Qatar
Surrounded by water on three sides, Qatar is a peninsula in the Arabian Gulf with its only land border at the southern end of where Qatar meets Saudi Arabia. The entire country is approximately 240 kilometres from north to south and less than 160 kilometres wide.
Qatar has a rich and vibrant history that can be traced back as far as 4000 BC. Throughout the centuries, the fishing and pearling trades have established Qatar as an important port in the Gulf. With the expansion and growth of its oil and gas industry, the port and the country maintains international importance.
Today oil and gas reserves are the mainstays of Qatar’s economy. With oil reserves of 13.2 billion barrels and gas reserve of 900 trillion cubic feet, Qatar has the highest per capita income in the world. The State is using the financial gains realized from these reserves to invest in various sectors, including tourism.
The Al-Thani family began its rule of Qatar in the 18th century and one can see the positive influences this family has had on the growth and development of Qatar. When the present Emir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, came to power in 1995, he brought a modern and positive approach that transformed the country into an ideal host for major sporting events and international conferences, as well as a luxurious tourist destination.
United Arab Emirates
The U.A.E. sits on the north-eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and west and by Oman in the east and north. The country is made up of seven emirates of which Abu Dhabi is by far the largest, occupying over 80% of the land mass.
Abu Dhabi
There are two major cities with the emirate: Abu Dhabi, which is the capital of the U.A.E. and al Ain, which lies at the foot of the Hajar Mountains on the border with Oman. It is hard to reconcile the modern city of Abu Dhabi with the scattering of ‘barasti’ (palm frond) huts from the 1950s. Historical documentation of Abu Dhabi’s history is scarce but it is rich in archaeological finds. Evidence of settlements have been found around Jebel Hafeet, near Al Ain and on the island of Umm al Nar, near Abu Dhabi city, dating back to between 3000 and 2000BC. Abu Dhabi’s history really begins with the Bani Yas Bedouin tribe who are known to have been in the area along the coast in the 16th century.
Although concessions were granted to a British company in 1939 to search for oil, the huge offshore reserves were not discovered until 1958. Exports began four years later, launching Abu Dhabi on it way to incredible wealth.
Dubai
Dubai is one of the seven emirates that joined together in 1971 to form the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is situated on the U.A.E.’s west coast in the south-western part of the Arabian Gulf and covers 3,885 square kilometres. Except for a tiny enclave in the Hajar Mountains in Hatta, the emirate is one single block of territory. Most of the land is sparsely populated and most people live in the city.
Before 1830, Dubai was a small coastal village in which people derived their livelihood from fishing, pearling and small-scale agriculture. Nothing much changed in Dubai until the late 1800s, when tax concessions were granted to foreign traders. Encouraged by the farsighted and liberal attitudes of the rulers, Indian and Persian traders quickly settled in the growing town. Dubai and the other emirates had accepted the protection of the British government in 1892 but with the announcement 1968 of the withdrawal of the British Dubai joined the United Arab Emirates in 1971.
In 1966 , Dubai which was already a relatively wealthy trading centre, discovered oil. Currently the total oil output of the U.A.E. is around two billion barrels per day. Dubai has continued to expand its trading tradition and has developed a thriving tourism industry which now accounts for 40% of its economy.
Oman
Situated in the south-eastern quarter of the Arabian Peninsula, the Sultanate of Oma is bordered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west, Yemen to the south-west and the United Arab Emirates to the north-west. It is estimated that its total land area is 309,500 square kilometres, making it the third largest country in the peninsula with Muscat as the capital.
Archaeological evidence suggests that an early form of civilisation existed in Oman at least 5,000 years ago. The name ‘Oman’ is said to come from the Arab tribes that migrated to the area from a place in Yemen called Uman.
Oman’s geographical position on some of the world’s most important trade routes between Africa and Asia has given it a unique dimension. From the first to third centuries, the southern part of the country was one of the wealthiest regions in the world due to the ancient trade in Arabian horses and the world’s purest frankincense.
To supplement the revenue earned from trading Oman generates significant oil revenues, exporting 760.000 barrels a day and reserves should be enough for another 20 years. As Oman is endowed with modest oil reserve, the country aims to create a viable non-oil economy by shifting economic emphasis to tourism, agriculture, fisheries, mining and light industry, while continuing aggressive development of natural gas to offset depleting oil production.
Following part of his education in England, Sultan Qaboos bin Said entered the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst as an officer cadet. After service in Germany he studied local Government administration in England before returning to Salalah where he grew up.
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos assumed power in 1970 and has proved to be a strong yet benign leader, drawing his people into the modern world but at the same time preserving much of the character and heritage of his country, thus making Oman a unique place to visit.