Qatar

Interesting Facts About Qatar

• Qatar's population fluctuates considerably by season due to heavy reliance on migrant labour, with foreigners making up the vast majority of residents
• In 2020, only around 340,000 people (12%) were Qatari citizens, while the remaining 2.5 million were expatriates
• South Asians represent over 60% of Qatar's population, with Indians being the largest community at 650,000 people as of 2017
• The gender balance in Qatar is significantly skewed due to male labour migration, with women representing just one-quarter of the population
• Arabic is the official language, but English is increasingly used as a lingua franca, particularly in commerce and the medical field
• Islam is the state religion practiced by 75.9% of the population, with most citizens following the Salafi Wahhabi movement
• Since 2008, Christians in Qatar have been permitted to build churches on government-donated land, with multiple active churches including Roman Catholic and Orthodox congregations

View Doha guide