandGulf Cooperation Council for Arab StatesandWorld Trade OrganizationThe GDP of Qatar in 2022 will be 237.995 billion US dollars, and the per capita GDP will be 81800 US dollars.[28]
stayQatar PeninsulaOn the other hand, the local residents have maintained production activities for thousands of years, but most of the time in the early stage, only some nomadic tribes lived for a short time.Among them, the Khalifa and Saud tribes once swept the entire Arabian Peninsula (later they became kings of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively), settled down along the coastline, and carried out fishing and pearl farming.These tribes compete for favorableOystersThe feedlot often fights with each other, making the whole territory open and close, without establishing a unified sovereignty.
In 1517,PortugalInvasion, 1555, incorporatedOttoman EmpireTerritory, ruled by Turkey for more than 200 years.
In 1846, Sani Bin Mohammed established the Emirate of Qatar.
In 1867, the caliph successfully landed the navy in Wakla and created the rebels.
In 1882, the British invaded and forced the chief of Qatar to accept the slavery treaty in 1916. Qatar became Britain'sProtector。
In the 1950s, Britain gave upPersian GulfThe voice of Arab countries is growing.
In 1968, the British officially announced that they would give up (politically rather than economically) control of the Persian Gulf within three years, and then Qatar joined Bahrain and the other seven truce nations.However, the internal opposition of Qatar is so great that it forces Qatar to break away from the final development ofUnited Arab EmiratesAlliance of.
In 1971, Qatar held its founding ceremony and officially became a sovereign and independent country.[6]
On September 15, 2022 local time, the Prime Minister and Home Secretary Khalid of Qatar released the new national emblem of the State of Qatar at the Qatar National Museum.The new national emblem is composed of four elements: the Arabian sword, the palm tree, the sea and the sloop, which shows the traditional history and culture of Qatar.[8]
On March 7, 2023, the Emir Tamim of Qatar appointed Mohammed, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, as Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs.[25]
geographical environment
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Regional location
Qatar is a peninsula country located inPersian GulfThe middle of the west coast.Qatar is surrounded by the sea in the east, north and west, with a total coastline of 563 kilometers;Southern Land andSaudi ArabiaBordering, the land boundary is about 87km;The geographical location is 24 ° 27 ′ to 26 ° 10 ′ north latitude;50 ° 45 ′ to 51 ° 40 ′ east longitude, covering an area of 11521 square kilometers.[6]
Qatar
topographic features
The terrain of Qatar is low and flat, the highest elevation is only 103 meters, most of which are deserts or rock gobi. The terrain near the west coast is slightly higher, and there is a large range of exposed limestone from Zkrit to the south.[6]
Topographic map of Qatar
climate
Qatar belongs totropical desert climateThe whole year is divided into summer and winter.From May to October in summer, the weather is hot and humid, the temperature is generally 25-46 degrees Celsius, and the highest temperature can reach more than 50 degrees Celsius;From November to April of the next year in winter, the weather is cool and dry, the temperature is generally 10~30 ℃, and the lowest temperature is 7 ℃.The average annual rainfall is about 80mm.[6]
natural resources
Qatar has a relatively simple variety of natural resourcespetroleumandnatural gasAnd associated resources.Qatar is rich in oil and gas resources. According to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Qatar has the third largest natural gas reserves in the world, after Russia and Iran.It is mainly concentrated in the northern gas field of Qatar, which is the largest single gas field in the world, with an area equal to half of Qatar's territory. The proven reserves exceed 900 trillion cubic feet (about 25.49 trillion cubic meters), accounting for about 20% of the global share.According to the data of "BP Energy World Energy Statistical Review", Qatar's crude oil reserves rank 14th in the world, with the proven reserves of about 25.2 billion barrels, accounting for about 1.5% of the global share.According to the data of the US Geological Survey, Qatar's helium reserves are 10.1 billion cubic meters, ranking second in the world, accounting for 19.4% of the global reserves.
At the same time, Qatar is the world's largest exporter and second largest producer of helium.[6]
administrative division
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Zoning Details
Qatar Administrative Division
Qatar has no clear provincial administrative divisions, and is divided into nine regions with some major cities as the center.They are Beibu City Autonomous Town, Guweiriye Autonomous Town, Haor Autonomous Town, Jumeiliye Autonomous Town, Umsellal Autonomous Town, Doha Autonomous Town, Laiyang Autonomous Town, Wokla Autonomous Town, and Jeriyanbaetnai Autonomous Town.[6]
major city
Overlooking Doha
Doha
Doha, the capital of Qatar, is located in the middle of the east coast of the Qatar Peninsula. It is the largest city in Qatar, the national political, economic, transportation and cultural center, and one of the famous ports in the Persian Gulf,1.4 million people。There are many high-end hotels and business centers in the city, and deep-water ports, desalination plants, power stations, international airports and residential communities in the suburbs.Corniche is one of the main thoroughfares in the downtown area of Doha, with a length of about 8 kilometers. It is a traffic artery and a main place for citizens to relax and keep fit. Government agencies and modern buildings are built along the seashore thoroughfare.
Night view of Doha
Ras Laffan Industrial City
It is located in the northeast of Qatar, about 70km away from the capital Doha.In the city, there are not only natural gas liquefaction plant, gas to oil (GTL) plant, chemical plant, various pump stations, pipelines, liquefied gas storage tanks and other supporting facilities, but also enterprise office area, self owned power plant, desalination plant, special liquefied gas (LNG) wharf, bulk cargo wharf, dry dock and other auxiliary facilities, as well as living service facilities such as banks, department stores and worker camps.In the process of development and construction, the industrial city attaches great importance to energy conservation and environmental protection, and strives to build itself into a model of resource-saving and environment-friendly industry.
Dukhan
Located in the west of Qatar Peninsula, about 48km away from the capital Doha, it is one of the important cities in Qatar.Duhan Oilfield is the largest and oldest oilfield in Qatar.The beautiful scenery of Duhan Beach attracts a large number of tourists.[12]
National symbol
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national flag
Qatar flagIt is rectangular, and the ratio of length to width is 28:11.The left side is white, the right side is purple, and the junction of the two colors is zigzag.It is a flag composed of white chestnut with nine white teeth.It was put into use on July 9, 1971.White represents peace, and chestnut represents wars in history.The nine indentations represented the protection agreement signed with Britain in 1916 (Qatar was the ninth country in the region to sign such an agreement).
Qatar flag
national emblem
Qatar National EmblemIt was started in 1976.The center of the national emblem formulated after independence is a yellow round emblem.The two Arab machetes above, like an iron wall, can withstand all foreign invasions and defend the independence and freedom of the motherland.Under the protection of machetes, an Arab white sailboat is riding the wind and waves on the vast blue water of the Persian Gulf, which symbolizes Qatar's continuous development of maritime trade and fishery production.Two Arab coconut trees are planted on the brown land beside the sailboat, representing Qatar's rich natural resources.Under the round emblem, there are round ribbons painted with the national flag pattern. On the top and bottom of the round emblem, the words "State of Qatar" are written in Arabic and English.
Qatar National Emblem (1976-2022)[11]
On September 15, 2022,Prime Minister of QatarAnd Home SecretaryKhalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al ThaniThe new national emblem of the State of Qatar was released at the Qatar National Museum.The new national emblem is composed of four elements: the Arabian sword, the palm tree, the sea and the sloop, which shows the traditional history and culture of Qatar.The new national emblem will be put into use today, replacing the national emblem issued in 1976.[10]
Qatar National Emblem (2022 -)[11]
population
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As of October 2023, Qatar has a population of 3.09 million, of which about 15% are Qatari citizens.Foreigners mainly come from India, Pakistan and Southeast Asian countries.[31]
From the perspective of nationality distribution, Qatari citizens account for about 15% and foreigners account for about 85%.The foreign population mainly comes from South and Southeast Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines, as well as Arab countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.The urban population accounts for 99.34% of the total population, while the rural population accounts for only 0.76%.Nearly 54% of Qatar's population is concentrated in the Doha administrative region of the capital, and the population of Al Rayyan, Al Wakra, Al Khor and Dhekra administrative regions near the capital is also relatively concentrated, accounting for 25%, 12% and 8% respectively.
