Discover Qatar: Top 10 Unique and Entertaining Fun Facts to Amaze You

1. Art-Splurging Al-Thanis

When they're not busy playing "Qatar Hero" or adding another jewel to their "Qollection," the Al-Thani family of Qatar is on a spending spree that puts many billionaires to shame: These art connoisseurs have invested billions in acquiring rare pieces, such as Paul Cézanne's The Card Players for $250 million and Mark Rothko's White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender) for $72.8 million, while also establishing several museums, including the Arab Museum of Modern Art, I.M Pei’s Islamic Museum of Art, and a Museum of Clothes & Textiles, helping enrich the cultural landscape of the region.
Source => news.artnet.com

2. Coastal Kardashians

Who needs reality TV drama when you have the coastal Kardashians of Qatar: sea turtles and dugongs strutting their stuff in natural extravagance? Seriously, though: Qatar's coastline boasts a vibrant ecosystem where sea turtles nest along the Fuwayrit-Ras Laffan shoreline, and dugongs famously congregated in groups of over 600 in 1986 and 1999 to the west of the country.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Discover the fascinating tale of Bahrain's Tree of Life - thriving in the desert for centuries with a hidden, ancient watchtower and intriguing archaeological treasures like pottery and artifacts nearby! 🌳🏺🔍

=> Fun Facts about Bahrain

3. Scrooge McDuck's Playground

If Scrooge McDuck took a swim in Qatar, he'd find more than just gold coins in his pool: Qatar boasts the highest per-capita GDP in the world at $98,800, thriving on a $170 billion sovereign wealth fund from oil and natural gas revenues, and transforming itself into a global knowledge powerhouse with Education City's sprawling campuses hosting American and European universities, research centers, and think tanks.
Source => businessinsider.com

4. Snorkeling Plants

In a land where plants need snorkels to breathe life: The Avicennia Marina, commonly known as the white or gray mangrove, is uniquely adapted to thrive in Qatar's harsh environment with its snorkel-like pencil roots, which absorb air during high tide, allowing fish to swim through its branches. This creates a vibrant ecosystem attracting various fish and crustaceans, but beware, stepping on those snorkeling roots might just snuff out the life of these resilient trees.
Source => atlasobscura.com

5. Camel Milk Ice Cream Craze

Who needs Ben & Jerry when you've got camels and dairy: Camel milk ice cream is not only a delightful Qatari treat from a local company - Camels Back, it's also packed with immune boosters, vitamins B, D, and five times the vitamin C of cow's milk. Low in fat and cholesterol, this scrumptious and nutritious dessert is perfect for calcium-craving kiddos, expecting moms, and even those managing Type II diabetes. Let’s scream for camel milk ice cream!
Source => gulf-times.com

6. Luxury Car Dreamland

If you've got a license to thrill and can't resist life in the fast lane, then Qatar might just be your automotive dreamland: This small but affluent nation boasts an unusually large number of luxury car dealerships, particularly featuring Ferrari and Aston Martin, though there's no definitive data on the actual ownership or registration of these high-end vehicles.
Source => doctorcopper.blogspot.com

7. Khor Al-Adaid's All-Natural Party

Move over, sandy-clawed hermit crabs; the silvery crescents at Khor Al-Adaid have room for everyone to wave hello and shell-ebrate: This uninhabited UNESCO World Heritage site and unique natural reserve not only boasts flora, fauna, and endangered marine species, but also provides adrenaline-pumping adventures like sand skiing, quad biking, 4WD racing, and moonlit camping for human visitors.
Source => qatarofw.com

8. Pearls of Wealth & Wisdom

In a land where "pearls of wisdom" take on a literal meaning, Qatar is swimming in a sea of shiny treasures: The nation's pearl diving industry has resurged using modern techniques and technology to produce pearls of unmatched quality, which contribute significantly to the economy and are sought after by luxury brands worldwide.
Source => experience.qa

9. Qatar-Saudi Boundary Bonanza

In a tale of neighbors playing an extreme game of "build a fence," Qatar and Saudi Arabia take home the trophy for the most dramatic border drama: The once disputed 87 km border between Qatar and Saudi Arabia was settled in 2001, but in 2018, Saudi Arabia planned to spend a whopping $745 million to construct a 61 km Salwa Canal that would have turned Qatar into an island. Fear not, though, as of November 2021, they've redrawn the border with Qatar nabbing the southern shore of Khawr al Udayd.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Al Zubarah's Pearlescent Past

You know how oysters can be quite "pearls"onally rich? Well, Al Zubarah was the pearl of Qatar's eye back in the 18th and 19th centuries: A flourishing trading town with fancy palaces, markets, mosques, and a harbor, Al Zubarah worked its way to UNESCO World Heritage Site status, all thanks to its booming pearl trade and strategic connections with hotspots like the Indian Ocean, Arabia, and Western Asia. So if you want a taste of "oysterous" opulence, dive into Al Zubarah's rich history and its impact on the Persian Gulf's trade game!
Source => whc.unesco.org