The barren peninsula of Qatar extends into the Persian Gulf, bordered on the landward end by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Its area may be very small, but the independent emirate is exceedingly wealthy, with one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, thanks to its oil and gas resources.

For most of the 20th century Qatar was a British protectorate, gaining independence in 1971, after which it became embroiled in territorial disputes with its neighbours and suffered civil strife, with the Emir being ousted by his son in a coup.

In 1989 the country started issuing tourist visas, heralding a new era of opening its doors to visitors. Tourism, despite the establishment of glitzy hotels, has still to take off in a big way, hampered as it is by the risky security situation in the Middle East. Qatar labours under a high threat of indiscriminate terrorist attacks against Western interests.

Whether visiting for business or pleasure, most travellers use the capital, Doha, as their base. Formerly a quaint and busy pearl fishing village, Doha is today one of the most important cities in the Middle East, now a major trading centre. It has a large British and American expatriate population (the Al Udeid air base was headquarters for the US invasion of Iraq in 2003), which has moulded the city into an interesting blend of eastern and western culture and architecture.

Tourists tend to spend their time on the Doha Corniche, a palm-fringed public promenade that extends for four miles (7km) along the seafront, lined with five and six-star resort hotels, restaurants, shops, beaches and recreational areas. A short boat ride from the Corniche is Palm Tree Island, a great escape full of fun family amenities and a first class seafood restaurant. Doha also has its equivalent of Disney World: the Kingdom of Aladdin Theme Park is in the West Bay area. A major attraction for visitors is shopping, whether it is in traditional markets (souqs) or the plethora of massive ultra-modern malls that fill the city centre.

Those wanting to explore outside the city can undertake excursions to interesting towns, fishing villages, beautiful beaches, camel races, luxury resorts and the Almaha Sanctuary at Shahaniya where the near-extinct Arabian Oryx is being protected. The Oryx is the origin of the legend of the unicorn, and is Qatar's national symbol, flying high on the tails of Qatar Airways jetliners.

Whether it is learning to haggle at the souqs, fine-tuning your dune driving skills, relaxing on the beach or marvelling at the wonders of the Arabian world in one of the cities many museums, Qatar has something on offer for every traveller. Qatar is a shoppers dream. With malls and markets you can't go wrong. While business travellers will find it equally exciting as Doha is fast making its mark as a regional business hub. With a great selection of amusement parks and the Qatar zoo, kids will marvel at the many wonders Qatar has to offer. Qatar is the perfect destination for travellers who enjoy their creature-comforts but also crave adventure, and spice in their lives. A trip to Qatar offers travellers relaxing beaches, world-class shopping, exotic markets and endless dunes.

Language: Arabic is the official language, but English is widely used.

Getting around: Visitors to Qatar will find getting around relatively simple. Doha is easy to navigate either by bus, hired car or via taxi. For those wishing to travel beyond the city hiring a car or a car with driver is recommended. Driving over the dunes is not recommended, if you do decide to experience the dunes it is essential to travel in convoy or as part of a guided tour. Be sure to take extra water and always notify your hotel as to where you are going and how long you will be gone for, it is easy to get stuck out in the desert and some stretches remain quite isolated.

Travel Health: No vaccinations are a health requirement for entry to Qatar, but it is recommended that visitors be up to date with routine vaccinations. Modern medical care and medicine is available in Doha. Doctors and hospitals expect immediate cash payment for medical services, and treatment is expensive; it is advisable for travellers to hold comprehensive medical insurance. Traveller's diarrhoea is a risk, therefore visitors should drink bottled water and avoid under-cooked food and unwashed fruit and vegetables, particularly outside of the hotels and resorts.

Tipping: A service charge of 10% is usually added to hotel and restaurant bills in Qatar, in which case tipping is not necessary. However if there is no service charge a 10% tip is appreciated. Taxi drivers do not expect a tip, but it is good to round off the amount due.

Safety Information: Safety in Qatar is generally not an issue but the country, like most in the Gulf region, is rated as being under high threat of indiscriminate terrorist attacks against Western interests. The most recent event was a suicide bomb blast in Doha in March 2005, in which a British national was killed. Visitors should therefore be vigilant in public places. There is a low incidence of crime, but women are advised to take care when travelling alone at night.

Local Customs: Qatar is an Islamic state, which prohibits drinking alcohol in public other than at licensed hotel restaurants and bars. Religious customs should be respected, particularly during the month of Ramadan when eating, drinking and smoking in public are forbidden by Muslim law. Intimacy between men and women in public can lead to arrest, and homosexuality is illegal. Visitors should dress modestly and respect local customs. The right hand should be used for everything, including eating and the giving and receiving of things, as the left is considered unclean. The import of pornographic material, non-Islamic religious material, alcohol or pork products is prohibited.

Business: Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world, and has had good trade relations with the West dating back to the 19th century. However it is still advisable to abide by the cultural practices of the locals in business. In Qatar a personal style of business is favoured and relationships are built on over time. The Arabic greeting of 'Salaam Aleikum' is appreciated and politeness helps to build strong relationships. Shaking hands is the norm between men. Men and women are to dress appropriately in suits, with particular attention paid to conservative attire for women. The giving of gifts is appreciated and often reciprocated, but unnecessary. Business cards should be printed in both English and Arabic on the alternate side. Dates in documents should be detailed in both Gregorian dates and the Hijrah date. Maintaining eye contact is important. Patience is a virtue in all meetings and often the meetings will appear to be quite sociable events with the potential for unrelated interruptions. Business hours are generally 8am to 7pm Saturday to Thursday with varied times taken for prayers throughout the day and a long lunch break. Friday is the day of rest, but some offices may also close on Thursday.