Qatar is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); it is one of six Arab state members of the GCC. It is officially an Arab emirate and is sometimes referred to as the State of Qatar. Not surprisingly, Qatar has substantial oil and natural gas reserves which have made the emirate quite wealthy over the years. There were challenges in the late 1980’s related to this tremendous wealth because the ruling Emir at that time was siphoning off many oil revenues for his own portfolio, but this issue was resolved in 1995 with his overthrow and the installation of a new Emir.
Since that time Qatar has experienced tremendous growth and development across its entire economy. The oil and gas sector still contributes the majority of Qatar’s GDP, but thanks to active encouragement of private and foreign investment the non-oil sectors such as IT/Telecoms and science. In particular, Qatar is determined to develop itself as a world-class hub of science and technology, a strategy they call a “knowledge economy”.
Qatar itself is physically quite small, occupying a small peninsula of land that extends about 100 miles into the Gulf. It is about the size of Massachusetts, but boasts some of the most spectacular landscapes in all of the Middle East. One of the most notable natural features of Qatar is the Khor al Adaid, which translates to “inland sea”. This is an area filling with high, rolling dunes of sand which appear to be a variety of colors and patterns depending on the time of year and the time of day.
The emirate of Qatar prides itself as being one of the most progressive in the region, especially in terms of economic diversification and social norms. In comparison to many other countries, the laws governing women and women’s rights are particularly progressive and are a source of pride for the people of Qatar.
Top industries and employers in Qatar
The top industries in Qatar include the following:
- Oil and Natural Gas
- IT/Telecoms
- Science and Technology
Within these various industries and areas there are a number of top employers, such as:
- Oil and Natural Gas – Qatar General Petroleum Corporation, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company, QatarGas, Qatar Fuel Additives Company, Mobil Oil Qatar, Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd., ARCO Qatar Inc.
- IT/Telecoms – Qatar Telecom
- Banking and Financial Services – Qatar Financial Centre, Amwal, Gulf Investment Corporation, 7Brothers Group Holding
If you are considering moving abroad in order to find a job - rest assured that Qatar is a good place to move to. With beautiful sceneries, a progressive attitude and a fast developing infrastructure Qatar offers a lot of benefits for job seekers from abroad.