There are about 4000 Chinese in Qatar, most of whom are engaged in construction engineering, commerce and trade and other fields. Most of them work and live in Doha, the capital.[6]
Politics
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regime
Qatar is a hereditary monarchy.Emir is the head of state and the commander in chief of the armed forces. He holds the highest power of the country and is inherited by the Al Thani family.The activities of any political party are prohibited.
constitution
In 1970, the first constitution was promulgated, which stipulates that Qatar is an independent sovereign state;Islam is the state religion;The Emir exercises his power with the assistance of the Cabinet and the Consultative Conference.The Interim Constitution was amended in 1972.In April 2003, Qatar passed the "Permanent Constitution" in a referendum, which came into force on June 7, 2005.[39]
government
The Constitution of Qatar stipulates that the Cabinet is the highest administrative body of the country, responsible for managing all internal and external affairs in its charge as stipulated in the Constitution and laws, and formulating and implementing the overall national policies.The Prime Minister is the Chief Cabinet Officer and Head of Government, appointed by the Emir;The composition of the ministries of the Cabinet is proposed by the Prime Minister and approved by the Emir;The cabinet members are also appointed by the Amir on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.The main economic sectors include the Central Bank, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the National Tourism Commission, the Free Zone Management Committee, the State Administration of Taxation, the General Administration of Customs, etc.[6]
The current cabinet was established in March 2023, and now has 19 cabinet members.The main members are: Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Khalid Bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for National Defense Affairs, Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, a senior minister of the interior,Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Finance, Saad bin Sharida Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, etc.[39]
Consultative meetings
Established in 1972, it is a political advisory body, whose function is to assist the Emir in exercising his ruling power, and has the right to review legislation and make policy recommendations to the Cabinet.It is composed of 45 members, 15 of whom are appointed by the Emir and 30 of whom are elected for a four-year term.The current chairman, Hassan Bin Abdulla Al Ghanim, will take office in October 2021.[39]
Central Municipal Committee
The Central Municipal Commission is an institution elected by the people to exercise the functions of reviewing and supervising proposals related to municipal construction.The Committee, formerly known as the Municipal Council, was established in 1950. It carried out activities in accordance with the relevant provisions of Qatar Law No. 12 of 1998, and held the first national election of the Central Municipal Council in 1999.According to the provisions of Law No. 12 of 1998, 242 administrative divisions in Kazakhstan are divided into 29 electoral districts. Each electoral district elects one member to form the Central Municipal Commission, and the first plenary meeting of each elected member elects one chairman of the Commission.In April 2019, Qatar held a new committee election nationwide.[6]
judicial
The Constitution of Qatar stipulates that the judiciary is independent, and it is run by different types of courts at all levels and Shariah courts.[6]
Dignitaries
Emir and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces: Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.Born in 1980.He graduated from the Sandhurst Military Academy in 1997.He was appointed Crown Prince in August 2003 and took over his father on June 25, 2013, becoming the eighth Emir of Qatar.At present, he is also a member of the International Olympic Committee.[39]
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs: Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.Born in 1980.Member of the Royal Family of Qatar.In January 2016, he served as Foreign Minister.In March 2023, he will be Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.[39]
Economics
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overview
Doha West Bay City Center
The oil and natural gas industry is the pillar of Qatar's economy.In recent years, the Qatari government has invested heavily in the development of natural gas, which is the top priority of economic development.At the same time of vigorously developing the energy industry, Qatar also launched the "2030 National Vision" plan, the core of which is to build Qatar into a country with sustainable development, strong international competitiveness and high national living standards by 2030 through vigorously developing economic diversification.
Qatar became a member of the World Trade Organization in 1995.
The main economic data in 2023 are as follows:
GDP: 246.36 billion US dollars
Per capita GDP: 84900 US dollars
GDP growth rate: 2.2%
Currency name: Qatar Rial
Exchange rate: 1 USD ≈ 3.64 QAR[39]
The IMD World Competitiveness Report released by the Lausanne School of Management in Switzerland on June 17, 2020 shows that Qatar ranks 17th among 64 major economies in the world.According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2020 of the World Economic Forum, Qatar ranks ninth in the world in terms of ICT applications.In the World Bank's Business Environment Report 2020, Qatar's business environment ranked 77th among 190 countries (regions), scoring 68.7, with both scores and rankings improved.[5-6]
According to the data of the Central Bank of Qatar, Qatar's foreign debt balance in 2020 will be about 62.88 billion US dollars, an increase of about 8.98 billion US dollars over the end of the previous year.[6]
On November 3, 2022, Moody's announced that Qatar's credit rating would be adjusted to "positive" from "stable", and the credit rating would remain Aa3.On November 6, Standard&Poor's (S&P) raised Qatar's sovereign credit rating to AA, maintaining a "stable" outlook.[19]
The International Monetary Fund predicts that Qatar's economy will achieve a growth rate of 3.4% in 2022, and will maintain economic vitality in the next few years.Around 2030, Qatar will welcome about 6 million international tourists every year.Reuters reported that Qatar, an energy rich country, tried to emulate the "dramatic" transformation of its Gulf rivals Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Since winning the World Cup in 2010, Qatar has invested at least $229 billion in infrastructure construction.In addition, Qatar is expected to become a new investment center. Qatar recently ranked 24th in a "Global Confidence Index" for the first time.[16]
In 2022, Qatar will become the world's largest LNG exporter with 80 million tons of LNG exports[27]。
Agriculture
Qatar is controlled by the subtropical high pressure zone and trade wind zone all the year round. It has high temperature and little rain all the year round. It belongs to the tropical desert climate and is seriously short of water resources. Therefore, the development conditions of agriculture and animal husbandry are poor and the output is less. As a result, Qatar's agricultural and animal husbandry products cannot be self-sufficient. There is no natural arable land in the country. The arable land area in the country is 28000 hectares and 7000 hectares have been cultivated.Grain, vegetables and meat are mainly imported, and only the output of fish and shrimp seafood can basically meet the domestic demand.
