Doha

Doha skyline


Doha (Arabic: الدوحة) is the capital and largest city in Qatar. It covers 132 sq km (51 sq mi), on the east coast of Qatar, and has a population of 1.45 million people (2012 estimate).

Doha, which comes from the Arabic ad dawha meaning "the big tree", was founded in 1825 and was originally called Al-Bida. It was made the capital of the British protectorate of Qatar in 1916, and became the capital when Qatar attained independence in 1971.

Once a dusty desert town, where the main industries were fishing and pearling, Doha suffered from economic depression and poverty until the late 1930s, when the discovery of oil brought an upturn to its fortune.

Today Doha rivals Dubai and Abu Dhabi as one of the gleaming new cities of the Gulf, with some of the most high-tech skyscrapers in the world. Much of Doha's wealth is derived from its oil and natural gas reserves, neither of which are likely to be exhausted in the immediate future.

Visiting Doha

The Doha International Airport (DOH) receives flights from major cities aroound the world. It is also the base for local carrier Qatar Airways. There are low cost fares on Air Arabia and FlyDubai from Sharjah and Dubai.

Places of Interest in Doha

Members' Travel Shots of Doha

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Modern skyscrapers of Doha, Qatar


Downtown Doha, Qatar

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