The tiny country that’s one of world’s richest with 90% of population made up of migrants

Tyler Mitchell By Tyler Mitchell Dec1,2024

Immigration has become a major area of political debate for countries around the world in recent years.

A mixture of instability in some regions and the pull of better-paid work is leading to more and more people moving their lives elsewhere.

While many countries are looking to restrict the number of people coming to their shores, one country has done the total opposite.

Qatar, a tiny country in the Middle East bordering Saudi Arabia, has a population of around 2.7million people.

But a staggering percentage of the population, believed to be between 85 and 90 percent, is made up of non-citizens, the vast majority of whom are migrant workers.

Most of the foreigners who have moved to Qatar to work hail from South Asia.

Qatar recruited a number of foreign workers to help build the stadiums for the FIFA World Cup in 2022, hosted by the arab nation.

However, the treatment of workers during preparations for the tournament came under intense scrutiny.

The Guardian alleged in 2021 that 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had died since preparation began in 2010.

The Qatari government denied this, saying that not all the deaths recorded were of people working on World Cup-related projects.

Information regarding the nationalities of those currently living in Qatar is not regularly made available.

A report in 2019 found that Indians were the biggest group in the country with approximately 700,000 people.

Qatari natives were second, with around 600,000 people. 

There were 400,000 people from Bangladesh and the same number from Nepal. 

Doha, the Qatari capital, has one of the busiest airports in the world, serving as a major hub for connecting flights between Europe and Asia, as well as Australia.

Qatar is also one of the wealthiest countries in the world, ranking fifth for GDP per capita. 

Tyler Mitchell

By Tyler Mitchell

Tyler is a renowned journalist with years of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, entertainment, and technology. His insightful analysis and compelling storytelling have made him a trusted source for breaking news and expert commentary.

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