In 2021, the high-tech agricultural technology of China's intelligent LED plant factory will help Qatar's agricultural development. The top of the farm shed is equipped with various special light tubes to promote the photosynthesis of vegetables, which can adjust the light color and light intensity as required to cultivate green and purple vegetables.The shed is equipped with air conditioners, sensors and computers to regulate temperature, humidity, light, etc.The required machinery, equipment, seeds and cultivation technology are introduced from China and EU countries respectively, and all the high-tech planting technologies are from China. The farm will expand the production scale using China's high-tech agricultural technology.Vegetables produced with the above Chinese technologies have grown from one rape and one lettuce three years ago to more than 30 popular and high priced varieties in Qatar, including six lettuce, four kale, five peppers, and cabbage, spinach, celery, etc.[7]
Industry
Qatar's pillar industry is oil and gas and its related petrochemical industry, which has accounted for more than 50% of Qatar's GDP for a long time,It is mainly the oil and natural gas sector, related industries and energy intensive industries, including oil refineries, petrochemical plants, fertilizer plants, steel plants and cement plants. At the same time, some paper mills, detergent factories, pigment factories, food factories and plastic factories have also been established.In 2022, Qatar will be the world's largest LNG exporter, with an export volume of about 80 million tons of LNG that year.In 2023, Qatar will be the third largest LNG exporter in the world (next only to the United States and Australia), with an export volume of about 80 million tons of LNG that year.[39]
In June 2022, the Qatar Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Qatar Development Bank and the World Economic Forum jointly launched the Qatar Advanced Manufacturing Center, which aims to enhance international cooperation and transform Qatar into an advanced economic and industrial center.Qatar Advanced Manufacturing Center is one of the 13 platforms launched by the World Economic Forum on a global scale. It aims to strengthen international knowledge sharing and experience exchange in the industrial field, and promote the solution of labor, management policy and environmental challenges.The establishment of this platform will provide Qatar with more channels for cooperation with international manufacturing industry, accelerate the ecological development of manufacturing industry in the Gulf region, promote the shaping of the future of global manufacturing industry, and promote the establishment of an inclusive and sustainable value chain.[20]
Qatar National Bank, The Commercial Bank, Doha Bank, Ahli Bank, International Bank of Qatar, Al Khaliji Commercial Bank, Qatar International Islamic BankTen commercial banks, including Qatar Islamic Bank, Masraf Al Rayan Bank and Barwa Bank, among which the last four are Islamic financial banks.
Foreign banks
Standard Chartered Bank(Standard Chartered), HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, Arab Bank, Mashreq Bank, United Bank LimitedSeven foreign banks, including BNP Paribas and Bank Saderat Iran, enjoy banking licenses issued by the Central Bank of Qatar.
There are more than 70 foreign banks (including financial institutions) registered in the Qatar Financial Center. The business scope, regulatory authority, policy and legal system of foreign commercial banks registered in the center are different from the above seven foreign banks.Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Bank of China (BOC) card branches are registered in Qatar Financial Center and do not operate private deposit and loan business.
Chinese banks
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Doha Branch was officially listed in October 2008, mainly engaged in corporate business.The Qatar Financial Center Branch of Bank of China was officially opened on December 13, 2017, mainly engaged in corporate deposit and loan, remittance, international settlement, trade financing, financial market and other businesses.[6]
stock market
The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), the only securities market in Qatar, was established and put into operation in 1997.As of June 30, 2021, the total number of listed companies is 48, and a small number of ETF funds, short-term treasury bills, bonds, etc. are traded in the market, with a total market value of about $160.1 billion, and the index (QSEIndex) is 10746.In order to encourage foreign investment, the Qatar Exchange was opened to foreigners in April 2005, and anyone can open an account in the exchange through a brokerage company with an ID card for stock trading.However, foreigners can only participate in the secondary market and cannot enter the primary market.
As of June 2021, there are 48 listed companies in Qatar Stock Exchange, including 13 banks and financial service companies, 10 industrial enterprises, 10 consumer goods enterprises, 6 insurance enterprises, 4 real estate enterprises, 3 transportation enterprises and 2 telecommunications enterprises.
Insurance institutions
The main local insurance companies in Qatar are Qatar Insurance Company (QIC), Qatar Islamic Insurance Company (QIIC) and Doha Insurance Company (DIC), whose business scope basically covers all insurance businesses.
Credit card use
It is common for Qatari locals to use credit cards to pay various fees and purchase.Chinese credit cards marked with VISA and MASTER can be used in some local shopping malls, and China UnionPay cards can also be used in some shopping malls.[6]
currency
Qatar's monetary unit is the rial. In any bank and financial institution in Qatar, the rial is freely convertible with the US dollar, euro, British pound, Japanese yen, Swiss franc, Canadian dollar and Australian dollar, and can be freely convertible with the currencies of other five countries in the Gulf region, India and Pakistan.Qatar Rial adopts a fixed exchange rate linked to the US dollar, and the exchange rate of the Rial against the US dollar has been kept at 3.64:1.
Except for a few banks, most financial institutions in Qatar cannot directly exchange RMB with the real.The National Bank of Qatar, Qatar Commercial Bank, Doha Bank and other institutions can use China UnionPay cards in their ATMs.[6]
tourism
In 2021, Qatar will spend about 16.5 billion dollars on tourism in the whole year.In 2021, there will be about 37085 hotel rooms in Qatar, an increase of 11918 rooms since 2016, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.1%, ranking first among Gulf countries.By the end of 2021, the number of hotel rooms in Qatar accounts for 4.5% of the total number of hotels in the Gulf region.In 2021, the occupancy rate of Qatar hotels will be about 71%, ranking first among GCC countries.At the same time, Qatar is the only Gulf country that has achieved growth in hotel revenue in recent years, from $67.8 per room in 2019 to $78.4 in 2021.
Benefited from the organizationQatar World Cup 2022The number of tourists in Qatar will increase by about 325.5% year on year, which will promote the significant growth of hotel industry revenue.Hotel occupancy is expected to reach a record 86%, and revenue will reach 1.6 billion US dollars, with a year-on-year growth of about 59.8%.After the World Cup, the rapidly increasing hotel supply will face downward pressure on occupancy.However, the image improvement brought by the World Cup, the development of important tourism infrastructure, the lifting of epidemic prevention and control measures, and the expectation of world tourism recovery will all support the growth prospects of Qatar's tourism industry.In addition to hosting the 2022 World Cup, Qatar is striving to host various business forums and conferences to build itself into a commercial center in the Gulf region.
As part of the national tourism development strategy, the Qatari government recently launched a promotion campaign targeting 17 tourist sources, and plans to invest 45 billion dollars in the tourism industry after the 2022 World Cup, striving to double the proportion of tourism in GDP in the next 16 years, increasing it to 10% in 2030, attracting 6 million tourists every year.[23]
estate
The real estate industry is one of the fastest growing industries in Qatar and a key area for Qatar to implement its economic diversification strategy.In terms of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), the real estate industry has become the second largest industry after the oil and gas industry.From 2003 to 2021, the real estate industry attracted 11% of all FDI in Qatar, and the proportion of the whole industry in GDP jumped from 5.5% in 2015 to 6.7% in 2020, with an average annual growth rate of more than 3%.From 2010 to 2020, the average annual growth rate of card real estate supply reached 6.9%.
In recent years, the government of Qatar has increased the reform of property ownership legislation, allowing foreign investors to purchase domestic property, granting them the right of permanent residence, and enjoying a variety of treatments, including free medical care, education, and investment opportunities to participate in specific business activities, forming a system environment conducive to attracting investment.In the future, the card real estate market is expected to continue to grow, driven by such factors as the World Cup, the World Formula One Championship, the World Swimming Championships, the Asian Games and other large-scale events, as well as the growing migrant population.
In September 2022, the Qatari government approved the establishment of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority to further strengthen industry supervision and policy incentives to promote the healthy development of Qatar's real estate industry.[22]
foreign trade
Oil and gas export is the main source of Qatar's financial revenue. Its foreign trade has been in surplus for a long time, but Qatar's foreign exchange revenue is closely related to international oil and gas prices.According to the foreign trade data released by the Qatari government, in 2020, Qatar's total trade in goods was 77.34 billion US dollars, a year-on-year decrease of 24.3%, of which the export volume was 51.5 billion US dollars, a year-on-year decrease of 29.4%;The import volume was 25.83 billion US dollars, down 11.5% year on year;The trade surplus was US $25.67 billion, down 41.3% year on year.
