The government of Saudi Arabia consists of its monarchy - the ruling Al-Thani family and its head, the Emir. There are no political parties or elections, but the country is governed according to Islamic law and customs. The Emir has absolute power, and governs through a process of consultation with leading citizens.

Qatar has a very large and diverse expatriate population working mainly in the oil, gas, construction, defence and IT sectors. Non-Qataris account for some four-fifths of the population. Many of the non-nationals are low-skilled guest workers from countries such as India, Pakistan and the Philippines, but there are also large numbers of western expatriates. Around three quarters of the population live in the capital of Doha, on Qatar's east coast.

Doha is becoming a key business and commercial centre of the Middle East. A small city, it is located on the shores of an attractive horseshoe shaped bay. The city has been developing rapidly in recent years, and now has many modern high-rise buildings mixed with more traditional Islamic architecture. Similarly, modern shopping malls with major western retail outlets are interspersed with traditional souks. The development of Doha was given a major boost when Qatar was selected to host the Asian games in December 2006, and construction and planting work is now proceeding at a rapid pace.