Properties advertised as semi-furnished or partly furnished come with a few furnishings. In Qatar when a property is advertised as semi-furnished or partly furnished this usually means that there are some appliances in the kitchen and sometimes fitted air conditioning units or fitted wardrobes in the bedrooms. This type of home is useful for those not wishing to spend on large kitchen appliances or "white goods" as they are otherwise known. These are typically, items that are somewhat costly to buy and also may require maintenance or a warranty, so it is definitely an added convenience to have peace of mind knowing that if your kitchen appliances ever have a problem, they will be taken care of by the landlord. This convenience is factored in the monthly rental price and semi-furnished or partly furnished homes do cost more to rent, which is expected for the reasons explained.
A house is a property that is usually set out over two or more floors. In Qatar, houses are usually referred to as villas, although it is possible to also find townhouses too. There are two kinds of villas: either standalone villas or compound villas. A standalone villa is defined as a house that has boundary walls and stands on its own private land as a detached and separate entity. A compound villa is defined as a house that is located within a residential compound or "neighbourhood/society". Compounds vary in size and can be anything from a handful of houses to hundreds in the much larger compounds. Both have their benefits and drawbacks for example, standalone villas offer more privacy for their occupants and compound villas usually benefit from many more amenities, security and maintenance.
A townhouse is a type of terraced housing often referred to as "row houses" as they are constructed in rows and stand side by side with shared walls usually to both sides. Most townhouses typically have more than 2 floors and commonly three in most regions. There is a wide variety of houses available in Qatar with varying amenities and suitable for most budgets.
Qatar, officially known as the State of Qatar or "Dawlat Qatar" is a country occupying a small desert peninsula, spanning 11,627 square metres that extends northward from the larger Arabian Peninsula. It is precisely located on the west coast of the Persian Gulf, sometimes referred to as the "Arabian Gulf". The state is an independent emirate with the current Head of State and Government being Emir Tamim bin Hamad al Thani. Qatar has a population of approximately 3,000,000 (est. 2020) of which around 10% are local Qataris and the remainder are expatriates. Qatar has the highest GDP per capita in the world and not only is it officially recorded as the world's "Safest Country" (for low crime), but Doha the capital is ranked the second "Safest City" out of the 431 cities worldwide measured.
Only 1% of Qatar's population is rural with 99% being urban and coastal with a modern daily life. The recent leaders have sought to increase Qatar's presence worldwide and provide greater "civil liberties" and one example of such is through the establishment of one of the freest press agencies in the region. Qataris pride themselves on being a tolerant and accepting nation towards others and their beliefs, despite being a conservative and religious nation themselves. They are a welcoming nation and supportive of their large expatriate population and it is easy to see why Qatar appeals to so many.