Top 10 Qatar facts

1: They might build the world’s first air-conditioned stadium

Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the local organisers have suggested an air-conditioned stadium to combat the 50-degree centigrade desert heat. If they build it, this would be the first of its kind in the world.

2: Nasser’s favourite food is roast camel

Roast camel is a Qatari speciality and Nasser loves nothing better than a home-style barbecue, although unsurprisingly he says that he doesn’t get to have it that often. M-Sport’s renowned chef, Mick Maunder, is going to have his work cut out next year.

3: There are more resources in Qatar than anywhere else

Qatar is one of the biggest exporters of natural gas and oil in the world, has the fastest growing economy in the world and has the highest per capita income than any country in the world.

4: Qatar has a British past

Qatar was once British: it was a British protectorate from 1916-1971, gaining independence on the 3 September that year. Independence Day is still celebrated noisily each year...

5: Qatar is a media capital

Qatar is the home of Al Jazeera; one of the fastest-growing media groups in the world, which was launched in 1997, and has already picked up several international awards for journalism.

6: They don’t really do even population distribution

Doha, the capital city of Qatar located on the east coast, has around 900,000 inhabitants: approximately 60 per cent of the population.

7: Qatar is a river-free zone

Qatar may have everything, but there are no officially-named rivers throughout the entire country. This is probably due to an average rainfall of 110mm per year.

8: Qatar is planning to build the longest bridge in the world

There’s currently a project being planned to link Qatar to Bahrain via a bridge that will be known as the Qatar Bahrain Causeway. If it goes ahead it will be the longest bridge in the world, extending approximately 40 kilometres.

9: There’s a lot of symbolism behind the flag

Qatar’s eye-catching burgundy and white flag has a deep meaning: the burgundy represents the blood that has been spilt in previous years of conflict, while the white represents peace into the future.

10: Qataris live long as well as prosper

According to last year’s figures from the Qatar statistics authority, there are 33 citizens aged 100 or older. Must be all that roast camel...