Qatar: country facts, travel advice and health

Metrash2: government app to check for unpaid traffic fines before flying out.Uber: ride-hailing to call a car quickly.Careem: a regional ride-hailing alternative.Google Maps: save the Qatar map for offline navigation.

Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Money in Qatar

Qatari Riyal · QAR

A metro ride costs QR2, or QR6 buys unlimited rides for the day.

Swap any old-design riyal notes at a bank; it is normally free but takes time.

Banks and money changers give similar rates; many changers are near Doha's Gold Souq.

Buy spices and dried fruit at the souqs, where they cost less than in the West.

Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Collect Qatari Riyal in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpen

Public holidays in the next 12 months

Mon, 8 Feb 2027–8 Mar · Ramadan (expected date)

Tue, 9 Mar 2027 · Eid al-Fitr (expected date)

Sun, 16 May 2027 · Eid al-Adha (expected date)

Source: Umm al-Qura calendar (computed with ICU) · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

02Free

Safety today

Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Qatar say, side by side, checked daily.

German Foreign Office says

No travel warning

Calm ●

Caution

Serious

Don’t go

Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 23 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page

U.S. Department of State says

Reconsider travel

Calm

Caution

Serious ●

Don’t go

Level 3 of 4

Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 22 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page

UK Foreign Office says

No advice against travel

Source: GOV.UK
Updated 19 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page

Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.

03Free

Health

Routine vaccines, plus hepatitis A for unvaccinated travellers aged one year or older.

Vaccinations

Hepatitis A is advised for unvaccinated travellers aged one year or older, on top of routine shots.

Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.

Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page

Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.

04Travel layer

In the app: the travel layer

The travel layer

Read a country like someone who’s been there.

What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use

€4.99once · all countries

Pay once. No subscription. All countries, yours forever.

Must-see · 1Doha

The capital, with skyscrapers, souqs and the main museums.

Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Strange & surprising · #1

Qatari citizens make up only about 10% of the people living in the country.

Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

National anthem: As Salam al Amiri. The lyrics, translated, and the story are in the app. Source: Wikidata · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

1 World Heritage site in Qatar, each with a photo and its story, in the app. Source: UNESCO World Heritage List

05Free

Deep facts

Economy
GDP	≈ $215.6 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Per person	≈ $72,525Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Top exports	natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, fertilizers (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗

Population
Population	3 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Median age	34.4 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Life expectancy	80.3 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Religions	Muslim 65.2%, Christian 13.7%, Hindu 15.9%, Buddhist 3.8%, folk religion <0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2020 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗

Geography
Area	11,586 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Climate	arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summersSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Terrain	mostly flat and barren desertSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗

Government
Type of government	absolute monarchySource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Calling code	+974Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

About the data

Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.

From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.

CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 25 Oct 2026 ↗Umm al-Qura calendar (computed with ICU) · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗

Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).