Lakhasly

It's rare to see a great city in the making these days , but with Doha people have the chance . With its changing skyline and landmark buildings , Doha is becoming one of the most confident and dynamic cities in the region . The city has come a long way since it was a sleepy pearl fishing community . As late as the 1970s , the population was less than 100,000 . However , the discovery of offshore gas reserves has allowed Qatar to invest in the future , including many large - scale infrastructure projects , particularly in Doha Along the Corniche , new skyscrapers and luxury hotels rise out of the desert sands , while waterfront apartment complexes emerge alongside private villas . As old properties are demolished , so new buildings rise up . And just offshore , on a man - made island among the blue waters of the Arabian Gulf , stands the Museum of Islamic Art it houses one of the world's greatest collections of islamic art textiles and rugs . In the last few years , Doha has also become a regional shopping centre . If you enjoy visiting museums or shopping malls , Doha is a great destination . All these changes have attracted investment and tourists from around the world . Qatar has also made great efforts to modemize its education system and this is reflected in the expansion of Qatar University and the creation of Education City . This is a 2,500 - acre campus on the outskirts of Doha where universities like Comell Medical School and Texas A & M are teaching a new generation of students Two of the largest urban projects underway are Lusall City and the infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup , Lusal City is a planned community covering 38 square kilometres . The developers will finish building it by 2021. It is designed to accommodate 450,000 people and will host the final of the World Cup in a specially built stadium . Doha is transforming its transportation network , including the addition of new highways and the construction of a 93 km metro system . In 2014 , Doha opened Hamad International Airport ( HAL a facility designed to cater for an expected increase in air traffic as Doha becomes a key travel hub . Development , of course , does not come without risk and Doha's massive growth in such a short period of time has brought with it a number of problems . Most notably for residents of the city , there has been an increase in congestion on the roads . There are also worrie that rapid development may cause Doha to abandon its unique identity . However , the first phase of the metro system opened in 2018 which should go a long way to easing the current traffic problems . In addition , a number of schemes plan to preserve the city's cultura identity and architectural heritage , such as Katara Cultural Village and the renovated Soug Wag Significant changes have happened in Doha , a city which almost 1.5 million people call home . With the country rich in natural resources Doha is intent on reinventing itself as a gateway to the Middle East and a centre for education and culture in the Arab world