Qatar pronunciation: How to pronounce the name of World Cup 2022 host nation
The 2022 World Cup marks a historic milestone for the tournament as Qatar became the first Arab nation to be chosen to host it.
Final preparations for a spectacular month-long tournament are now underway and officials are working to finalize the rest of the details – including a major fan liaison operation.
Fans will flock to Qatar in their thousands for the World Cup to take in all the sights, sounds and details of this unique event in so many ways.
A first World Cup in the Middle East brings with it new questions for fans of international football, and even the name of the host country has become a source of intrigue.
MORE: Where’s the World Cup? Exploring the Qatar 2022 Venue
How to pronounce Qatar (in English and Arabic)?
According to Time Out research, “how to pronounce Qatar” is the 19th most searched term when searching for “how to pronounce” locations around the world.
The most common English-language pronunciations of Qatar are “cuttur,” “kuh-tar,” or “cat-ar,” and while “cuttur” or “guttur” is close to the Arabic pronunciation, state-owned Qatar Airways uses the “cat-ar” pronunciation in their English communications.
Next is ⏭️ Manchester#FlyToQatar2022#QatarAirways pic.twitter.com/sGtpAplLmf
— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) August 16, 2022
However, Arabic uses the letter qaf/qat – which comes out of the throat like a hard k – and ta, which sounds like a defined version of the double t in “butter”.
The closest to the Arabic pronunciation is “cuttur”. But “cat-ar” is also widely used and acceptable in English.
Meaning of Qatar: what does the name stand for?
The meaning of the state name Qatar relates directly to its role as a peninsular state in the Persian Gulf.
However, historical Arabic references link the name to the Arabic word “katran”, referring to tar or resin, in reference to the petroleum in the region.
The history of naming Qatar is said to be traced back in part to around 150 AD, with previous names being ‘Catara’ which evolved into ‘Katara’ in the 18th century before evolving into today’s ‘Qatar’.
Why is Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup?
Qatar edged out host rivals Japan, Australia, South Korea and the United States in the race to win the 2022 World Cup in 2010.
Their success included winning all four rounds of voting with a 14-8 win over the USA in the final round.
The decision to grant Qatar host status was part of FIFA’s longstanding strategy to bring the World Cup to the Middle East, and despite criticism of the move, FIFA has remained steadfast in its commitment to keeping the tournament there.
Is Qatar the smallest host country in World Cup history?
Qatar is the smallest nation – in terms of land area – to have won the right to host the FIFA World Cup.
The closest to this accolade is Switzerland, which hosted the 1954 FIFA World Cup.
Qatar occupies around 11,500 km2 (4,500 square miles) and has a total coastline of 563 km (349.8 miles). For comparison, the land area is about 10% larger than Hawaii.
What is the population of Qatar?
The current estimated population of Qatar is approximately 2.987 million based on United Nations data. This puts it well outside of the 100 most populous countries in the world, according to research.
Of this total population, around 82% live in the capital and surrounding suburbs.
What is the capital of Qatar?
Doha is the capital of Qatar and home to around 2.358 million people if you include the city’s other suburbs.
All eight stadiums for the 2022 World Cup are within a 35km radius of downtown Doha, with the most central being Khalifa International Stadium, Education City Stadium, Stadium 974 and Al Thumama Stadium.