2011 marked Qatar’s 40th year of independence. And in these four short decades, Qatar’s sustained growth has been remarkable.In the last decade especially, Qatar has progressed by leaps and bounds to become a regional powerhouse. From real estate developments that have caught the world’s fancy to luxury boutique souks, and from museums of historic Islamic art and modern Arab creativity to a sporting calendar that boasts some of the biggest events in the region, Qatar has emerged as a primary business and tourism destination, bringing with it a wealth of opportunities. With increasing numbers of tourists, bigger events and attractions, and the FIFA World Cup scheduled for 2022, Qatar offers a multitude of appealing prospects for investors and business people with an eye on investing in the region. In this issue of Progress Qatar, we track the events of this past year.