Doha facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Doha الدوحة
Capital city
Counter-Clockwise from top: the skyline of Doha at night; modern buildings in West Bay district; Amiri Diwan, which serves as the office of the Emir of Qatar; Souq Waqif; National Museum of Qatar; Musheireb downtown Doha; and Katara Cultural Village
Doha Location in Qatar Show map of Qatar Doha Location in Persian Gulf Show map of Persian Gulf Doha Location in Asia Show map of Asia
Country	Qatar
Municipality	Doha
Established	1825
Area
• City proper	132 km2 (51 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• City proper	1,186,023
• Density	8,990/km2 (23,270/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3 (AST)

Doha (Arabic: الدوحة, romanized: ad-Dawḥah) is the capital city and main financial center of Qatar. It is located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country. Most of Qatar's people live in Doha or its nearby areas. It is also Qatar's fastest growing city. More than 80% of the country's population lives in the Doha Metropolitan Area.

Doha was started in the 1820s. It grew from an older settlement called Al Bidda. In 1971, when Qatar became independent from being a British protectorate, Doha was officially named the capital. Doha is an important city for business in the Middle East. It is known as a global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

Doha is home to Education City, a special area for learning and research. It also has Hamad Medical City, which is for medical care. You can also find Doha Sports City, or Aspire Zone, here. This area has famous sports places like Khalifa International Stadium, Hamad Aquatic Centre, and the Aspire Dome.

The city has hosted many big events. These include the 2006 Asian Games, the 2011 Pan Arab Games, and the 2019 World Beach Games. It also hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Doha will host the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. In 2021, Doha was named the second safest city in the world. This was based on the Numbeo Crime Index.

What Does "Doha" Mean?

The name "Doha" comes from an Arabic word, dohat. This word means "roundness." It refers to the rounded bays along the city's coastline.

Doha's History

How Doha Started

The city of Doha grew from an older town called Al Bidda. The first time Al Bidda was written about was in 1681. A German explorer, Carsten Niebuhr, drew one of the first maps of the area in 1765. He called it 'Guttur'.

In 1820, a British surveyor noted that Al Bidda had lost many people. The same year, a treaty was signed to stop piracy in the Persian Gulf. Because of alleged piracy, British ships attacked Al Bidda in 1821. They destroyed the town, and many people had to leave.

Doha was founded near Al Bidda around the 1820s. At first, people often mixed up Al Bidda and Doha because they were so close. In 1823, a British official visited Al Bidda. He met Buhur bin Jubrun, who was the first leader of Doha.

In 1867, ships from Bahrain and Abu Dhabi attacked Al Wakrah and Doha. They destroyed many houses and forced people to leave. This event led to a peace treaty in 1868. This treaty helped Qatar become recognized as a separate place from Bahrain. It also recognized Mohammed bin Thani as an important leader.

The Al Thani Family Arrives

The Al Thani family moved to Doha in 1847. They soon took control of the town. In 1871, the Ottomans set up a base in Doha. They had 100 soldiers there. This was accepted by Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, who wanted to protect Doha from other groups.

In 1893, a fight called the Battle of Al Wajbah happened. Ottoman troops were trapped in Al Bidda Fort. Their ships fired at the town, hurting many people. The Ottomans gave up after their water supply was cut off. After this, the Ottomans had less power in Qatar. They left completely at the start of World War I.

Doha in the 1900s

By the 1900s, pearling was very important for Doha's economy. The city's population grew to about 12,000 people. However, the pearl market crashed in 1907. This caused a big drop in population across Qatar.

In 1908, a British report described Doha. It said the town had narrow streets and small, plain houses. There were no trees or gardens, except a small one near the fort. The report estimated Doha's population to be about 12,000 people. This included 350 Ottoman soldiers.

British Control (1916–1971)

In 1913, the Ottomans agreed to leave Qatar. In 1915, their fort in Al Bidda was empty. One year later, Qatar became a protectorate of Britain. Doha became its official capital.

Buildings were simple, made of mud, stone, and coral. Oil was discovered in the 1920s and 1930s. This started slow economic growth. But the pearl trade declined, and the Great Depression also affected income. It wasn't until the 1950s and 1960s that Qatar made a lot of money from oil.

Qatar used its new oil wealth to build modern buildings. Old areas were cleared away. In 1952, the first formal boys' school opened in Doha. A girls' school opened three years later. The shallow water in Doha Bay stopped big ships from entering. This changed in the 1970s when a deep-water port was finished. Land was also reclaimed from the sea, creating the crescent-shaped bay. Doha's population grew from 14,000 to over 83,000 between the 1950s and 1970s. Most of these new residents were from other countries.

