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cities doha
Doha
(population 370,000) is the capital of Qatar, located on the
Persian Gulf. Major industries are oil and fishing. Located
near Doha is Education City, an area devoted to research and
education.
The city was founded as Al-bida in 1850. The city became the
capitol of the British protectorate Qatar in 1916. The Al Wajbah
fort is in the southwestern part of the city and was build by al
Rayyan in 1882. This fort witneessed the famous battle where the
people of Qatar underneath the leadership of Sheikh Qassim beat
the Ottomns in 1893. The Al Kout fort was built in 1917 by
Sheikh Abdulla Bin Qassim Al-Thani and lies in the center of the
city. In 1949 the city began exporting oil. The Government House
opened in 1969 and is considered the nation's most prominent
landmarks. In 1971 it became the capitol of the independent
Qatar. The Doha University opened in 1973. The National Museum
of Qatar opened in 1975 which was originally the palace for the
ruler in 1912.
Doha is Qatars cultural and
commercial heart. The State of Qatar is an Emirat, leaded by
HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. The country is an Arabic
/ Islamic society. Five times daily the Call to Prayer is
reminding Muslims to come to the mosque to pray. The country
obeys the Islamic laws and culture in all aspects of society.
Just like other cities in the
Persian Gulf Region, Doha is an intriguing mixture of old and
new. You'll find fine modern architecture next to traditional
Arabic Soukhs (bazaars) and more than 260 mosques (the
multiple-domed Grande Mosque is, in fact, the largest). The
harbour is still a thriving international port well equipped
for modern commerce. The traditional Dhow harbour is a
favoured attraction. The western style nightlife in Doha is
centralized only in the international hotels. Here we find
state of the art bars and discotheques.
Local nightlife is found in traditional shi-sha places and
coffee houses. The shi-sha is the Arabian water pipe; very
popular amongst local people and foreigners. Not to forget,
Qatar is the home base for Al Jazeera Media, the famous
Arabian news station.
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