The State of Qatar is a sovereign and independent state in the Middle East, occupying a peninsula that juts into the Arabian Gulf. Since its complete independence from Britain in 1971, Qatar has emerged as one of the world's most important producers of oil and gas. It is an Islamic State whose laws and customs follow the Islamic tradition. Since 2013, the country has been governed by HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup in 2022 for which it will build nine eco-friendly iconic stadiums, some of which will be able to host upto 80,000 people. World-renowned architect I M Pei designed the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, with its magnificent geometric architecture. It was opened in 2008 and is a blend of both Islamic and modern architectural styles.

Since the mid-1800s, Qatar has grown one of the world's most important oil and gas producing countries. While there is increasing investment in non-energy sectors, oil and gas still account for more than half of the Gross Domestic Product. Due to its substantial reserves of oil and gas, the country has one of the highest incomes per capita in the world.