After Independence

Qatar became fully independent in 1971. Doha was its capital. In 1973, the University of Qatar opened. In the 1970s, many old neighborhoods were replaced with new suburban areas. Doha's population grew from 89,000 in the 1970s to over 434,000 by 1997. The city's land area also grew a lot due to land reclamation.

In 1983, a hotel and conference center was built on the Corniche. The Sheraton hotel was the tallest building until the 1990s. In 1993, Doha hosted its first major sports event, the Qatar Open. Two years later, it hosted the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship.

The Al Jazeera news channel started broadcasting from Doha in 1996. In the late 1990s, the government planned Education City. This is a large complex mainly for schools and universities. Since the 2000s, Doha has gained global attention. It has hosted many big events and built huge new projects.

One big project was The Pearl-Qatar, an artificial island. It opened its first part in 2004. In 2006, Doha hosted the Asian Games. This led to the creation of Aspire Zone, a large sports complex. Old cultural sites were also restored. Souq Waqif was restored between 2006 and 2008. Katara Cultural Village opened in 2010.

Doha is now working to modernize while keeping its traditions. This is part of the country's plan, Qatar National Vision 2030.

Doha's Geography

Land and Rocks

Doha is on the central-east side of Qatar. The Persian Gulf borders its coast. The city is very developed. Land has been added to the coast, creating 400 hectares of new land. This also added 30 km of coastline. Half of Hamad International Airport was built on reclaimed land.

Animals and Plants

Street cats are common in Doha. They were first brought in the 1960s to control rodents. The Gulf short-fingered gecko is also found in coastal areas.

Common plants in Doha include creeping sorrel, winter cherry, and rye grass. You can also find qurdi near roadsides. Flowers like sacred datura and wild chamomile are sometimes seen. Herbs like rabl and shih also grow here.

Prosopis juliflora, a type of mesquite tree, was once common. It was the only feature on Palm Tree Island. But since 2005, efforts have been made to remove it.

Islands and Coastline

The Pearl is a man-made island in Doha. It is almost 400 hectares in size. The whole project is expected to cost $15 billion when finished. Other islands near Doha include Palm Tree Island and Al Safliya Island.

In 2010, a survey of Doha's coastal waters was done. It found the water depth was between 2 and 7.5 meters. The water was salty and had an average temperature of 22.7 °C.

Climate

Doha has a hot desert climate. Summers are very long and extremely hot. Winters are short and mild. From May to September, average high temperatures are above 38 °C. They often reach 45 °C. Humidity is usually lowest in May and June.

Rainfall is rare, with only about 75 mm per year. Most rain falls between October and March. Winter days are warm, but nights are cool. The temperature rarely drops below 7 °C. The highest temperature ever recorded in Qatar was 50.4 °C in Doha on July 14, 2010.

Doha's People

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1820	250	—
1893	6,000	+4.45%
1970	80,000	+3.42%
1986	217,294	+6.44%
1998	264,009	+1.64%
2001	299,300	+4.27%
2004	339,847	+4.33%
2005	400,051	+17.72%
2010	796,947	+14.78%
2015	956,457	+3.72%
2020	1,186,023	+4.40%

Total population of the Doha Metropolitan Area
Year	Metro population
1997	434,000
2004	644,000
2008	998,651

Many of Qatar's people live in Doha and its surrounding areas. The central area of Al Najada has the most people. Doha's population grew very fast in the early 2000s. Many thousands of people moved to Qatar each month. Doha's population is about one million. It more than doubled from 2000 to 2010.

Different Cultures and Languages

Most people in Doha are expatriates, meaning they are from other countries. Qatari citizens are a smaller group. Many expatriates come from South-East and South Asia. These include people from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Philippines, and Bangladesh. Many also come from Arab countries in the Levant, Djibouti, Somalia, and North Africa.

Arabic is Qatar's official language. English is often used as a second language, especially in business. Because there are so many people from other countries, many languages are spoken in Doha. These include Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, Tagalog, Spanish, French, Urdu, and Hindi.

Registered live births in Doha by nationality
Year	Qatari	Non-Qatari	Total
2001	2,080	3,619	5,699
2002	1,875	3,657	5,532
2003	2,172	4,027	6,199
2004	2,054	3,760	5,814
2005	1,767	3,899	5,666
2006	1,908	4,116	6,024
2007	1,913	4,708	6,621
2008	1,850	5,283	7,133
2009	2,141	5,979	8,120
2010	1,671	5,919	7,590
2011	1,859	6,580	8,439
2015	1,949	9,215	11,164
2020	4,005	15,381	19,386

In 2004, a law was passed allowing non-Qatari citizens to buy land in certain areas of Doha. Before this, foreigners could not own land in Qatar. Owning property in Qatar allows foreigners to get a special permit to live and work there.

