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Qatar: Saudi Arabia
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Undoubtedly one of the most scenic of places to visit in Qatar is Khor Al Udeid - or the inland sea which penetrates the country in the southeast. Khor means inlet in Arabic. Here the sea surges in a wide channel dividing Qatar from Saudi Arabia and then curves to create a vast, shallow tidal lake. The Khor Al Udeid is not, despite its name, a real landlocked sea, but is a long, narrow channel of the Gulf on the borders of Qatar and Saudi Arabia. A huge tidal lake is formed at the inlet between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It is a surreal place, with white sand dunes on one side of the inlet facing the pink cliffs of Saudi Arabia on the other.
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Natives of the Arabian Peninsula, most Qataris are descended from a number of migratory tribes that came to Qatar in the 18th century to escape the harsh conditions of the neighboring areas of Nejd and Al-Hasa. Some are descended from Omani tribes. Qatar has more than 750,000 people, the majority of whom live in Doha, the capital. Foreign workers with temporary residence status make up about four-fifths of the population. Most of them are South Asians, Egyptians, Palestinians, Jordanians, and Iranians. About 6,000 U.S. citizens resided there as of 2001.
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Although the peninsular land mass that makes up Qatar has sustained humans for thousands of years, for the bulk of its history the arid climate fostered only short-term settlements by nomadic tribes. Clans such as the Al Khalifa and the Al Saud (which would later ascend thrones of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively) swept through the Arabian peninsula and camped on the coasts within small fishing and pearling villages.
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Qatar occupies a mitten-shaped peninsula that extends about 105 miles into the Persian Gulf roughly midway along its western coast. About 50 miles across at its widest point, it has an area of 4,400 square miles. Qatar shares a land border with Saudi Arabia and is separated from Bahrain to the west by about 30 miles of water. It consists largely of desert sand and gravel with occasional limestone outcrops and sabkhas (salt flats). A lack of water made the establishment of permanent settlements in Qatar's interior impossible until the post-oil era. Summer weather is severe, with temperatures as high as 122°F (50°C) and high humidity along the coasts; winters are pleasant, with temperatures generally around 60°F (17°C), with a continuous north wind.
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In keeping with its historic status as an international entrepôt, Qatar takes an international approach to eating out. Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Thai flavours mingle with those of Italy, France, the Mediterranean, Mexican and beyond. However, no visitor should miss the chance to sample local specialties. Supremely fresh fish and seafood from the Arabian Gulf is an obvious choice, with lobster, crab, shrimp, tuna, kingfish and red snapper topping the list of favourites. Meat dishes tend to be based on lamb – the nomadic tribes people would be accompanied by flocks of sheep – slow-cooked and served with a variety of side dishes.
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The State of Qatar is situated on a small peninsula jutting northward from Arabia into the Persian Gulf. The peninsula is 100 miles (160 kilometers) long, and has a maximum width of 50 miles (80 kilometers). The total land area is approximately 4,400 square miles (11,400 square kilometers). Its land boundaries meet the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
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