Doha: 15 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know

In case you did not know, Doha is the capital city of Qatar (a country that’s located in the Middle East). There’s probably a lot that you don’t know about this city, but today my aim is to change that.

Here are 15 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know about Doha

1. Doha is the largest city in Qatar with a population of over 950,000 people (according to 2015 estimates).

2. The city is known for its modern architecture, including skyscrapers, cultural landmarks, and innovative designs.

3. Qatar Airways (one of the world’s leading airlines) is based in Doha and operates flights to over 150 destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania.

4. The city hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup final at Lusail Stadium. The stadium has seating for 80.000 spectators.

5. The name “Doha” is derived from the Arabic term “Dohat” (which means roundness). It’s a reference to the rounded bays surrounding the city.

6. Doha was founded in the 1820s as an offshoot of Al Bidda. It was officially declared as the country’s capital in 1971, when Qatar gained independence from being a British protectorate.

7. 80% of Qatar’s population live in this city and its surrounding suburbs. The city houses Qatar’s ministries, government departments, and financial and commercial institutions.

8. Doha’s water supply is obtained by distilling seawater.

9. The weather in Doha is hot and humid for most of the year, with temperatures often exceeding 40°C (104°F) in the summer months.

10. The city’s Museum of Islamic Art (which was opened in 2008) is known for its vast collection of Islamic art spanning 1,300 years.

11. The population of Doha is overwhelmingly composed of expatriates, with Qatari nationals forming a minority. The largest portion of expatriates in Qatar are from South-East and South Asian countries, mainly India, Pakistan,  Sri Lanka, Nepal, The Philippines, and Bangladesh with large numbers of expatriates also coming from the Levant Arab countries, North Africa, and East Asia.

12. Hamad International Airport (which is located on the East of the city) replaced replaced the nearby Doha International Airport as Qatar’s principal and main national airport in 2014. Hammad International Airport is almost twice the size of the old airport and features two of the longest runways in the world. More than 38.8 million passengers arrived at the airport in 2019.

13. The Olympic Cycling Track in Doha holds a Guinness World Record for being the longest continuous cycle path in the world, which is 33 kilometres (20.5 miles) long. Created by Ashghal, the public works authority in Qatar, the track was completed in 2020. It runs through 18 underpasses to ensure uninterrupted movement.

The track also holds the record for the longest piece of asphalt concrete laid continuously, with a length of 25.3 kilometres.

14. The architectural height of Doha Tower is 238 meters (781 feet). This height is measured from the base of the tower to the tip of its spire. The tower is the 6th tallest building in the city and Qatar by architectural height.

The building has no central core. It was the first skyscraper to use internal reinforced concrete diagrid columns (which blend in with the building’s façade). Construction of the tower began in 2005 and was completed in 2012. The construction cost was $125 million.

15. The 300 metre (980 ft) tall Aspire Tower is currently the tallest structure and building in the city and in Qatar. The tower served as the focal point for the 15th Asian Games hosted by Qatar in December 2006.

Well, there you have it, 15 interesting facts you might not have known about Doha. If I’ve left out something important, feel free to comment below.

Feel free to check out the drone footage video of Doha below:

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