8. Qatar
Score: -13 points;
HSBC ranking: 5 (70 points);
Word Bank Doing Business ranking: 83 (-83 points);
Expats from various countries make up the majority of the population in this small country. Same as all other highly developed Middle Eastern countries Qatar strongly relies on oil exports and petroleum industry. It is also the home of one of the most popular airlines in the world, which connects Qatar’s capital Doha with dozens of Western and Asian cities. The highest-paying jobs in Qatar are in petroleum, construction and tourism industry. Many architects and construction experts have taken part in the infrastructural preparations for the FIFA World Cup. Doing business in Qatar is a slow, tiresome and possibly painful experience, which is why this country has a relatively low ‘Doing Business’ rating. Recently several Arab countries imposed very strict sanctions on Qatar exports, which made cross-border trading even more difficult.
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