Qatar is a sovereign country located in Western Asia, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Oil was discovered in Qatar in 1940, in Dukhan Field. The discovery transformed the state's economy. Now, the country has a high standard of living for its legal citizens. With no income tax, Qatar (along with Bahrain and the UAE) is one of the countries with the lowest tax rates in the world. The unemployment rate in June 2013 was 0.1%. Corporate law mandates that Qatari nationals must hold 51% of any venture in the Emirate. In January 2018 a new draft law was approved by the Council of Ministers that would allow 100 percent foreign investment in all economic and commercial activities and sectors to help foreign capital inflow.
Notable firms
This list includes notable companies with primary headquarters located in the country. The industry and sector follow the Industry Classification Benchmark taxonomy. Organizations which have ceased operations are included and noted as defunct.
Name | Industry | Sector | Headquarters | Founded | Notes | Status | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Al Jazeera Media Network | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Doha | 1996 | Multimedia corporation | P | A |
Barwa Group | Financials | Real estate holding & development | Doha | 2005 | Development | P | A |
BSI-Steel Building System Integration W.L.L | Basic materials | Iron & steel | Doha | 2006 | Steel company | P | A |
GSSG Holding | Conglomerates | - | Doha | 1994 | Engineering, aviation, education, automotive company | P | A |
Gulf Drilling International | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Doha | 2004 | Part of QatarEnergy | S | A |
Gulf Helicopters | Consumer services | Airlines | Doha | 1970 | Charter helicopters | P | A |
Hamad Medical Corporation | Health care | Health care providers | Doha | 1979 | State-owned healthcare provider | S | A |
International Bank of Qatar (IBQ) | Financials | Banks | Doha | 1956 | Private bank | P | A |
Kahramaa | Utilities | Conventional electricity | Doha | 2000 | State-owned electrical and water company | S | A |
Nakilat | Industrials | Marine transportation | Doha | 2004 | State-owned gas shipping company | S | A |
Nehmeh | Industrials | Diversified industrials | Doha | 1955 | Multidisciplinary company | P | A |
Ooredoo | Telecommunications | Fixed line telecommunications | Doha | 1987 | State-owned telecommunications provider | S | A |
Oryx GTL | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Ras Laffan Industrial City | 2003 | Gas to liquids company | P | A |
Qatar Airways | Consumer services | Airlines | Doha | 1993 | State-owned airline | S | A |
Qatar Amiri Flight | Consumer services | Airlines | Doha | 1977 | State-owned VIP airline | S | A |
Qatar Development Bank | Financials | Banks | Doha | 1997 | State-owned development bank | S | A |
Qatar Exchange | Financials | Investment services | Doha | 1995 | State-owned primary exchange | S | A |
Qatar Executive | Consumer services | Airlines | Doha | 2009 | Charter jet subsidiary of Qatar Airways | S | A |
Qatar Insurance | Financials | Full line insurance | Doha | 1964 | State-owned insurance company | S | A |
QNB Group | Financials | Banks | Doha | 1964 | Commercial bank | P | A |
Qatar National Cement Company | Industrials | Building materials & fixtures | Umm Bab | 1965 | Cement manufacturing company | S | A |
Qatar National Company for Medical Projects | Health care | Health care providers | Doha | 2005 | Healthcare company | P | A |
QatarEnergy | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Doha | 1974 | State-owned petroleum company | S | A |
Qatar Steel | Basic materials | Iron & steel | Mesaieed | 1974 | State-owned steel company | S | A |
QatarEnergy LNG | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Doha | 1984 | State-owned natural gas company | S | A |
RasGas | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Doha | 2001 | Natural gas company | P | A |
Salam International Investment Limited | Conglomerates | - | Doha | 1952 | Multidisciplinary company | P | A |
Seashore Group | Conglomerates | - | Al Khor | 1989 | Multidisciplinary company | P | A |
- A Qatar Airways Airbus A340-600 departing London Heathrow Airport in 2014.
- The news desk of Al Jazeera English
See also
References
- Rasoul Sorkhabi (2010). "The Qatar Oil Discoveries". GEO ExPro Magazine. 7 (1).
- Nordland, Rod (25 June 2013). "New Hope for Democracy in a Dynastic Land". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- nouvelobs.com: "Qatar : "S'ils pouvaient, ils achèteraient la Tour Eiffel", 7 April 2013
- qatar-tribune.com: "Qatar : "Cabinet okays draft law allowing 100% foreign investment", 4 January 2018
- "Hamad Medical Corporation Home".