Qatar's Environment
There are lots of interesting things to see in Qatar: beaches, jebels, dunes and salt flats. In the summer time the temperature can reach 50˚C. However, in the winter time it can be as low as 4˚C or 5˚C. Very little rain falls during the year. In some years no rain falls. However, when it does fall it can be very heavy and cause bad flooding.
Qatar is a low-lying country. Fossil of sharks' teeth can often be found in the desert. This proves that Qatar was once under the sea.
Knowing where to find water in the desert was incredibly important for the nomads that lived there in the past. They had to choose certain routes through the desert in order to move safely from one water source to another. The Bedu (Bedouin) knew where to find water and passed this information on from one generation to the next.
There are also some sand dunes. A sand dune is a hill of loose sand built up by the wind. They are called singing sand dunes because when the wind blows the sand shifts and it sounds like there are planes overhead.
There are also salt flats called sabkha in Qatar. This is an area that is never covered by sea water but sea water penetrates it during high tides.
The sabkha can be unpredictable because there is a hard crust on top which makes it look safe to drive over. However, if you do the crust can collapse and your car will have to be towed out!
The sabkha can be unpredictable because there is a hard crust on top which makes it look safe to drive over. However, if you do the crust can collapse and your car will have to be towed out!
The mountains in the desert are called jebels. They are made of sandstone so are worn away by the wind and rain into very interesting shapes.
The desert rose is the name given to these rocks that are found in the desert. The rocks are made of gypsum.
A sandstorm is a strong dry wind that blows over the desert. It lifts and carries along clouds of sand and dust. It is often so thick that it blocks out the sun. It can be so bad that you cannot see anything. It can be very eerie because the light can change colour. The fine sand can set off smoke alarms. You can even taste the fine sand in your mouth. A sandstorm can last for hours. Have a look at the pictures and video of the sandstorm below. You can see the sandstorm blowing in. You can also see how the colour changes.
Very little rain falls during the year. In some years no rain falls. However, when it does fall it can be very heavy and cause bad flooding.