Qatar+-+Steven+Slocum

= Qatar =

= Flag =

The meaning of Qatar's flag is:
 * The **white colour** reflects the internationally recognised symbol of peace
 * The **maroon colour** symbolizes the blood shed during the several wars Qatar had undergone, particularly in the second half of the 19th century.
 * The **nine-point serrated line** indicates that Qatar is the 9th member of the reconciled Emirates of the Arabic Gulf in the wake of concluding the Qatari-British Treaty in 1916.

= Physical Geography =



Located on a small peninsula on an already much larger peninsula, Qatar can be found here. The arabian peninsulaIs a very arid place filled with lots of deserts and sand widespread all over. It juts into the persian gulf. Much of the country consists of a low, barren plains, covered with sand. To the southeast lies the spectacular Khor al Adaid, an area of rolling sand dunes surrounding an inlet of the Persian Gulf. There are mild winters and very hot, humid summers.

Sociology Average family size in Qatar is about 5.2. Divorce rates are really low.

Religion/Ethnic Isalm is the main religion not only in Qatar but in the whole arabian peninsula/middle east. There are more Suuni's that Shiites in Qatar. Qatar however does have freedom of religion withing its country so christianity is the second most prevalent religion there. Most of the christians are vatican catholic with a little portion being orthodox. Over 90% of the population is arabic in Qatar. The rest can be summed up as immigrants from other countries. Mostly from the Phillipines.

Economy Qatar has experienced rapid economic growth over the last several years on the back of high oil prices, and in 2008 posted its eighth consecutive budget surplus. Economic policy is focused on developing Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors, but oil and gas still account for more than 50% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar the highest per-capita income country, and one of the world's fastest growing. Proved oil reserves of 15 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for 37 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas are nearly 26 trillion cubic meters, about 14% of the world total and third largest in the world

Government Qatar has a monarchic, emirate-type government. Although civil codes are being implemented, Islamic law is used in family and personal matters. The laws are designed to protect absolute monarchy and hereditary rule. The country lacks a parliament or any law making body of people's representatives.

Culture/Customs Qatari culture is similar to that of other countries on the arabian peninsula. Arab tribes from Saudi Arabia migrated to Qatar and other places in the gulf; therefore, the culture in the Persian Gulf region varies little from country to country. Qatar explicitly uses Shari law as the basis of its government, and the vast majority of its citizens follow Hanabali Madhhab. Hanbali is one of the four schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. Sunni Muslims believe that all four schools have "correct guidance", and the differences between them lie not in the fundamentals of faith, but in finer judgments and jurisprudence, which are a result of the independent reasoning of the imams and the scholars who followed them. Because their individual methodologies of interpretation and extraction from the primary sources (usul) were different, they came to different judgments on particular matters.Shi'as comprise around 10% of the Muslim population in Qatar. For sports, football is the most popular, followed by cricket.

Problems 1. Air pollution 2. No law making body for the people 3. Forced cheap labor 4. High energy use 5. Highest water use per capita

Solutions 1. U.N. pass laws that all have to follow. 2. At least try to make the country listen to its people a bit more. 3. Laws of work conditions should be made and enforced. 4. Put restriction on energy use. 5. Not much can be done about this seeingn as they are in a desert and need lots of water.

Questions 1. Official language? 2. Who is the emir of Qatar? 3. Biggest source of pollution? 4. Does Qatar have a lawmaking body for the people? 5. Capital of Qatar?

Answers 1. Arabic 2. Hamid bin Khalifa AlThani 3. Energy waste 4. No 5. Doha