According to Qatar's official statistics, in 2020, the total bilateral trade in goods between China and Qatar will be 11.8 billion US dollars, accounting for 15.2% of the total trade in goods between Qatar. China will remain Qatar's largest trading partner, followed by Japan (8.8 billion US dollars), India (8.7 billion US dollars), South Korea (6.9 billion US dollars) and the United States (5.4 billion US dollars).In terms of Qatar's imports, the United States (US $4.1 billion) is its largest source of imports, while China (US $3.9 billion) ranks second;In terms of Qatar's exports, Japan (US $8 billion) is its largest export destination, while China (US $7.8 billion) ranks second.
Qatar's main import and export commodities have a stable structure, and its exports are still dominated by oil and gas source minerals and related chemical products.The main export products include petroleum, liquefied natural gas, condensate, synthetic ammonia, urea, ethylene, etc. The main import products are machinery and transportation equipment, food, industrial raw materials, light industrial products, drugs, etc.The main trading partners are the United States, Japan and Western European countries.In 2023, Qatar's total foreign trade will be 129.2 billion US dollars, including 31.4 billion US dollars in imports and 97.8 billion US dollars in exports.[39]
Foreign investment
Qatar's absorption of foreign investment has traditionally focused on oil and gas upstream development and petrochemical projects. For example, the 14 LNG production lines that have been built are all owned byQatar Petroleum(QP) Joint venture with European and American multinational oil companies and Japanese and Korean enterprises.In the oil, gas and chemical industry, one of the remarkable characteristics of Qatar's absorption of foreign investment is that almost all of Qatar's large oil and gas enterprises and industrial enterprises are controlled by Qatar.
According to UNCTAD《World Investment Report 2021》It shows that in 2020, Qatar will absorb foreign investment of - 2434 million dollars;By the end of 2019, Qatar's stock of absorbing foreign capital was 28.627 billion US dollars.
Microsoft, Oracle and other technology companies have set up branches in Qatar Science Park, mainly focusing on promoting Qatar's digital transformation, carrying out technical training and capacity building, and also carrying out research and development of key Internet technologies such as online learning and cloud computing.Microsoft has set up a cloud computing regional center in Qatar, becoming one of Microsoft's global cloud computing infrastructures.In addition, Oracle, Google, General Electric, Volkswagen, German Ankang and other world famous companies have invested in Qatar. On the one hand, they use the Qatar Special Economic Park as a fulcrum to radiate their business to surrounding countries, and on the other hand, they undertake relevant businesses of the Qatar government.For example, Volkswagen of Germany cooperates with the Qatar government to develop a green intelligent transportation system, which uses automatic driving technology while achieving zero emissions.
China's investment in cards
The overall scale of bilateral investment between China and Kazakhstan is small, but the momentum of development is good.According to the statistics of the Ministry of Commerce of China, China's direct investment in Qatar in 2020 was 94.67 million dollars, and by the end of 2020, China's direct investment stock in Qatar was 619 million dollars.
Chinese enterprises such as China Railway Construction Corporation, Gezhouba, Sinohydro Corporation, China Harbor and Huawei have extensively participated in the construction of infrastructure projects in Qatar in the fields of 2022 World Cup stadiums, strategic reservoirs, Hamad Port, free zone and Lucel New City infrastructure, solar photovoltaic and communications.[6]
Foreign aid
Qatar is rich in oil and gas resources. Its per capita GNP ranks among the top in the world. Its government is in good financial condition. In recent years, it has not received any kind of international assistance, but actively participated in the assistance to developing countries in Asia and Africa.The main organization of the Qatar government to carry out international assistance is the Qatar Fund for Development, whose chairman is Deputy Prime Minister Ka and Minister for Foreign Affairs.In addition, non-governmental organizations and institutions such as Qatar Charity, Qatar Foundation and Education Above All Foundation are also very active in international assistance.[6]
Electronic Commerce
Qatar is an important digital marketing market in the Middle East. It has more than 2 million Internet users, covers the whole country's population, and is one of the countries in the Middle East that have the closest connection with other countries.In order to achieve the goal of "2030 National Vision" of building world-class infrastructure and services and providing people with high-quality life, Qatar has launched a grand ICT expansion plan since 2015, including building modern ICT infrastructure, e-government system and network security,And it has created a digital environment conducive to the development of e-commerce. Mobile Internet has great potential for transactions, and e-commerce activities are active.
Qatar still has a certain market potential in online sales of household goods, furniture, electronic products, health care and beauty products, and there is a great potential for fairs, department stores and grocery retailers to use e-commerce platforms to increase revenue.Qatari sellers constantly improve their sales and marketing strategies, build and update online sales software and platforms to adapt to the new growth trend of changing consumer preferences and increasing online procurement demand.[24]
Culture
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ArabicAs the official language of Qatar, English is widely used locally.Hindi, Malay, Nepalese, Filipino, Bengali and Urdu are also used by the corresponding population with large local population.The employment contract and business contract are generally required to be provided in Arabic. In case of a dispute case, the relevant government and judicial institutions all require to provide Arabic books.[6]
Religion
Islam is the state religion of Qatar, and most of its residents believe in Islam. Most of them belong to the Wahhabi sect of Sunnis, and the Shiite sect accounts for about 10% of the national population.Among foreign residents, 77.5% believe in Islam, and the rest believe in Christianity, Catholicism and Buddhism.[6]
custom
[Address] Qatar is the emirate. All the rulers of the Al Thani family are prefixed with "Sheikh" (women are called "Sheikh").The head of state is not called "king", but "emir".Qataris usually call themselves Mr., Ms. and Miss.
[Etiquette] Qataris have the custom of hugging each other and kissing each other on the face. When relatives and friends meet again after a long separation or go abroad, they will warmly hug and kiss their cheeks three times (only for the same sex).For foreign guests, shaking hands is generally welcome when they first meet, but some very traditional men (such as religious people) do not shake hands with women.
[Customs of hospitality] When visiting a Qatari family or visiting a government agency or enterprise, the host usually first treats the guest with Arabic coffee.The coffee is filled with special pots and small cups. The people who pour coffee wear traditional ethnic costumes and only hold 3-5 cups in their hands.If there are many guests, the front people usually finish using it, and the rear people continue to use it instead of cleaning it.The amount of coffee poured each time is not much, only about 1/3 of the cup.If the guest doesn't want to drink again after drinking, shake the cup left and right, otherwise the host will add more to the cup until the guest shakes the cup.However, over time, this habit has become less strict.If the guest doesn't want to drink any more, he can wave his hand.
[Clothing] Qatari men wear traditional white robes and headscarves (mostly white, but also red or black checkered headscarves, which are pressed with black rope loops) in workplaces, public places and when entertaining guests;Women wear black robes.Some women still wear veils in public places, some people use veils to cover their heads, and some people only show their eyes.[6]
taboo
Qatar strictly forbids alcohol and imports and sales of pork.In addition, Muslims do not eat animals that have not been slaughtered in Islamic ways, dead animals and their blood, nor strange or scaleless aquatic animals, nor ruminant land animals.[6]
Qatar's state religion is Islam, which forbids alcohol and pork. It is taboo to talk about pigs.Women should avoid wearing too exposed clothes in public places, and men should avoid wearing vests and shorts.Men and women should not be overly intimate in public.Please do not take photos of local government departments and military institutions, or they may be detained.Do not take photos of local people, especially women and children. If you need to take photos, you must obtain their consent in advance.You must drink in a hotel or bar with a license to sell alcohol, otherwise it will be considered illegal, and you will be sentenced to a heavy sentence for drunk driving.[12]
diet
Like other Arab countries, Qataris like to eat vegetable salad, cheese and pickled olives. The Middle East specialty hummus sauce is a must for every meal.Dinner mainly includes pancake, roast meat and fish.Qataris also love sweet food, which is indispensable for every meal.Public restaurants strictly prohibit alcohol, but some five-star hotels can provide beer, wine, whiskey and other foreign wines.Common drinks are black tea, coffee and milk.Black tea is usually sweetened.Coffee is usually added with cardamom, which is slightly bitter and refreshing.[6]
Braised broad beans are Qatar's favorite breakfast food. They are made from broad beans, garlic and olive oil.Qataris usually eat fresh vegetables and meat for lunch and dinner, and they like to add a lot of flavoring to various dishes.
