Natives of the Arabian Peninsula, many Qataris are descended from a number of migratory Arab tribes that came to Qatar in the 18th century from mainly the neighboring areas of Nejd and Al-Hasa. Some are descended from Omani tribes. Qatar has about 2.6 million inhabitants as of early 2017, the vast majority of whom live in Doha, the capital. Foreign workers amount to around 88% of the population, with Indians being the largest community numbering around 1,230,000. The treatment of these foreign workers has been heavily criticized in recent years, with living conditions suggested to be exploitative and abusive.
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is a semi-private chartered, non-profit organization in Qatar, founded in 1995 by then-emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his second wife Moza bint Nasser. In addition to private funding, it is government-supported and in some ways government-funded. Qatar Foundation (QF), chaired by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, has spearheaded Qatar's endeavors to establish itself as a leader in education, science, and cultural development on both a regional and global scale. QF has stated an aim "to support Qatar on its journey from a carbon economy to a knowledge economy by unlocking human potential."
The education system in Qatar is jointly directed and controlled by the Supreme Education Council (SEC) and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) at all levels. The SEC is responsible for overseeing independent schools, whereas the MOE is responsible for providing support to private schools. Formal schooling officially began in 1956. Primary schooling is obligatory for every child and is free in public schools.
Al-Rayyan Sports Club is a Qatari multisports club fielding teams in a number of sports such as football, futsal, basketball, volleyball, handball, athletics, table tennis and swimming. It is based at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Omm Alafai in the city of Al Rayyan. The club was founded in 1967 after merging the old Rayyan team with Nusoor Club. The official team colours are red and black.
Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country located in Western Asia, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with neighbouring Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) monarchy 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.
Naziha Jawdet Ashgah al-Dulaimi was an early pioneer of the Iraqi feminist movement. She was a cofounder and first president of the Iraqi Women League, the first woman minister in Iraq's modern history, and the first woman cabinet minister in the Arab world.
The state of human rights in Qatar is a concern for several non-governmental organisations, such as Human Rights Watch, which reported in 2012 that hundreds of thousands of mostly South Asian migrant workers in construction in Qatar risk serious exploitation and abuse, sometimes amounting to forced labour. Awareness grew internationally after Qatar's selection to stage the 2022 World Cup, and some reforms have since taken place, including two significant changes in 2020.
The culture of Qatar is strongly influenced by traditional Bedouin culture, with less acute influence deriving from India, East Africa and elsewhere in the Persian Gulf. The peninsula's harsh climatic conditions compelled its inhabitants to turn to the sea for sustenance. Thus, there is a distinct emphasis placed on the sea in local culture. Literature and folklore themes are often related to sea-based activities.
Qatar Olympic Committee is the National Olympic Committee representing Qatar.
Mansour Muftah Faraj Bekhit Al-Abdullah, or simply Mansour Muftah is a former Qatari footballer who played as a forward. He was the top scorer in the Qatar Stars League a record 4 times, as well as being the top scorer for the Qatar national team till this day with 53 goals. Other sources indicate that he only scored 31 goals.
Doha is the capital and most populous city of the State of Qatar. It has a population of 956,460 (2015). The city is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf in the east of the country, North of Al Wakrah and South of Al Khor. It is Qatar's fastest growing city, with over 80% of the nation's population living in Doha or its surrounding suburbs, and it is the political and economic center of the country.
Qatar–United Arab Emirates relations are the relations between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Both countries share a naval border and are part of the Arabic-speaking Persian Gulf region. They are both members of the GCC.
Sami Mohamed Wafa is a retired naturalised Qatari footballer who played as a goalkeeper for the Qatar national team in the 1984 Asian Cup. He also played for Al Sadd at club level.
Women in Qatar Qatar's policies regarding women's rights is restricted due to the male guardianship law. and restrictions influenced by the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam. Both women and men were enfranchised in the country at the same time, in 1999. Labor force participation rates of Qatari women are above the world average and among the highest in the Arab World, which comes mainly as a result of an increasing number of Qatari women who are attaining academic degrees.
Lycée Franco-Qatarien Voltaire is a French international school in West Bay, Doha, Qatar, in proximity to the Institut français du Qatar and the University of Qatar. As of 2015 it has 518 students.
Mohammed bin Hashim al-Awadhy was a Qatari militant and the coordinator and promoter of the "Wa Atasemo for the Relief of Our People in Syria" Islamic charity organization. Mohammed was the son of Hisham al-Awadhy, a Qatari businessman. Mohammed was killed in battle in northeastern Syria in early 2015. It is believed that he was fighting with Ahrar al-Sham at the time, although ISIS supporters have also labeled al-Awadhy as a "martyr."
Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al Rabban ( is a prominent Qatari businessman whose operations are based in Doha.
Kaltham Jaber is a Qatari writer and poet. Considered a pioneer among women writers in the country, she was the first Qatari woman to author a collection of short stories, doing so in 1978. This feat also made her the first Qatari woman to publish a major work. She teaches in the Department of Social Sciences at Qatar University.
Qatari literature traces its origins back to the 19th century. Originally, written poetry was the most common form of expression, but poetry later fell out of favor after Qatar began reaping the profits from oil exports in the mid-20th century and many Qataris abandoned their Bedouin traditions in favor of more urban lifestyles.
Khalid Mohamed Al Jaber is a record holder Qatari biker and traveler who travels to spread messages and create awareness about specific subjects. In 2017, he traveled 21,000 km at the silk route, from London to Beijing, promoting the work of charitable health projects that work for children without limbs. He traveled 43,000 km from Alaska to Argentina in 2018, spreading the idea of traveling and exploring among young people. The trip was supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Qatar.
