About Qatar

The State of Qatar is a highly dynamic and the most financially viable country in the Arab world surpassing many countries in Europe due to its very progressive economic continual stability. Qatar has a very rich cultural and historical heritage still unchallenged by its neighbouring countries due its unprecedented noble ambition and tradition, which brings Qatar out on top of the world.

Heart of the Arabian

 

Qatar is a peninsula situated halfway along the west coast of the Arabian Gulf. It is bordered to the south by Saudi Arabia, with the Kingdom of Bahrain a short distance to the east. It covers an area of 11,437 square km and has a coastline of over 700km.

 

Doha’s fast advancement from a small pearl fishing peninsula to a growing economy is mainly due to the discovery of oil and the contribution of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). However His Highness The Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani’s decision to encourage investment in the non-oil sector has led to investment in sectors such as tourism.

 

The country’s economy has experienced tremendous growth over the past five years and is becoming a modern country with a flourishing economy, achieving one of the highest per capita incomes in the world of $US30,730. The current population of Qatar is 742,883 forecasted at an increase of 3.5% per annum.

Culture and Heritage

 

Qatar heritage, handed down from generation to generation, has always been an integral part of the Arab Islamic heritage of the Arabian Peninsula. A reflection of the social fabric and the cultural peculiarities of a people that have lived on the land, Qatari heritage has been inspired by its environment while infusing beauty and meaning back into it. Although most handicrafts and traditional industries no longer play an integral part in the economy, many have managed to endure, thanks to the support rendered by the government.

Pearl Diving in Qatar

 

The height of the diving season is from June to the beginning of October. At this time, divers go back to their villages and stay there for about 15 days before they come back to diving. They stay at sea for about 40 days, and then they come back to their village. At the news of their return, women, children and relatives receive them on the shore with popular songs and dances of felicitation.

 

With the discovery of oil in the 1930s and the introduction of Japanese artificial pearls, pearl diving became unprofitable and people turned to earn their living from other activities. Today the pearl still holds a great symbolic importance in Qatar: its shape can be seen on business logos and a giant pearl was built on the Corniche as tribute to Qatar‘s pearl diving history.

 

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Jewellery Handicrafts

 

The Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition aims to distinguish itself from other exhibitions to eventually become the chosen venue for product launches in the world of jewellery and watch design and manufacturing. Our aim is to establish high standards for the exhibition and to attract elegant and exclusive exhibitors and tasteful spectators, and to achieve a reputation with a wide range of international investors as a leading exhibition for jewellery and watches.

 

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