Religion in Doha

Most people in Doha are Muslim. Many mosques follow either Salafi or Sunni teachings.

Catholics make up over 90% of the 150,000 Christian people in Doha. The first Catholic church, Our Lady of the Rosary, opened in Doha in 2008. The church building is simple and does not show Christian symbols outside. Other churches also exist in Doha.

Doha's Districts

In the early 1900s, Doha had 9 main districts. In the 2010 census, there were over 60 districts in Doha Municipality. Some of these districts include:

Some districts, like As Salatah al Jadidah, were originally for specific tribes. After Qatar became independent, many old districts in Doha were torn down. Their historic buildings were replaced. The government then focused on developing the Doha Bay area. This area now has important business districts like Al Dafna and West Bay.

Doha's Economy

Doha is the main economic center of Qatar. Many local and international companies have their main offices here. This includes Qatar's biggest oil and gas companies. Doha's economy mostly relies on money from the country's oil and natural gas industries. In 2011, Fortune magazine named Doha one of the 15 best new cities for business.

Since the late 1900s, the government has worked to make the economy more diverse. This means relying less on oil and gas. Doha International Airport was built to help the tourism industry grow. It was replaced by Hamad International Airport in 2014. The new airport is much bigger and has very long runways. In 2011, 39 new hotels were being built in Doha.

Because Doha's population grew so fast, housing prices went up a lot. Prices increased even more after Qatar won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Even though oil prices dropped after 2014, the government spent more money to keep the real estate market growing.

Tourism and Shopping

Doha is Qatar's most important city for tourists. Qatar is building new hotels and resorts. It is also promoting its cultural sites like the Museum of Islamic Art and the Katara Cultural Village. Qatar Airways has become a leading airline, connecting Qatar to major cities worldwide.

Qatar has also attracted big international events, like the FIFA World Cup 2022. This event brought a lot of money and boosted tourism. High incomes in Qatar create many chances for restaurants and shops. Healthy and premium brands are very popular. Fast food is also growing for younger Qataris and visitors.

Qatar is working to diversify its economy. It wants to rely less on oil and gas. The country has invested in world-class infrastructure. This includes Hamad International Airport and the Qatar Free Zones Authority. These aim to attract foreign businesses. Qatar is also making it easier to do business. It offers support to new and small businesses. Doha was named the Arab tourism capital for 2023.

Doha's Buildings and Design

Old Buildings

In old Doha, buildings were close together with narrow paths. This gave shade, privacy, and safety. Houses were built using local limestone. Walls were thick, about 0.4 to 0.6 meters wide. They were covered with mud or plaster. Roofs were flat, made with wood beams and palm mats. They were sealed with earth.

Many old buildings from the 1960s and 1970s have been torn down. This makes space for new ones. But some projects are trying to save the city's history. Katara Cultural Village is a special village in Doha. It was created to keep the country's culture alive.

New Buildings

In the mid-1900s, Qatar started using modern building methods. They began using concrete blocks. Later, they used plain concrete blocks and reinforced concrete. New materials like plywood and corrugated iron were also introduced. Air conditioning became common.

In 2011, over 50 towers were being built in Doha. The Doha Convention Center Tower was the largest. But its construction was stopped in 2012. There were worries it would affect flights. The site is now being turned into a park.

In 2014, a government official said Qatar would spend $65 billion on new projects. This was to prepare for the 2022 World Cup. It also helped meet the goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.

Msheireb Downtown Doha is a huge project. It cost about $5 billion. It is one of the biggest city redevelopment projects. Msheireb aims to keep and improve the historic downtown area.

National Museum of Qatar

The new National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) opened in 2019. Its design is inspired by the desert rose. It grows around the old palace of Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani. This old palace is now the heart of the new museum. The museum connects the past and present of Qatar. It is located on a large site at the south end of Doha Corniche.

Doha Tower

Doha Tower is a tall building in West Bay. It is also called Burj Doha. In 2012, it won an award for the Best Tall Building Worldwide. This office building is 238 meters tall and has 46 stories. It was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel.

Aspire Tower

Aspire Tower is also known as The Torch Doha. It is a 300-meter-tall hotel. It is located in the Aspire Zone complex. The tower was the main focus for the 2006 Asian Games. It is currently the tallest building in Doha and Qatar.

Museum of Islamic Art

The Museum of Islamic Art, or MIA, is at one end of the 7 km long Corniche. It is built on an island near the traditional dhow harbor. A park surrounds the museum. Two bridges connect the museum to the main land. The museum shows Qatar's seafaring past. It is considered one of the best museums in the region.

