Our planet Earth is full of diversities. Although it has 97% of water and 3% of land, yet this 3% of land has so much of diversity that a person is left in awe of nature. Predominantly there are various landforms that mark the face of the earth – mountains, hills, plateaus, hills, valleys, plains and deserts. Out of these, every place is capable of sustaining enough amount of vegetation except a desert area. A desert is an arid area that has relatively low or negligible water resources. Such an area is not capable of supporting vegetation, let alone the idea of farming. And yet there are tons of countries that make it work, especially the ones found near or in the Arabian Desert. One amongst them is the richest country in the world, yes we’re talking about Qatar.

Qatar is the richest country in the world. It had its share of hardships in the past. But once it struck liquid gold, it never looked back. Surfing on the petroleum business, it rose to a position where it can even make the United States look puny. However, not everything about Qatar is normal as it should be. There are some weird facts and figures associated with Qatar. Have a look here as we list out 15 WTF things about Qatar!

15. First Arab country to host FIFA 2022

Qatar is the first ever Arab and Muslim country to stage the 2022 World Cup. The dramatic announcement came after bids from Australia, Japan, Korea and the USA did not go through. It is being said that the country is not ready to host the event, especially during the summer. Qatar has promised the FIFA president that it will build air conditioned football stadiums for FIFA. There are only a few select bars and hotels in Qatar where you can consume alcohol. You cannot drink in public, so there is a chance that the 2022 World Cup is going to be more fun when everyone in the stadium will be sober.

14. Petrol Is Cheaper Than Water

We all know about the cost issues that are involved with driving. Moreover, it would cost you a fortune when you are on weekend trips or planning to drive away from the city in search of peace. But in Qatar, you can totally afford it. With increasing urbanization, petrol prices are going up everywhere but Qatar. Petrol is cheaper than water here. Even a liter of Pepsi, a glass of fresh fruit juice and six eggs are cheaper than a liter of water. For many office workers, coffee acts as a fuel, and in some places, you can, in fact, buy coffee at a lower price than a bottle of water. If you drive a giant gas-guzzling vehicle, Qatar is the best place for you.

13. Qatar wants to grow food in the desert

As a part of Qatar’s food security strategy, the country aims to grow food in the desert even when it has very low agricultural potential. For some, this is absolutely non-sense because the country can rely on imported foods. The population is very less and with its huge foreign currency reserve, it can easily arrange food in case of emergency. Some experts believe that this idea will most likely fail because there’s no need to plan any such thing and there’s no clarity about how much the country is going to invest on the land which is nearly infertile. But Qatar is undoubtedly very rich so it can invest in technology and even if it fails, it will still remain the world’s richest country.

12. 92% of their food is imported

When you’re living in one of the driest countries in the world, you are bound to rely on imported food items. The harsh climatic conditions make Qatar import almost 92 percent of food from other countries. In actuality, a very small part of the country is capable of producing food; the country also suffers from a bad irrigation system. On top of that, the people of Qatar don’t have good farming skills. Of course, they didn’t get to learn from their ancestors. As a result, the country heavily relies on other countries to meet the country’s consumption needs. You can only get date palm, meat, fish and dairy items natively in Qatar. Despite the lack of resources, the country is establishing itself in the food industry.

11. The land of opportunities exploits migrant workers

As mentioned earlier, Qatar is getting ready to host the 2022’s FIFA World Cup and several stadiums are getting an overhaul while new stadiums are getting built. The country is technically very rich in the field of civil engineering, however, the migrant workers on the construction sites suffer excessive abuse and exploitation. The event organizers have shared specific guidelines with the contractors, but everything is just on papers. The country’s repressive system allows employers to abuse workers. After paying huge recruitment fees, what workers get in return from the country is physical and mental abuse. The workers are forced to work long hours without rest days. Their passports get confiscated and due to fear, they do not report safety and health concerns because many of them are heavily in debt.

10. There’s a large gender gap

It’s not a surprise when the legal system itself is based on the fact that a woman’s right to inheritance is half of a man’s. In Qatar, the ethical rights of a woman are worth half of a man’s. Women can’t go outside without a male guardian. There is still a considerable gender inequality in workplaces around the country. The number of highly educated females is very low, but even if you overlook this fact, the country doesn’t do much for the skill improvement of those women who have higher education. If you’re a female foreigner, visit Qatar and you will be advised to keep your legs and arms covered. It is obviously not a great place for a female.

9. Internet access is heavily filtered

Authorities say that Qatar is an ‘information-open zone.’ The reality is that information is highly censored. Qatar is full of foreigners, has a great business culture and has also adopted the modern lifestyle, but the country still remains conservative when it comes to the use of internet, media and journalism. Not just foreigners, in fact, locals also wonder about the internet restrictions. Pornographic content, dating websites and LGBTQ content are completely blocked in the country. If Qatar wants to block a website or blog that has no offensive or obscene content on any fine day, it can do so. Several news websites are blocked in Qatar for no reason. A content journalist’s report is also heavily censored. If you are a person criticizing the major Middle Eastern authority figures, it’s likely that your voice will never reach anyone, at least not in Qatar.

