Doha is the capital of Qatar, a city that has its roots as a fishing village named Al Bida. As Qatar became a more significant player in the Middle East's role in the world and became a British protectorate, Al Bida became the capital city and the name changed to Doha. It served a major role for the nation as a whole, being both the largest city and the primary center for the two largest exports of the nation, fishing and pearling. With the discovery of oil outside the peninsula, Doha became the petroleum center for the nation, taking the nation from a desolate recession (due to Japanese cultured pearls) to the forefront of oil producing nations, and by extension, the forefront of the richest nations of the world. Standing now as the richest nation in the world (highest GDP per capita, according to the CIA), Doha is the penultimate diamond in the rough, an oasis of high civilization and luxurious living in the vast sand dunes of Qatar.



Doha International Airport is the only internationally serving airstrip in the nation, so anyone flying in to Qatar will already be in the capital city. From there, getting anywhere inside of Doha is a cinch, due to the easily accessible roads, vast bus and taxi systems, and the highway system that is under constant expansion by the Qatari government. Being the capital of such a rich nation means that the government seated in Doha can afford a lot of high-class expansion: this is reflected in the vast amount of activities and tourist attractions offered to anyone visiting Doha.

For sports, Doha offers several stadiums where you can watch a football game, tennis matches, or even go to one of the aquatic centers where you can see any number of swim competitions or just get in the pool and cool off. Doha was host to the 2006 Asian Games, which was the largest Asian Games in history. Doha was also, until June 4th of 2008, on the shortlist of applicant cities for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Doha has a semi-typical Arabian climate, being warm year round because of the latitude of Qatar as a nation. However, the dry and abrasive air of some countries in the Mid-East is offset by the surrounding ocean of Qatar, making the air more moist than most other nations in the region. Winter months in Doha are much more pleasant, offering temperatures from the low twenties to the mid teens, making the city an ideal place to visit for a holiday towards the end of the year.

Visitors to Qatar have their interests protected by the Qatar Tourism Authority, a branch of the Qatari government that looks into taking care of people of various nations coming into Doha to see their nation. They oversee all of the hotels and various places where people can stay when visiting the country. By also providing a rating system from one to five stars for any accommodation, the QTA makes sure that people know what each hotel offers.

Most of the hotels in Doha are of a high caliber, providing services from boat rental and yacht chartering to discounts and packages for people looking to go try the variety of sports and activities offered around the city and the surrounding countryside. Most hotels combine restaurants and various amenities into their building to provide a cohesive experience to all of their customers.

Doha is the very definition of a modern Arab city, featuring some of the most liberal laws of any Middle Eastern nation; alcohol is even allowed through permits issued by the national government. The legal system's roots are based in Islamic law but the interpretation is much looser than one would find in more staunch nations such as Egypt or Iran.

In summary, staying in Doha is the kind of experience that one never forgets, and something that anyone who has the opportunity to do, should. The care that shown to anyone visiting this rich city by far outstrips what one would find in almost any other country on Earth. Combining this with the rich cultural and entertainment value of Doha alone, let alone the whole of Qatar, makes visiting the capital of the richest nation in the world a goal that anyone should set for himself or herself while they can.