Qataris mainly eat rice, beef and mutton, and seafood. Roasted whole sheep with special flavor is usually used to entertain distinguished guests. In addition, welcome guests can also taste sweet and delicious dates rice, fried rice with dates, pine nuts, and raisins. These are rare delicacies in other places, and also local specialties.The Qatari government has formulated a unified hygiene standard for the catering sector and regularly inspected it, which shows that the hygiene is in good condition.[15]
entertainment
Qataris like to spend time in cafes, drinking coffee or tea, smoking hookah and talking loudly at the same time.Some business negotiations are also held in coffee shops.In the traditional market in the old city of Doha, outdoor traditional song and dance performances are often held at night, and the performers are all men.Qataris have strong family values. Every weekend, family relatives get together to have barbecues, drink coffee and enjoy family happiness.[6]
festival
Qatar mainly has four national statutory public festivals: Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha, the Islamic religious festival, the National Day (December 18) and the National Sports Day (the second Tuesday in February each year).The National Day and the National Sports Day are one-day holidays.Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha holidays range from 5 to 10 days.Fridays and Saturdays are national public holidays, but most private sectors work as usual on Saturdays.During Ramadan, the daily working hours were reduced to 5 hours.[6]
Eid al Fitr
It is one of the main Islamic festivals.Together with Eid al Adha, it is called the two major festivals of Islam.A free translation of the Arabic word "de Fetur".The Persian word is Ruzi.Adult male and female Muslims fast for one month in September of each year (commonly known as "Ramadan") in the Islamic calendar. They abstain from food, sex and all offensive acts from dawn to sunset every day, so as to check their bowing and wash away their sins. According to Mohammed's instruction on "fasting at the new moon, fasting at the new moon", Ramadan begins every year when the new moon appears in the beginning of September in the Islamic calendar,It ends when the new moon is seen at the beginning of October.
Eid al Adha
It is one of the main Islamic festivals, also known as the Eid al Adha."Gurbang" means "sacrifice" and "sacrifice". It is one of the main rituals of Hajj, and the time is December 10 in the Islamic calendar, the last day of the Hajj period.On that day, the pilgrims will slaughter animals.Muslims with rich economic conditions should slaughter livestock within 3 days from December 10 to 12 in the Islamic calendar, which is invalid.
military
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Qatar is a member of the Cooperation Council of the Gulf Arab States and implements a unified defense policy.The system of voluntary military service shall be implemented.The total strength of the armed forces is about 12000, of which 30% are Qatari citizens.[39]
traffic
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Qatar has no railway, and the main cities are connected by modern highway network.The main ports are Doha Port, Umsaid Port and Laslava Port, which is the largest LNG export port in the world.[39]
highway
The total length of Qatar's roads is about 9830km, including 1580km of trunk roads and 8250km of branch roads at all levels, forming a road network covering the whole country.[6]
Railway
At present, there is no railway in Qatar. Qatar plans to build about 500 kilometers of railway in the long term as part of the railway network of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC six countries). At present, the project has not been started.Qatar railway network is mainly composed of three subway lines centered in Doha, and Qatar Railway Company is responsible for operation and maintenance.[12]
In May 2019, the first phase of the red line (Red Line, north-south, connecting Hamad International Airport) of the metro project in Qatar was put into operation, connecting 13 stations from AlQassar to AlWakra. There were 18 stations along the red line, with a total length of 40 kilometers, connecting Lusail in the north and AlWakra in the south. The subway is the first rail transit line in Qatar, with a design speed of 80~100 kilometers per hour.
In November 2019, the Metro Green Line (east-west direction, 22 kilometers in total, connecting 11 stations) and the Metro Gold Line (east-west direction, 14 kilometers in total, connecting 11 stations) were put into operation. The first phase of the planned subway network has been formed.[6]
air transport
Hamad international airport It is the main gateway and aviation hub of Qatar, and also one of the largest airports in the region. It is operated by Qatar Airlines and put into use in 2014. It has routes to more than 160 destinations around the world. Most hotels in Doha provide free shuttle buses to the airport.The Qatari government has invested heavily in its national airlines and airports, and has achieved considerable results.Passengers taking Qatar Airways can enjoy free city travel, accommodation and VIP transfer services when they transfer at Hamad Airport.Airline staff will guide passengers seamlessly when they disembark.
On August 9, 2021, Qatar's Hamad International Airport (HIA) rose to the first place in the world in the list of "the world's best airports" selected by the international air transport rating organization Skytrax. In addition to the title of "the world's best airport", Hamad Airport also won "the best airport in the Middle East", "the international super first-class airport", "the best airport with 25 million to 35 million throughput""Best Airport Employee in the Middle East" and "New Crown Excellence Airport".[17]In 2021, it will rank sixth among the busiest international airports in the world.[18]
Hamad international airport
airline company
Qatar AirwaysThe international routes operated have covered more than 160 destinations around the world. There are basically non-stop flights with major cities in countries and regions around the world. There are 206 passenger flights, 28 cargo flights, and 22 commercial and administrative charter flights, with more than 46000 employees worldwide.In 2020, there will be about 32.4 million passengers on passenger flights.Before the COVID-19 epidemic, Qatar Airways had seven direct routes to China, namely Doha Beijing, Doha Shanghai, Doha Guangzhou, Doha Chongqing, Doha Chengdu, Doha Hangzhou and Doha Hong Kong.[6]
water transport
The main ports of Qatar are Hamad Port, Doha Port, Rasrafan Port and Messaid Port.Hamad Port, which was put into trial operation on December 1, 2016, is the most important commercial port in Qatar, with an annual throughput of 2 million TEUs and a long-term planned annual throughput of 7.5 million TEUs.Since 2017, the port of Doha has been changed to a cruise ship port instead of commercial ships.Rasrafan Port is a special port for Qatar's LNG export, and the Port of Masayid is mainly used for Qatar's crude oil and petrochemical products export.
On September 5, 2017, Port Hamad was officially opened.Hamad Port is an important part of Qatar's "2030 National Vision" plan. The opening of the port is of great significance for safeguarding Qatar's commodity supply and promoting diversified economic development.The completed Hamad Port is the main port in the Middle East Gulf. The port covers an area of more than 28.5 square kilometers. The port basin is 4 kilometers long, 700 meters wide, and the average water depth is 17 meters. It is designed to handle 7.5 million standard containers annually.The port has a special wharf for handling 1.7 million tons of bulk cargo, 1 million tons of grain, 500000 vehicles and live poultry.The total investment of Qatar Hamad Port is 2 billion US dollars. The main works of the port - harbor basin and inner breakwater project are undertaken by China Harbor Engineering Corporation.[6]
Public transportation
Doha Metro is currently the latest automated railway network in Qatar, covering the whole Doha urban area. The whole line of the metro includes three lines: the red line, the gold line and the green line.The Doha subway network has been fully connected, greatly improving the convenience of public transportation in the city. The one-way ticket price of the subway is 2 QAR, so you can take it at will.
