The Middle East

Exploiting its competitive advantage in energy and, to a lesser extent, labour and land, Qatar’s industrial base has continued to show impressive growth throughout 2011 and into 2012. The oil and gas sector, buoyed by high hydrocarbons prices, has reclaimed its place as the mainstay of the economy, accounting for 51.7% of nominal GDP in 2010 and 57.7% in 2011. The petrochemicals sector continues...

The telecoms market is still relatively young in terms of market-driven competition. The market entered a new phase in 2009, when Vodafone Qatar began to operate as the second telecoms provider, bringing an end to Qatar Telecom’s (Qtel) monopoly. The resulting competition has sparked more innovation and brought higher-quality service. Indeed, mobile penetration rates now stand at 142%. Landline...

With the construction industry expecting several changes in both the short and long term, contractors and developers are anticipating a steady increase in projects in late 2012 and into 2013. While the past two years have been difficult for the sector, with excessive competition driving down prices and limiting the availability of work, underlying growth factors remain strong. Although the...

While the real estate sector has experienced a lull in recent years, property prices have remained stable over the past 12 months – a significant improvement on three years ago when prices were in freefall. The sector has recovered from the global economic crisis, and government plans to expand the non-hydrocarbons sector bode well for the market. In addition, new luxury real estate developments...

Having gone from being a minor actor on the world energy stage to a pivotal player in less than a decade as part of an expansive strategy, Qatar has tapped its vast gas reserves by engaging international oil companies and building a comprehensive infrastructure network. This approach has allowed Qatar to become the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in the world. The state has also...

The country’s successful bid to host the FIFA 2022 World Cup has lent a renewed urgency for substantial investments in transport infrastructure. The budget, released in May 2012, directs $11bn to the new airport, $5.5bn to a deep-water seaport, $1bn to a transport corridor in Doha and $20bn to roads, part of $95bn in public investment up to 2016. Beyond 2022, the upcoming Doha metro – set for...