Qatar National Library

The Qatar National Library (QNL) is a non-profit organization. It is part of the Qatar Foundation. Plans for the new library were announced in 2012. QNL is a modern building. It gives people in Qatar access to over one million books.

Msheireb Museums

Msheireb Museums celebrates the history of four old houses. These houses are in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha. Restoring these houses into museums is a key part of the Msheireb Downtown Doha project. The museum was also named one of the world's best new buildings in 2018.

City Atmosphere

In the past, Doha's buildings were close together. This created shade and privacy. Thick stone walls kept houses cool. Windows were small and often covered. This helped keep the inside temperature down.

The badgheer system was used for air circulation. This included windcatchers and wall vents. Large open courtyards also helped air move through buildings. Special panels helped with airflow and looked decorative.

Because of the extreme heat, some companies in Doha use special cooling technology. This includes air conditioning and other methods. Discussions about temperature control happen at big events. Other ideas include changing work hours and using lighter building materials. However, some studies suggest Doha could become too hot for humans by the end of the century due to climate change.

Planned Communities

Lusail City is a large planned community north of Doha. It is expected to be finished by 2020. It will cost about $45 billion. It is designed to hold 450,000 people. Al Waab City is another planned community. It will house 8,000 people. It will also have shops, schools, and medical centers.

Getting Around Doha

Qatar has invested a lot in improving Doha's transportation. This includes new highways, a new airport, and a new seaport. A metro system opened in 2019. It has 85 km of tracks.

Roads

Main highways in Doha connect it to other cities. These include Dukhan Highway, Al Shamal Road, and Al Khor Coastal Road. The Al Majd Road is the longest highway in Qatar. The Sharq Crossing is a new project planned for 2024. It will connect Hamad International Airport with Katara Cultural Village and West Bay.

Rail

Three of the Doha Metro's four lines are working. These are the Red Line, Gold Line, and Green Line. The Blue Line is planned for 2025. Msheireb Station is where all the metro lines connect.

The Red Line goes from Al Khor to Al Wakrah and Hamad Airport. The Green Line connects Doha to Education City. The Gold Line starts in Old Airport and goes to Al Rayyan. The Blue Line will cover the inner city of Doha.

Air Travel

Doha is served by Hamad International Airport. This is Qatar's main international airport. It opened in 2014, replacing Doha International Airport. The airport is named after Qatar's former leader. Hamad International Airport was named the World's Best Airport in 2021 and 2022.

Taxis

You can find taxis in Doha by hailing them on the street or at taxi stands. Most taxis are part of the government-owned Mowasalat company. Their taxis are clean, reliable, and air-conditioned. Karwa taxis are bright turquoise. You can also use apps like Careem and Uber for taxis.

Education in Doha

Doha is the main education center in Qatar. It has the most schools and colleges. The first formal boys' school opened in Doha in 1952. The first girls' school opened three years later. The first university, Qatar University, opened in 1973. It had separate sections for men and women.

Education City is a large education complex. It started being built in 2000. It has eight universities, the country's best high school, and offices for a children's TV channel. It is part of Metropolitan Doha.

In 2009, the government started the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE). This event brings together education leaders from around the world. They discuss important education topics.

Some universities in Doha include:

Sports in Doha

Football

Football is the most popular sport in Doha. Six Doha-based clubs have teams in the Qatar Stars League. These are Al Ahli, Al Arabi, Al Sadd, Al-Duhail and Qatar SC. Al Sadd, Al Arabi, and Qatar SC are the most successful teams.

Doha has hosted many football tournaments. These include the 1988 and 2011 AFC Asian Cups. It also hosted the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship.

In 2010, Qatar won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Three new stadiums were built in Doha for this event. These include Sports City Stadium, Doha Port Stadium, and Qatar University Stadium. The Khalifa International Stadium was also made bigger. Doha also hosted the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup and 2020 FIFA Club World Cup.

Basketball

Doha hosted the 2005 FIBA Asia Championship. Qatar's national basketball team finished 3rd, their best result ever. This allowed them to qualify for the Basketball World Cup.

The city will host matches for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Most teams in the Qatari Basketball League are based in Doha.

Volleyball

Doha has hosted the FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship four times. It has also hosted the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship three times. The 1997 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship was also held in Doha.

Other Sports

In 2001, Qatar became the first Middle Eastern country to hold a women's tennis tournament. This was the Qatar Ladies Open. Doha also hosts other tennis tournaments. The Sony Ericsson Championships have been held in Doha since 2008. They offer a large prize money for women's tennis.