Many major attractions in Doha are located near the subway line.The red line has 18 stations in total, connecting the southern Al Wakra region and the northern Lusail region, with a total length of 40 kilometers, passing through the Xiwan Business District and the Doha Binhai Road.The golden line has 11 stations in total, extending from Ras Bu Abboud to Al Aziziyah, running through the old city, and passing through cultural and historical attractions such as the Qatar National Museum, the Iraqi Art Museum, and the Wajif Market, known as the "historical line".The green line has 11 stations, extending from Al Mansoura to Al Riffa, passing through the Education City, the National Library, Aishakabu Equestrian Center, etc., and is called the "education line".The airport line is connected to the red line of the Doha subway. You can take the subway directly from downtown Doha to Hamad International Airport.
In addition, Qatar also provides tourists with the Doha Bus, which passes through Hamad International Airport and major attractions in Doha, including the Islamic Art Museum, the National Museum, the Waqf Market, and the Cultural Village.
Although Qatar's public transport system is becoming more and more complete, most people still travel mainly by self driving or taking taxis, and tourists can rent cars.Qatari vehicles drive on the right. There are many turntables (roundabouts) in Doha. When passing the turntable, the left side of the turntable must go first.Electronic monitoring systems and mobile radar speed measuring equipment are set up in several sections of Doha City, and violators of traffic regulations will be severely punished.There are many sand dunes and deserts in the suburbs. The terrain is complex and it is easy to get lost. Vehicles are easy to get stuck in the sand dunes. It is necessary to avoid driving alone into the desert.[12]
Sociology
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education
The Qatari government attaches importance to the development of education, implements free education, provides excellent students with opportunities to study abroad, and grants scholarships.There are 567 schools and more than 10 universities in China.We have actively carried out foreign education cooperation, and eight American and Canadian universities have set up branch schools in Qatar.Qatar announced the total expenditure of 2021 budget at the end of 2020, which is 194.7 billion rials, including 17.4 billion rials of education expenditure, accounting for 8.9% of the total budget expenditure.
According to the data released by the Qatar Planning and Statistics Office, by the end of 2019, Qatar's literacy rate had reached 99%, ranking ninth in the world.In the 2017~2018 academic year, there were more than 317000 students in various basic education stages (pre university), of which 38% were in public schools and 62% were in private schools.The government of Qatar provides free benefits for citizens to study in public schools from primary school to high school, but they have to pay for studying in international schools at a high price. The government of Qatar implements an education card system, and Qatar citizens can be reimbursed for studying in local international schools according to standards.
Qatar's higher education resources are mainly concentrated in the Qatar Education City project, which was officially put into use by the Qatar Foundation in 2003. The project area focuses on universities, scientific research and development centers, talent training and other institutions related to education.The core is the university campus area including many universities. Except for two local universities, the rest are excellent universities directly introduced from abroad.Among them, some majors of Virginia Commonwealth University, Cornell University, Texas A&M University, Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University and Northwestern University have set up branches and campuses here.The largest university in Qatar is Qatar University, a public university, which was founded in 1973 and has nearly 20000 students in various majors.The largest private university is Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBUK), which is set up in the Education City project and now has 2834 students.
Qatar has established a modern public library.The Qatar National Library covers an area of 45000 square meters, has a relatively rich collection of books, advanced hardware facilities, and electronic book management. It is an important cultural and educational facility in Qatar.[6]
hygiene
Qatar's medical and health budget in fiscal year 2021 is 16.5 billion QAR, accounting for 8.5% of the total national budget expenditure, and the per capita medical budget expenditure is about 2200 dollars.Qatari citizens enjoy free medical treatment. If the public hospitals in Qatar are unable to treat some difficult and miscellaneous diseases, citizens can go abroad for treatment after they issue a certificate, and the expenses incurred will be reimbursed by the Qatari government according to relevant standards.Foreign residents can also enjoy free medical care in Qatar. They only need to pay 100 riyals a year to apply for a medical card. They only need to pay a small fee each time they see a doctor. Most of the costs of medicine and hospitalization are borne by the government.[6]
Qatar has public medical institutions and highly specialized private clinics covering the whole country.All public hospitals and community clinics provide medical services for card citizens and foreign people who often live in the card. Those who hold valid long-term residence visas can apply for medical cards. They can enjoy a series of medical subsidies by paying 100 rials of medical insurance premiums every year.Non resident foreign personnel do not enjoy medical subsidies when they see a doctor.
Hamad General Hospital is a non-profit large comprehensive medical institution founded by the Kadeer government. It has a highly specialized medical team and advanced medical facilities. It has five branches and community clinics across the country.Hamad Hospital fulfills the commitment of "everyone has access to health care" made by the Kadeer government, and provides medical services to Kadeer citizens and foreign people who often live in Kadeer, including vaccination, immunization and quarantine services, infectious disease control, rehabilitation services, and medical treatment in various medical departments.The emergency department of Hamad Hospital receives emergency patients, who can go to see a doctor with passports or other identity documents.[12]
media
Qatar Media Corporation is the official broadcasting company of the card.Qatar National Television, Qatar Radio, Qatar Broadcasting Station (QBS), as well as a sports channel called Alkass, a religious radio station and three broadcasts in other languages are all operated and supervised by the company.Qatar News Agency is the official news agency of Qatar, which mainly reports news in Arabic and English, and also provides news in Spanish and Portuguese.
[TV] The cable TV service is mainly provided by Ooredoo (formerly Qatar Telecom, referred to as Qtel), whose business has been internationalized, covering most regions and countries in the Middle East, and has been listed in Dubai. It can broadcast about 160 sets of international and regional major video channels to users nationwide, and has realized digital and optical network transmission.Qatar State Television has two programs, which are broadcast in Arabic and English respectively.
Headquartered in Doha, QatarAl JazeeraIt is an influential television media in the Arab world and even in the world. It has not only current affairs news channels, but also sports, children and documentary channels;Not only Arabic programs are broadcast, but also English international channels are opened;It not only targets the audience of Arab countries in the Middle East, but also transmits programs to most countries and regions in the world through satellite.Al Jazeera has an important influence in the Arab world, but it is also controversial. Since the "Gulf diplomatic disconnection incident", Al Jazeera has been boycotted by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and other Arab countries.
[Radio] Qatar Radio broadcasts Urdu language programs in addition to Arabic programs;In addition, there is an English FM channel with the frequency of FM97.5, which broadcasts news and entertainment programs in English at different times every day.Qatar also has an independent "Voice of the Gulf" radio station, which mainly broadcasts entertainment and sports news programs.
[Newspapers] The newspapers with a large circulation in Qatar are mainly four Arabic daily newspapers: the Banner, the Orient, the Motherland and the Arabian;3 English daily newspapers: Al Jazeera, Gulf Times and Qatar Tribune.
[Network] All departments of the Qatar government have their own websites, most of which are in Arabic and English versions.Most Qatari newspapers and periodicals have online editions updated simultaneously with the paper media.
[Media Association] The Doha Free Media Center advocates the principles of freedom, integrity, independence, responsibility and transparency, strengthens international ties through mutual respect and constructive dialogue, and achieves the goal of media freedom.The Center has signed a cooperation agreement with Reporters Without Borders.The major media in Qatar have a generally friendly attitude towards China. They have positive reports on the co construction of the "Belt and Road" cooperation and China's participation in international anti epidemic cooperation. They also quote or reprint the views of industry experts or western media on international hot political and economic issues.[6]
signal communication
Qatar has good communication facilities and 99.6% Internet coverage. It is one of the first countries in the world to start 5G commercial services. It has advanced technology and equipment and a high degree of informatization. The two major operators, OOREDOO and VODAFONE, share the communication service market, and the market share of OOREDOO is higher than that of VODAFONE.Qatar Post Office basically covers the whole country;There are 3.95 million registered mobile phone users, 450000 registered fixed phone users and 268000 registered wired broadband users in China.
