Wrinkled Qatar Factbook

In case you're interested in attending the 2022 World Cup which will not be held in the United States.

· Population- Qatar: 840,000 according to CIA, 1.3M according to Qatar (South Dakota:812,000, Idaho:1.5M)
(about 400,000 people went to South Africa for the 2010 world cup.)

· GDP per capita- Qatar: $121,000 (U.S. $46,000)

· Qatari Prime Minister, in November 2010 "Elections will be held some day."

· Average high temp. in July: 115

· Regarding alcohol in Qatar:

To obtain an alcohol permit you need a letter from your employer written in English. (An Arabic letter accompanied by a stamped translation is usually also acceptable). This must be signed and stamped by an authorised person in your company and be addressed to the Qatar Distribution Company. It must state the applicant's position, basic salary (must be above 4000 riyals or 1100 dollars, and the letter must use the word basic), state if an accommodation entitlement is received or if the applicant receives free accommodation and whether the applicant is married. It does not usually have to state that the applicant has permission for an alcohol permit.

The applicant must also provide their ID/passport and residence permit (photocopies are acceptable) and a 1000 riyal (275 dollar) returnable deposit. You also have to complete an application form, and state your religion.

There are strict laws concerning alcohol. After alcohol has been bought it should be concealed from view in the car. The alcohol should be transported home directly. Alcohol may only be drunk at home or in a licenced bar or restaurant. You may not sell or give away alcohol, or drink while inebriated. It is illegal to be drunk in a public place.
- qatarvisitor.com

To be fair, you are allowed to drink in hotel bars as long as you can prove you're a foreigner.

· Nice to be a princess in Qatar:

Hamda Fahad Jassem Ali Al-Thani, a member of the ruling family, was reportedly confined to her home in Doha because her father disapproved of her choice of husband, and ill-treated. She was allegedly abducted from Egypt and forcibly returned to Qatar by Qatari security officials in November 2002. She was detained in secret in Doha for five months until April 2003, and then transferred to the offices of the state's Special Security Directorate in Doha, where she was detained until November 2003. She was then handed over to her family, who confined her against her will.

· Watch your mouth:

At least 11 foreign nationals [in 2009] were convicted of blasphemy, three of whom received maximum seven year prison sentences for using words considered insulting to Islam. They included a Syrian man convicted of "insulting Islam in a fit of rage" for uttering a blasphemous word when the credit on his mobile phone ran out during a conversation.

· Watch your back:

At least 18 people[in 2009], mostly foreign nationals, were sentenced to flogging of between 40 and 100 lashes for offences related to "illicit sexual relations" or alcohol consumption.
- amnestyusa.org (last 3)

Bitter? Maybe I am.