This glossary provides definitions for the key terms, institutions, and concepts that investors, analysts, and business professionals encounter when engaging with Qatar’s economy and investment landscape.
Ashghal – The Public Works Authority responsible for planning, design, construction, and maintenance of Qatar’s public infrastructure, including roads, drainage, and public buildings.
Baladna – A major Qatari dairy and food production company established during the 2017 blockade to strengthen domestic food security. Listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange.
CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) – Technology used to capture carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes and store them underground. QatarEnergy is integrating CCS into the North Field Expansion.
Doha Metro – Qatar’s automated rail transit system, comprising three lines (Red, Green, Gold) and 37 stations, operated by Qatar Rail.
Education City – A campus developed by Qatar Foundation in Doha, hosting branch campuses of international universities including Weill Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown, Texas A&M, and Northwestern.
FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) – Investment by a foreign entity in a business or project in Qatar. Qatar’s foreign investment law (Law No. 1 of 2019) permits up to 100% foreign ownership in most sectors.
GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) – A regional political and economic alliance comprising Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Established in 1981.
GECF (Gas Exporting Countries Forum) – An intergovernmental organisation of gas-producing nations, headquartered in Doha. Qatar is a founding member.
GTA (General Tax Authority) – Qatar’s tax administration body responsible for corporate tax assessment, collection, and enforcement.
Hamad International Airport (HIA) – Qatar’s primary international airport, located southeast of Doha. Hub for Qatar Airways and consistently ranked among the world’s best airports.
Hamad Port – A deep-water port at Umm Alhoul handling container, general cargo, and vehicle imports. Qatar’s primary commercial seaport.
HDI (Human Development Index) – A composite UN measure of health, education, and income. Qatar ranks in the very high human development category.
Industries Qatar (IQ) – A publicly listed holding company with interests in petrochemicals, fertilisers, and steel. One of the largest companies on the Qatar Stock Exchange.
Kafala System – The historical sponsorship system governing migrant workers in the Gulf. Qatar has reformed this system, allowing workers greater mobility and changing employers without sponsor consent.
LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) – Natural gas cooled to -162 degrees Celsius for transport by ship. Qatar is the world’s largest LNG exporter.
Lusail City – A planned smart city north of Doha designed for 250,000 residents, featuring residential, commercial, and entertainment districts. A designated freehold zone for foreign property buyers.
MOCI (Ministry of Commerce and Industry) – The government body responsible for commercial registration, trade licensing, and business regulation in Qatar.
North Field – The world’s largest non-associated natural gas reservoir, located offshore in the Persian Gulf. The basis of Qatar’s LNG production.
North Field Expansion (NFE/NFS) – Qatar’s mega-project to increase LNG production capacity from 77 MTPA to 142 MTPA by 2030. The largest LNG investment in the world.
QAR (Qatari Riyal) – Qatar’s official currency, pegged to the US dollar at QAR 3.64 per USD.
QCB (Qatar Central Bank) – Qatar’s central bank, responsible for monetary policy, banking supervision, and maintaining the currency peg.
QFC (Qatar Financial Centre) – An onshore financial and business centre in Doha operating under English common law, offering 100% foreign ownership and a 10% corporate tax rate.
QFCRA (QFC Regulatory Authority) – The independent regulator that licenses and supervises firms within the Qatar Financial Centre.
QFZA (Qatar Free Zones Authority) – The authority managing Qatar’s free zones at Ras Bufontas and Umm Alhoul, offering 0% corporate tax for up to 20 years.
QIA (Qatar Investment Authority) – Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, managing assets estimated at over USD 500 billion. Invests globally across real estate, equities, fixed income, and strategic stakes.
QNB (Qatar National Bank) – The largest bank in the Middle East and Africa by total assets. Listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange.
QSE (Qatar Stock Exchange) – Qatar’s principal securities market, listing approximately 50 companies across banking, industrial, real estate, insurance, telecoms, and transportation sectors.
QSTP (Qatar Science and Technology Park) – A free zone within Education City supporting technology, R&D, and innovation companies with tax exemptions and university partnerships.
Qatarisation – Qatar’s workforce nationalization policy requiring private-sector companies to employ minimum percentages of Qatari nationals in targeted sectors.
QatarEnergy – Qatar’s state energy company (formerly Qatar Petroleum), responsible for all hydrocarbon exploration, production, and export operations.
Ras Laffan Industrial City – The world’s largest LNG processing complex, located in northern Qatar. Home to LNG trains, GTL plants, and petrochemical facilities.
Sukuk – Islamic bonds structured to comply with Sharia principles. Qatar is an active sovereign and corporate sukuk issuer.
Vision 2030 (QNV 2030) – Qatar National Vision 2030, the country’s long-term development framework structured around four pillars: human, social, economic, and environmental development.
Zakat – An Islamic obligatory charitable contribution, applicable to Muslim-owned businesses. In Qatar, zakat obligations are separate from corporate income tax.