The Qatari government attaches importance to the development of high-end information and communication technology represented by 5G.At the beginning of 2019, Qatar Ooredoo and Vodafone operators both obtained 5G spectrum licenses.Qatar's communication regulatory authority CRA has designated and configured corresponding frequency band resources for the two operators for commercial deployment of 5G services.Both operators said that they would be committed to the deployment of 5G networks in densely populated areas, main roads and highways, as well as related venues for the 2022 World Cup.Ooredoo and Vodafone have carried out extensive cooperation with Huawei, ZTE and other Chinese communication equipment companies.[6]
public security
[Armed organization] There is no anti-government armed organization in Qatar.The government does not allow private ownership of guns.
[Social security] Qatar has a good social security situation and a low incidence of criminal cases.With the development of major projects, the migrant population has grown rapidly, with a population of nearly 2.65 million. The proportion of migrant population and local population is close to 9:1. Moreover, the gender ratio of migrant population is seriously unbalanced, with men accounting for more than 80%, leading to an increase in social security risks.The Global Urban Database NUMBEO 2021 Crime Index Ranking shows that Qatar has a crime index of 12.29 and a security index of 87.71, ranking 135 out of 135 countries (regions) (the lower the ranking, the better the social security situation), which is the safest among the countries and regions participating in the evaluation.[6]
hydropower
Qatar Hydropower Corporation (Kahramaa) is responsible for the production, transmission and sales of hydropower in Qatar.According to the company's data, Qatar produced 671 million cubic meters of water in 2019, an increase of 5.4% over 2018. Except 350000 cubic meters of well water, the rest was desalinated seawater.The daily output of desalination is 455 million gallons (about 2.07 million cubic meters).In terms of water storage and supply, the Qatari government has invested in the construction of a super reservoir project to ensure water security. The project includes five giant reservoirs, which are connected by pipelines. Each giant reservoir is composed of nine pools.
Qatar's electricity is basically from natural gas thermal power stations. In 2019, the annual power generation was 49.8 billion kWh (49873GWh), an increase of 41% over 2018.According to the development plan of the Qatar government, the installed power generation capacity of the country has increased to 13.1GW by 2018.In order to achieve the goal of sustainable development and implement the diversified economic development strategy, Qatar is also actively exploring the construction of photovoltaic power generation projects, and strives to achieve the goal of 20% of the total power generation from renewable energy in 2030.At the end of 2018, there were 376636 registered users of electricity meters and 329832 registered users of water meters.[6]
price
According to the survey conducted by websites such as numbeo and expatistan, Qatar's cost of living ranks among the countries with the highest cost of living in the world. According to expatistan, Qatar ranks 15th among the 84 countries sampled and 2nd in the Middle East region;According to numbeo, Doha, the capital, ranked 177th among 492 cities in the world;According to the data from two websites, the monthly living expenses of a family of four living in Qatar, excluding housing expenses, exceed 11000 rials;Living alone in Qatar, the monthly living expenses excluding housing expenses exceed 3000 rials.[6]
Entrepreneurship
According to Qatar's Al Jazeera recently quoted the GEM 2021/2022 annual report, Qatar's National Entrepreneurship Environment Index (NECI) score in 2021 was 5.5, ranking ninth among 50 countries in the world and third in the Middle East and North Africa.According to the report, Qatar is among the first choice countries for entrepreneurs because of its strong policy and business development environment for entrepreneurs, and is far ahead of a number of developed countries, including the United States, France, Germany, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom.Qatar is one of the countries with the highest level of expectations for new jobs. At least one out of every 10 adults in the country will start or be operating entrepreneurial projects, and hopes to employ at least six employees within five years.More than 73% of the respondents believe that there are more opportunities to start businesses in Qatar, an increase of 1% over 2020. About 71% of the respondents said that they have entrepreneurial skills, knowledge and experience, an increase of 3% over 2020.[21]
salary
Qatar has a small population and strong labor demand.96% of the domestic employed population work in government departments or state-owned enterprises, so a large number of foreign talents and ordinary labor need to be introduced.Senior talents mainly come from European and American countries;Middle level talents mainly come from other Arab countries, India, Pakistan and other countries;Ordinary labor services mainly come from Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other countries.
In August 2020, Qatar stipulated the statutory minimum wage standard monthly salary of 1000 rials (exchange rate: US $1=3.64 rials) in the form of departmental regulations. If the employer cannot provide accommodation and catering, it needs to pay additional wages of 500 and 300 rials.The monthly salary of ordinary foreign workers is generally between 1200 and 2000 rials;The wages of skilled workers are generally more than 2500 rials.According to the labor force survey report issued by the Qatar government, the average monthly wage for working in Qatar is 11351 riyals.[6]
social security
According to the International Social Security Association, Qatar's endowment insurance is 5% of the total income of individuals and 10% of the total income of employers, including government units.The male retires at the age of 60, and the female retires at the age of 55, who can receive pension after 15 years of continuous payment.The minimum pension is 75% of the salary and the maximum pension is 100% of the salary.[6]
Sports
On October 17, 2022 Beijing time, the AFC held an executive committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur.After voting, the AFC decided that Qatar would become the host of the 2023 Asian Cup.[9]
On November 20, 2022,Qatar World Cup 2022The opening ceremony is the first World Cup in the Middle East and the second World Cup in Asia after the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.[13]Qatar has been waiting for this moment for 12 years after successfully bidding for the World Cup in 2010.In the past 12 years, Qataris have never stopped - stadiums have sprung up from the desert, wide highways have expanded the radius of the city, and photovoltaic power plants have been built to achieve the first "Zero Carbon World Cup". Hamad International Airport has never been so busy, fans from all over the world have arrived in succession, and more fans are still on their way. This Gulf country with only 2 million people,More than 1 million fans are expected to visit.Fans from all over the world gather here not only to shout for the team they support, but also to let different cultures rub off civilization sparks in the collision and blending under the same piece of fireworks.[14]
A columnist on Al Jazeera's website said: "For us, holding the World Cup is to reflect soft power rather than to make money, which can make citizens proud of their country and improve the image of the country on the international stage." In the opinion of Qatar officials, holding the World Cup has improved national infrastructure construction,In the future, it can attract more foreign investment and international tourists and promote the development of the national strategy - "2030 National Vision".[16]
Qatar World Cup emblem
International Relations
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foreign policy
Pursuing a positive and pragmatic foreign policy, it has established diplomatic relations with more than 130 countries so far.We should attach importance to developing relations with the United States and other western countries, and strengthen relations with China, Japan, South Korea and other Asian countries.It is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council for Arab States, the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the United Nations and other regional and international organizations, as well as the headquarters of the World Natural Gas Exporting Countries Forum, the host of the 2022 World Cup and the 2030 Asian Games.In May 2014, Qatar became a member of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.In September 2021, Qatar became a dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.[39]
external relations
Relations with the United States
Card has close relations with the United States, and maintaining and developing relations with the United States is an important pillar of card's foreign relations.After the end of the Iraq war, Emir Kadeer visited the United States to coordinate with the United States the position of post-war reconstruction in Iraq, in order to repay Kadeer's support for the Iraq war,George Walker Bush In June 2003, the President visited the United States as the first President of the United States.The two countries have close military cooperation.The two countries renewed the 1992 defense agreement, with 7000 US troops stationed in Qatar. The US Central Command has moved from the mainland to Qatar. The Udaid base has become one of the largest US military bases overseas.The US investment in cards has reached 10 billion US dollars.In January 2006, the chief of staff of the armed forces of Qatar Atia visited the United States;In March, Philip, Assistant Secretary of State of the United States, visited the card;In August, the US Attorney General and Attorney General Gonzalez paid a visit to Qatar.
