Planning of National Transport Infrastructure
In the Islamic Countries
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3.5. Qatar
Qatar has been chosen as case study as it has been heavily investing in transport infrastructure
during the last decades. Qatar is successful in its ambitions and integrates planning of transport
infrastructure with the planning of land development.
The evidence used in the case study has been obtained from published information, online
information, meetings with numerous officials and academics and the responses to the
questionnaires prepared by the Fimotions consulting team.
The State of Qatar, is a small peninsular country, located on north-eastern coast of the Arabian
Peninsula. It borders with Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Gulf.
Qatar is amidst a staggering development that emerged about two decades ago during which it
has faced a steep rise both in population and in income. Population grew from less than 600.000
in 2000 to more than 2,6 million in 2017, of which about 12% Qatari (based on Qatar Ministry
of Development Planning and Statistics and IMF Statistics). The GDP grew from US$ 18 billion in
2000 to US$ 210 billion in 2014 and dropping back to US$ 155 billion in 2016, due to lower oil
prices. In 2018, Qatar has the highest per capita income in the world, about 130,000 US$, based
on purchasing power parity per capita. Its prosperous state is fuelled by natural-gas and oil
reserves.
Parallel with the demographic and economic growth, the country has invested in its wealth, both
outside the country (foreign direct investment) and within its own geography. A US$ 200 billion
infrastructure program, being about 120% of 2017 GDP, is underway to diversify the economy
and prepare for the FIFA 2022 World Cup, and to sustain its growth past the 2022 World Cup
event. (Qatar National Bank, 2014).
The centrality of Qatar in the international community stands in different sectors. Being member
of several organizations, among which are IBRD, IMF, International Maritime Organization,
Interpol, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO, WTO recognizes it a central role in
economic, political and cultural terms specifically in the Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council
and Organization of Islamic Conference (Qatar, 2015). This role is also confirmed in the steps
beyond pursued by Qatar in international transportation matters, as on February 1st, 2018, the
Turkey-Qatar Business Forum was held in Doha with the aim to promote bilateral trade and
make transportation through Iraq and Iran easier (Al Jazeera, 2018).
The overall analysis of Qatar, and specifically its transports and infrastructures, hinges strongly
on Doha, the capital. It is the most populous city in the country and within its suburbs it reaps
more than half of the population of Qatar. This makes it undoubtedly the most important city,
the economic centre and the most developed in the whole country. To reach this stage it had to
implement an extraordinary transportation network within the last decades. Most of the
expansion’s projects in infrastructure subject involve Doha first-hand, such as the construction
of a new airport, the development of new highways and the Doha metro that is currently under-
construction.
Qatar has a car-oriented culture, principally due to the economic developments and the
abundance of petrol products and fuels. The economic boom and the population growth have
led to congestion and increasing travel times. In view of the importance of mobility and