Some cities have very humble beginnings. Doha, the capital city of Qatar, was a small fishing and pearling port called al-Bida until the beginning of the twentieth century. At the end of the nineteenth century, the port had just around 12,000 inhabitants. The modern city Doha grew out of al-Bida port. Today, Doha is the largest city of Qatar, and is the country’s centre of administration, finance, culture, transportation, and social services.
Pearling was one of the chief sources of income for the city. However, after oil revenues started flourishing the emirate in the 1960s, the city experienced rapid growth. Gas industry, fishing and trade also enriched the city. High-rise apartments and offices, palatial villas, and tree-lined subdivsions supported by modern infrastructure began appearing and they changed the city’s outlook altogether. Along with wealth, population increased too. However, most of the city’s residents are non-Qataris. There are large communities of Iranians, Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos and Bangladeshis in Doha.
Clock Tower Square, the souk (marketplace), and Government House built on reclaimed water-front land are some of the tourist interests.
Picture Credit: Google