8. Children Starved As Camel Jockeys

The country is now getting ready to host the World Cup 2022, but before 2005, camel owners used to treat children as slaves because the small kids were a good fit as jockeys. Are you shocked? Yes, it’s the truth. The children were even starved to make sure that they remained lightweight at the time of race so that the camels can run easily. The outrage from different parts of the world led the government to ban the use of children for camel races. In 2005,  former Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani imposed a ban on child trafficking.

7. Qatar is the richest country in the world

Qatar is even smaller than Connecticut, but still, it manages to top the list of the world’s richest countries. The country’s high GDP per capita comes from its well-developed oil exploration industry. In Qatar, 70% of the government’s revenue comes from the petroleum industry and the industry is responsible for the 60% of the total GDP. This success is the reason behind Qatar’s opportunity to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, thus making it the first Arab nation where FIFA will be played at an international level. In the list of the world’s richest countries, the United States is at the 10th position which clearly shows how rich the country is.

6. Sundays aren’t fun-days

The work week in Qatar starts on Sunday and ends on Thursday. Since it is a Muslim country, people don’t work on Friday and Saturday as the men have to visit mosques on Friday afternoons. So if you are planning to visit or call a relative or a friend who lives in Qatar, it’s better you adjust your schedule accordingly and ask for their time on Friday or Saturday because on Sundays, your loved one will be busy in his office. It may sound weird but the days from Sunday to Thursday are considered business days in many Gulf countries including Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.

5. 90% are foreigners in Qatar

Qatar is a temporary home to many people from around the world. The vast majority of the population of Qatar, around 90%, is a result of people coming from India, Nepal, the US and other parts of the world. The Qataris make up a small percent of the population and most of them are mainly Sunni Muslims. The official religion of the country, Islam, is the base of the country’s legal system. The official language of Qatar is Arabic, but you can find a large number of people speaking Hindi and Urdu since many South Asian workers live here. For anyone below 16, education is compulsory and free.

4. Neighbours accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism

Apart from the land issues with Bahrain, Qatar is accused of funding terrorist groups. The country is also called “The Club Med for Terrorists” and is also referred to as the “Most two-faced nation in the world.” The country is also held responsible by the former Prime Minister of Iraq for civil wars in Syria and Iraq. In a surprising move, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt, and Yemen cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5, 2017. The countries accused Qatar of destabilizing Islam and supporting terrorists. In June 2017, the US President, after coming from Saudi Arabia, started pressing the Gulf States to lift the Qatar land blockade.

3. Qatar owns Al Jazeera

Many times, the editorial independence of Al-Jazeera has been questioned. The global news organization gained worldwide attention during the Afghanistan War. The organization is funded and owned by the government of Qatar. The global broadcaster describes itself independent of the Qatar ownership but many times, the staff members from the organization have accused its Qatari owners of heavy editorial interventions. Many people around the world have accused Qatar of running false propaganda through its news organization calling Al Jazeera a propaganda outlet. From the various Gulf States, there have always been demands for shutting down the news organization, Al Jazeera. The channel’s ties with Qatar have always been in questions, but it is really amazing to know that Al Jazeera reaches over 310 million households worldwide.

2.  Completely odd traditions

If you’re planning to go to Qatar, always remember the phrase “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Qatar is known for its weird but extremely cultural environment. If you’re in Qatar and someone is offering you a refreshment, don’t say no otherwise you’ll be insulting that person. Be careful when you accept it as you should not take it in the left hand because the left hand is considered unclean as it is used for bathroom purposes. When you visit someone’s house, it is better you take off your shoes but never show the soles of your feet to anyone, it’s a sign of disrespect. If you are outside and can’t take your shoes off, it is better that you sit properly. By ‘properly’ we mean to say that you should not show the soles of your shoes to someone, it’s offensive if you do. There is no particular dress code for tourists, but it’s always better if you wear modest clothes when you are in Qatar. So, please don’t carry mini skirts or shorts. 

1. House Rent Is Extremely High

Are you planning to settle down in Qatar? Finding a house in Qatar is not a piece of cake. For a single bedroom apartment, you may have to pay $1,933.00 per month. Yes, it’s too much! In 2015, Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index listed Qatar’s property rents as the third most expensive in the world. According to the global cost of living index, Qatar’s capital city Doha is the world’s 10th most expensive city. Most of the migrant workers are spending a huge portion of their salary on their house rent. So, before moving to Qatar, make sure you have enough money in your bank account.

Sources: LISTVERSE, Reuters, Qatarliving.com, The National, USA TODAY, Doha News