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A partner’s perspective on working with Sharakat

Saudi Arabia’s water scarcity is at the centre of a blossoming infrastructure market, with private partners at its core. Its prosperity is reflected in the success of a number of flagship projects

By SHARAKAT

Area

The total area of Qatar is 11,586 square kilometres. It has a creek known as Khor al-Adaid, which is a popular tourist site near the Saudi Arabian border.

Geographic location

The country occupies the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders Saudi Arabia to the south and juts out into the Gulf.

Flag

Qatar’s flag is maroon and white with nine serrated points on the hoist side.

Language

The official language is Arabic, but English is widely spoken.

Population

Qatar’s population is estimated to be 2.2 million. Only 15 per cent is Qatari. The remainder consists of expatriates, many of whom are from other Arab states, the Philippines and the Indian subcontinent.

Time

Qatar is three hours ahead of GMT. It does not adjust its clocks in the summer.

Currency

The currency of Qatar is the riyal (QR). It is pegged to the US dollar, with QR1 worth $3.64.

Country code

(+974)

Internet country code

.qa

GDP

In 2013, Qatar’s GDP totalled $202.5bn. Per-capita income was estimated by the Washington-based IMF at $100,260, but is expected to drop to $96,635 in 2014. Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world by per-capita income.

Business hours

Working hours are generally 8am to 7pm, from Sunday to Thursday, with many businesses finishing one shift at noon and starting the next at 3.30pm. Government ministries and oil, gas and petrochemical firms work from 7am to 2pm.

Religion

Islam is the dominant and official religion. Qatar is the only Wahabi state on the Arabian Peninsula apart from neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Muslims make up 77.5 per cent of the population, Christians 8.5 per cent and other religions 14 per cent.

Ramadan is the Muslim month of fasting. Eating, drinking and smoking are banned from dawn to dusk and working hours are reduced for both the public and private sector.

Non-Muslims are expected to avoid eating, drinking and smoking during daylight hours so as not to cause offence. The end of Ramadan is celebrated with the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which can last up to a week. Many nationals take this time off for holidays, and business is often affected by the absence of senior officials.

The end of the Hajj pilgrimage is followed by Eid al-Adha, another holiday period during which government offices close.

Climate

From May to September, temperatures in Qatar average about 35 degrees Celsius, but frequently hit 50ºC. Combined with 90 per cent humidity and frequent sandstorms, Qatar’s climate can be unbearable. By comparison, the winter months are much more pleasant, with temperatures in the mid-20s. There is even occasional rainfall in December and January.

National airline

State-owned Qatar Airways is the national airline and began operations in 1994.

Hydrocarbons

Qatar has the third-largest proven gas reserves in the world after Iran and Russia. Its reserves totalled 25.1 trillion cubic metres in 2012, much of it in the North Field, the largest non-associated gas reservoir in the world. In 2006, Qatar became the largest exporter and transshipper of liquefied natural gas and, in 2008, its quarterly earnings from gas exports overtook those of oil.

Qatar produces 1.9 million barrels of oil a day, primarily from conventional sources, along with condensate from natural gas.