When it was announced many years ago that the 2022 World Cup would be held in qatar, the planet was left with a square eye and we are sure that many wondered “where is that place?”. And the truth is that we do not blame them, because on this side of the pond we are not so nailed with this country. However, despite the fact that there are things that we do not see favorably (such as some of its laws), it is a very interesting place.
From the origin of its name, that of its flag to some of its hobbies and traditions, there are many things that are truly fascinating. As we are already a few weeks away from the start of the World Cup and we know that you want to know a little more about the place where the best soccer players will meet to see who is the mere mere, Here are 10 curious facts that you may not have known about this country.
You can also read: Beyond the World Cup: What are the trends in qatar according to Google and Twitter?
The name of the country has evolved for centuries
According to experts, the Roman writer Pliny the Elder was the first to refer to the people of what is now Qatar as ‘Catharrei’ in the middle of the 1st century… yes, that has been around for a while. However, over time, the name of the country has changed a lot.
To give you an idea, after this word the term ‘Catara’ began to be used, which lasted until the 18th century. Then they started using it with the letter K (‘Katara’) and from there came more variations like ‘Katr’, ‘Kattar’ and even ‘Guturr’. Nevertheless, we currently know it as Qatar and the truth is that it sounds much betterthey do not believe?
Yes, Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world
Seeing the huge buildings and infrastructure projects they run, it should come as no surprise to anyone that in Qatar there would be a lot of money. But if they did not have the data and to check how the economic situation is, this is the fourth richest country in the world, below Luxembourg, Singapore and Ireland.
Imagine how much wool they have that according to figures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is $112,789. Furthermore, as expected, much of its wealth comes from oil and natural gas, which account for more than 60 percent of GDP. Now yes, here they have to put avocado on anything
The curious origin of its flag
Continuing with the origin of Qatar, it is time to talk about one of its most important symbols: its flag. and if you have ever wondered what it means, here we tell you what it represents. Lhe nine jagged edges reflect the country’s inclusion as the ninth member of the reconciled Emirates’ of the Persian Gulfwhich occurred during a treaty with the United Kingdom in 1916.
Color, one of the elements that most attracts attention (and that as an extra curious fact is defined as Pantone 1955 C) more cKnown as Qatar garnet, it is a reference to the country’s role in the purple dye industry, something highly representative for them. The flag is also completely unique in that it It is the only one in the world that has a width of more than twice the size of its height.… so as you can see, it is more than a piece of cloth.
They have a house that has ruled since 1868…
Just as in the past, in Qatar there is a type of monarchy called absolutist emirate. And to make it clear how the wave is, the House of Thani has ruled the country since 1868when Mohammed bin Thani signed the treaty with the British that we mentioned before and the current Emir is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who has reigned in said territory since 2013.
The typical Qatari dish looks very good
Like all over the world, Qatar also has a typical dish and that is the Machboos. And perhaps at this point you are wondering what it has or how they prepare it. Well, so you can check the data, it is made with rice, meat, onions and tomatoes that are mixed with some spices. So now you know, if you’re going to go to the World Cup, of course you have to try the national dish of this country, because it looks good and they say it’s good.
In this country there are more men than women and only a very small percentage is of Qatari origin.
A rather peculiar fact about Qatar is that they have more men than women.. According to the most recent figures, men outnumber women in Doha – the country’s capital – by about three to one, with only 754 thousand 592 women in a population of 2 million 930 thousand 524 people... can you believe it? A real madness.
But perhaps what is really going to blow their minds is that only 12% of the population is of Qatari origin… yes, heThe native people of this place are a minority, since 79% of the population are immigrantsbecoming the second country with the highest percentage of immigrants in the world.
Traditional music is called khaleeji
Of course, like anywhere in the world, Qatar also has its traditional music and the name it has is khaleeji, which receives influences from the ‘Bedouin music’ played by the nomadic tribes that inhabited the desert areas of the Arabian Peninsula. In addition, they have typical instruments such as the oud – also known as the Arabic lute–, considered the main one to play anything originating in this country. If you want to add new songs to your playlist, it would not hurt to listen to your music.
Qatar is the safest country in the world
Probably one of the main reasons people move to Qatar is the fact that it is the safest country in the world. According to the Numbeo crime index, It has the lowest crime rate on the planet, with 11.90 points out of 100. And to make this point clear, Doha received the award for the safest city in the world in 2017 and 2019. So don’t worry, no one is going to steal them if they fly there to support the Mexican team.
They have camel races run by… robots?
Ok, we’re sure this is going to blow your mind. Although they do not believe it, camel racing is very popular in Qatar, which almost always take place between October and February of each year. In the past, The children were in charge of riding the camels, but since 2004 they have used robots for safety reasons.. These robots are controlled by remote control and even the camel herders drive them along the track… what’s up? These guys are very modern.
It has one of the only places in the world where the sea and the desert meet
To finish, we cannot leave out something touristy and beautiful to visit in Qatar. In fact, They have a spectacular place called Khor Al Adaid, or the Inner Sea, which is very special because it is one of the few places in the world where the sea and the desert meet.. This area was declared a nature reserve in 2007 and the country’s government wants UNESCO to name this area a World Heritage Site. And the truth is that they are right, because it has impressive views.
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Source: Ofeminin
