Environment

The Qatar peninsula, shaped a bit like a thumb, juts northward into the Persian Gulf from the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is about 160km (90mi) long and 55km (35mi) to 80km (50mi) wide. Including its small islands, Qatar is just a bit smaller than the US state of Connecticut. This is one flat country - the highest part is only 40m (130ft) above sea level. It's also dry, with most of the country covered in gravelly desert with virtually no natural vegetation.

Qatari fauna is limited to birds, such as the houbara, and to animals that are pretty hard to spot, such as bats and sand cats. You will, of course, see camels, but because Qatar doesn't have much in the way of vegetation, it never had the huge herds you'll see in other parts of the Middle East.

Summer lasts from May to September, and temperatures at that time generally average 35°C (95°F), although it can get up to 50°C (122°F). The 90% humidity adds to the discomfort. The winter months (December-February) are much milder with pleasant, cool evenings. Throughout the year, but especially in spring, Qatar is subject to sandstorms, and the rainstorms that hit the country in December and January cause many of the roads to close.

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