On January 31, 2022 local time, US President Biden promised the Emir Tamim of Qatar that he intended to confirm Qatar as a "major non NATO ally" of the United States.[3]
In March 2022, the United States granted Qatar the status of "non NATO" major ally.[4]
Relations with France
The relations between Kazakhstan and France are friendly.In January and March 2006, Kaemir Hamad paid two visits to FranceChiracExchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues.In April, Prime Minister KarzaiAbdullahVisiting France.In June, French Foreign Minister Douste Blazy visited Qatar.
On February 11, 2019, Qatar and France signed an agreement of intent on strategic dialogue in Doha, the capital of Qatar.[2]
On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain announced that they had broken off diplomatic relations with Qatar on the grounds of supporting terrorism and interfering in internal affairs.In January 2021, the GCC Summit will be held in Euler, Saudi Arabia. The six GCC countries and Egypt jointly issued the Euler Declaration.In the same month, Saudi Arabia and Egypt resumed diplomatic relations with Qatar and fully resumed exchanges.In April and June 2023, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates will resume diplomatic relations with Qatar.[39]
On April 12, 2023, the delegations of Bahrain and Qatar held a meeting at the Secretariat of the Cooperation Council of the Gulf Arab States (GCC) in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The two sides decided to follow the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and adhere to the principles of mutual equality and respect for sovereignty and independence,To officially resume diplomatic relations between the two countries with the goal of developing bilateral relations and maintaining the internal unity of the GCC.[26]
Relations with Iran
On January 31, 2024 local time, Iran announced unilateral visa exemption for Qatar[32-33]。
On August 2, 2024 local time, the Emir of Qatar (Head of State) Tamim held talks with Iran's Vice President Mohammed Reza Arif in Doha, focusing on the death of Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) leader Haniyeh and the current regional situation.[37]
On August 26, 2024 local time, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed visited Iran and held meetings with Iranian President Pezehiziyan and Iranian Foreign Minister Araghi.[41]
Relations with the United Arab Emirates
On June 19, 2023 local time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar announced that the Qatar Embassy in the United Arab Emirates, the Consulate in Dubai and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Qatar in Doha, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, would reopen and resume work from now on.[30]
Relations with India
On the evening of February 14, 2024 local time, Indian Prime Minister Modi arrived in Doha, the capital of Qatar, for a two-day visit.This is Modi's second visit to Qatar after 2016.[34]
Iraq: It advocates safeguarding Iraq's national unity and territorial integrity, welcomes Iraq's political processes such as holding general elections, and hopes that Iraq will achieve national security and stability as soon as possible.Announced debt relief for most of Iraq.
On the evening of June 15, 2023 local time, during the visit of Emir Tamim of Qatar to Iraq, the governments of Iraq and Qatar officially signed the Joint Statement of Intent and a number of memorandums of understanding in the field of trade and energy.On the evening of the 15th, Iraqi Prime Minister Sudani and Tamim led representatives of the two countries to hold an expanded meeting to discuss the signing of cooperation documents in the fields of energy, transportation, investment and information security.According to the statement of the media office of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Iraq will strengthen political and security consultations with Qatar, and plans to set up a special team to follow up joint projects with Qatar, aiming to improve the level of economic and investment cooperation with Qatar in energy and other fields.At the meeting, Sudani revealed that Iraq will hold the "Conference on Economic Integration and Regional Stability" at the end of this year, reaffirming the establishment of "a successful economy" among Arab countries and countries in the region.In addition, according to the memorandum of understanding signed on the same day, Iraq and Qatar intend to cancel the entry visa requirements for personnel holding diplomatic passports.[29]
Middle East peace process: Support the Middle East peace process.Believes that the core of the Middle East issue is the Palestinian issue, and supports the establishment of an independentState of PalestineAnd advocates the political settlement of the Arab Israeli dispute on the basis of relevant Security Council resolutions, the Madrid Peace Conference and the principle of "land for peace".He called on the international community, especially the United States and the "Quartet", to continue their efforts to promote the Middle East peace process.Karzai provided US $11 million in aid to Pakistan at the London Conference in March 2005 and US $50 million to the Palestinian National Authority in April 2006.
Counter terrorism: Qatar opposes all forms of terrorism, but stresses that terrorism should be distinguished from Arabs and Islam, that any military attack should avoid harming innocent people, and that the just struggle of the Palestinian people must not be confused with terrorism.
Relations with Britain
On July 22, 2024 local time, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Mohammed had a telephone conversation with British Foreign Secretary David Lamy.In addition to bilateral relations, the two sides focused on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as well as the latest progress in mediation of the Palestinian Israeli conflict by Qatar and other countries.[36]
Relations with Turkey
On August 8, 2024 local time, the Information Bureau of the Turkish Presidential Palace announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with the visiting Emir (Head of State) Tamim of Qatar at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, the capital of Turkey.[38]
Sino Card relationship
On July 9, 1988, the two countries established diplomatic relations.After the establishment of diplomatic ties, China CARIGALI relations have developed smoothly, practical cooperation in various fields between the two countries has been constantly promoted, and good communication and coordination have been maintained in international and regional affairs.In November 2014, during the state visit of the Emir Tamim of Qatar to China, the two sides issued a joint statement announcing the establishment of a strategic partnership.November 2014Emir of QatarDuring their state visit to China, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly building the "Belt and Road".
The economic and trade cooperation between the two countries is fruitful.China has become Qatar's largest trading partner since 2020.In 2023, the bilateral trade volume between China and Qatar will reach US $24.533 billion, including US $3.636 billion in Chinese exports and US $20.897 billion in imports.In the first half of 2024, the bilateral trade volume between China and Qatar will be 11.95 billion US dollars, including 2.053 billion US dollars of Chinese exports and 9.897 billion US dollars of imports.China mainly exports electromechanical equipment and mainly imports liquefied natural gas, industrial helium, etc.
Qatar is an important natural gas partner of China.Qatar has long been China's second largest supplier of liquefied natural gas.In 2023, China will import 16.661 million tons of LNG from Qatar.In the first half of 2024, China will import 7.744 million tons of LNG from Qatar.
During the state visit of the Emir of Qatar to China in November 2014, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly building the "Belt and Road".
In 2014, China and Qatar signed a local currency swap agreement, which will be renewed in 2021.
People to people and cultural exchanges between the two countries have been carried out smoothly.In 2016, the "China Qatar Cultural Year" was held in Qatar.In recent years, Chinese art troupes have performed in Qatar for many times, which has been well received by the local people.From April to June 2018, the "Memory and Treasure Collection Exhibition in Al Thani, Qatar" was held in the Palace Museum.The first cooperation of giant pandas in the Middle East was carried out between China and Qatar. In October 2022, giant pandas "Beijing" and "Sihai" arrived in Qatar, and the giant panda pavilion opened in November.
In 2005, Qatar became an outbound tourist destination for Chinese citizens.In May 2018, the travel business of Chinese citizens to Qatar was officially launched.In July, the two countries signed a comprehensive visa exemption agreement.[40]
From September 18 to 20, 2024, Li Mingxiang, Vice Minister of the Joint Ministry of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, led a Chinese Communist Party delegation to visit Qatar, met with the Chairman of the Asian Friendship Group of the CARD Consultative Conference, H.E. Hitler, Chairman of the Committee of Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Hamadi. They had discussions and exchanges with think tanks and scholars, and thoroughly introduced Xi Jinping's thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era and the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.The two sides said that they would jointly implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, deepen strategic communication and exchange of ideas, and promote the continuous development of the China Qatar strategic partnership.[42]
