Government

Executive power is held exclusively by the Emir, a member of the Al-Thani family, which has ruled Qatar since independence. The Emir serves as both head of state and head of government. There is no independent legislature or political parties. Some decision-making is devolved to a Council of Ministers appointed by the Emir. A 30-strong advisory council with limited powers was created in 1972. The Emir's democratization plan envisages a 45 member parliament, of whom 30 will be popularly elected and 15 appointed by him.

Culture

Qatar is an Islamic country. Arab traditions influence the lifestyle, yet tolerance is shown towards the Eastern and Western practices of the large expatriate community. The visitor should be fully aware of Muslim religious laws and customs. Women should always dress modestly.

Infrastructure

Qatar's infrastructure is modern and well developed. Professional services such as attorneys, accountants and doctors are readily available. International ATM access is widely available.

Communications

Global links, including GSM mobile telephones and pagers and Internet, are world-class and inexpensive. Local and foreign television, radio newspapers, magazines and books are readily available. The official language is Arabic, but English is widely used, especially in business. Qatar is three hours ahead of GMT.

Currency

The monetary unit of Qatar is the Qatari Riyal (QR), which is divided into 100 dirhams. Notes are in denominations of QR500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 dirhams; however, only the 50 and 25 coins are in wide circulation, minting of the rest ceased in the 1970s and smaller denominations are becoming ever-scarcer. The Qatari Riyal is tied to the US Dollar. 1 USD = 3.63850 QAR

Business Hours

Office hours are generally Saturday to Thursday 8am to 12pm and 4pm to 7pm, Government office timings are Saturday to Wednesday 7am to 2pm. Friday is the weekly holiday for all office workers. Shopping hours are generally Saturday to Thursday 8am to 12pm and 4pm to 7pm or later, with malls open until 9pm or 10pm. Some shops are closed on Friday. Banking hours are Saturday to Thursday 7.30am to 1.30pm.

Airport

Doha International Airport (DOH) is 8km (5 miles) southeast of the city (travel time - 25 minutes). Taxis are available to the city with official rates displayed. Facilities include car hire (Budget and Hertz), banks, restaurant and a duty-free shop. The airport is currently undergoing a massive refurbishment with Qatar set to become the pre-eminent aviation hub within the Middle East. Currently over 20 airlines service the airport including charter and cargo flights.

Tax Free Shopping

Duty-Free shopping is available and the following goods may be imported into Qatar without incurring customs duty: A reasonable amount of tobacco and perfume for personal use. Prohibited items: All alcohol is prohibited. Firearms can only be imported with a licence obtained in advance from the Ministry of Defence.

Transport

Traveling by road in Qatar is very safe. Metered taxis are abundant. Airport taxis and taxis standing at hotels charge a surcharge. Car rental is easy with many companies located within the airport. You can drive on most foreign licenses for up to 7 days after which it is essential to obtain a local license.

Accommodation

The options range from large villas to five-star hotels to small serviced flats. Standards are uniformly high.

Amenities

There are several hospitals in Qatar, the most recent and modern being the Hamad General Hospital. The Poly Clinic has good dentists. Charges are high and health insurance is essential. As a precaution against the intense heat, visitors should maintain a high salt and fluid intake.