Doha hosted the 15th Asian Games in 2006. It spent $2.8 billion preparing for them. The city also hosted the 3rd West Asian Games in 2005.

Doha tried to host the 2016 Olympics and the 2020 Summer Olympics but was not chosen.

The MotoGP motorcycling race is held yearly at Losail International Circuit near Doha. The city also hosts the Grand Prix of Qatar for the F1 Powerboat World Championship in Doha Bay. Since 2009, Doha has hosted The Oryx Cup World Championship, a hydroplane boat race.

In 2012, Doha was chosen to host the 2014 FINA World Swimming Championships and the 2012 World Squash Championships. The World Mindsports Championships took place in Doha in 2017.

In 2014, Qatar was chosen to host the 2019 World Athletics Championships. Doha won the bid over Barcelona and Eugene.

In 2020, Doha hosted the 2020 Qatar ExxonMobil Open tennis tournament. It won an award for Tournament of the Year. Doha will host the 2030 Asian Games.

Stadiums and Sports Complexes

Aspire Academy was started in 2004 to train world-class athletes. It is in the Doha Sports City Complex. This complex also has the Khalifa International Stadium, the Hamad Aquatic Centre, the Aspire Tower, and the Aspire Dome. The Aspire Dome has hosted over 50 sports events.

Sports venues in Doha and its suburbs include:

Doha's Culture

Doha was chosen as the Arab Capital of Culture in 2010. Cultural weeks were held to celebrate this. They showed both Arab and non-Arab cultures.

Arts

The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) opened in 2008. It is considered one of the best museums in the region. This museum and others in Doha are managed by the Qatar Museums Authority.

The National Museum of Qatar opened in 2019. It was built where the original Qatar National Museum used to be.

Cinema

The Doha Film Institute (DFI) was started in 2010. Its goal is to help build a strong film industry in Qatar.

The Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) was held yearly in Doha from 2009 to 2012. It was a partnership with the American Tribeca Film Festival. Famous people like Robert De Niro and Salma Hayek attended. The festivals showed up to 87 films from around the world.

The main cinema companies in Doha are Vox, NOVO, and Flik.

Media

Qatar's first radio station started in Doha in the 1960s. The big media company Al Jazeera Media Network is based in Doha. Its many channels, like Al Jazeera Arabic and Al Jazeera English, are located in the city. Al-Kass Sports Channel also has its main office in Doha.

Al Jazeera Media Network oversees many news and media projects. It was started in 1996 by the then Emir of Qatar.

Theatre

The first official theatre group in Qatar started in 1972. It put on its first play that same year. More theatre groups were created later. In 1994, four groups were combined into two: the Qatari Theatrical Troupe and the Doha Theatrical Troupe.

Theatre was introduced to Qatar in the mid-1900s. Plays are performed at the Qatar National Theater and the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha.

Places to Visit in Doha

Doha has many interesting places to visit. These include The Pearl Island, Qatar National Museum, Aspire Park, Souq Waqif, Katara Cultural Village, and Doha Corniche. You can also see the Aspire Tower, Fanar, Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Doha Tower, and Tornado Tower. Other attractions are Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, Oxygen Park, Doha Golf Club, Galeries Lafayette, Al Hazm Mall, World Trade Center Doha, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and Msheireb Downtown Doha.

Twin and Sister Cities

Doha has agreements with these cities around the world:

Gallery

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  Doha skyline at night

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  Doha Corniche is the 7 km long waterfront that connects the new district of West Bay with the old district of Al-Bidda and Al-Souq on the other end.

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  Skyline of Doha West Bay from Sheraton Park

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  The spring festival at Souq Waqif, Doha

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  Qatar's Amir (ruler) is housed in the Amiri Diwan, located in the historic Al Bidda district.

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  Musheireb downtown Doha development

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  Night in Doha

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  Aspire Park and Aspire Tower a part of the Aspire zone.

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  Aerial view of a part of the city

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  The Katara Cultural Village is designed to be a hub of human interaction connecting theatre, literature, music, visual art, conventions and exhibitions in a planned development on the waterfront.

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  The Villaggio Mall

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  Central plaza at Katara Cultural Village

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  Msheireb Enrichment Centre moored off Doha Corniche is a learning center focused on the history and developments of Doha, particularly the Musheirib district.

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  The post office building in Qatar sits located on the main Corniche street.

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  Qanat Quartier at The Pearl Island

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  Doha skyline from the Museum of Islamic Art

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  Mondrian Doha

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  Al Hazm Mall at Night

Notable People

• Nourah Al Saad (born 1964) - writer

See also

In Spanish: Doha para niños