The capital of Qatar, Doha – “Al-Dawḥah”, bay in Arabic – occupies a shallow bay on the country’s eastern coast on the Persian Gulf. It is centrally located as it is equidistant from all four ends of the Qatari peninsula. Since the 2000s, Doha has experienced explosive demographic growth: its population has doubled in the space of 10 years to reach 650,000 inhabitants in 2022. Indeed, it is Doha and its suburban cities that have absorbed the majority of immigrants attracted by the country’s economic boom. Doha is a mix of futuristic skyscrapers, shopping centres and apartment complexes. The city’s historic Corniche surrounds the bay for seven kilometres to the West Bay business district. Further north, the city’s coastline stretches for some 12.4 miles (20 km) to the artificial archipelago of The Pearl and the new town of Lusail.