COUNTRY Q

Of the 195 countries in the world, only one begins with the letter Q, and that is Qatar (Kuh-Tar).  Q is clearly an uncommon letter.  8% of all languages use the /q/ sound.  English speakers pronounce it as /k/ (king), which appears in 90% of the world's 3,000 languages and dialects.  A language is written, as well as spoken.  A dialect is just spoken.

As shown by this map, Qatar is a peninsula, and its only land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, and the rest of it is surrounded by the Persian Gulf. 

• The country follows Islamic law, according to which Fridays and Saturdays are their weekend instead of Saturdays and Sundays.  Friday is the day to offer prayers, and all malls and stores in the country are closed and open only after the Friday afternoon prayer is done.  
• Men outnumber the women.  The total population is about 2.5 million, but only about 700,000 are women.  This is because immigrants from other countries came to Qatar with the promise of a job and a good lifestyle.  Most of them are males.  The population is also young, with over 70% of people ages 15-29 or 30-44.
• Qatar is officially the safest country in the world.  In addition, it is perfectly immune from natural disasters, such as earthquakes or tsunamis.  Many scientists believe there is a mere 0.1% chance of an earthquake occurring in Qatar.
• Qatar is the fourth nation in the world (joining Oman, Greenland and San Marino) where there is not a single forest in the whole country.
• Camel racing is probably the favorite sport of Qatar.  Children were used as camel jockeys, but due to this being dangerous, in 2004 children were replaced by robots that sit on top of the camels.
• It is one of the world's largest reserves of petroleum and natural gas and employs large numbers of foreign workers in its production process.  Because of this oil wealth, the country's residents enjoy a high standard of living and a well-established system of social services.
• Qatari citizens enjoy tax-free incomes, high-paying government jobs, free health care, free higher education, financial support for newlyweds, housing support, generous subsidies that cover utility bills and plush retirement benefits.  But, there are restrictions and there is strict punishment for wrongdoing.

• 

  Arabian Oryx

  The national animal of Qatar is the Arabian Oryx. 
• Dates are the national fruit.  Dates are used as part of their hospitality.
• Arabic is the official language.  English is the second language.
• Certain public expressions of affection, such as kissing or hugging, are illegal in Qatar, especially in family-friendly spaces. 
• Moving in together while unmarried is illegal.
• The Qataf is the national flower, renowned for its resilience to the dry desert landscape.

  

  Qataf, flower

• Family and privacy are important values in Qatari culture.  Generally, men and women avoid socializing together.
• It is illegal to bring pornography, pork products and alcohol into the country.
• It is illegal to photograph government buildings or military sites.
• It is illegal to photograph local people, especially women, without permission.

• 
  Qatar was known for its production of purple dye.  Its ruler from 1847 to 1876 proposed the creation of a flag with a purple-red color to unify the state, as well as to highlight its historic role in the production of dye.
• Law forbids unmarried couples to sleep in the same room, so it's important to be able to provide documentary proof of marriage,  or hotels will not allow you to stay there.

I could go on and on with interesting facts about this country that starts with a Q.  Not only is research my hobby, but learning new things about our world is high on my late-life priority list.  Life across the globe has many differences and unique traditions.  It's healthy for us to familiarize ourselves with far-away places, because we sometimes need to be more appreciative of life as we know it.  I hope my followers have enjoyed today's post, which is more like a geography lesson.  I'd heard of Qatar, but until today I didn't really know where it was located on the map.  Think I'll remember it because it looks like Saudi Arabia's appendix!