Investing in the world's richest economy

QATAR

As it is upgraded from the frontier to emerging market index in June, Hardeep Tawakley asks if investors should be turning their attention to Qatar?

Until a decade ago, little was known about Qatar, the richest country in the world. The small Gulf state, which sits on a border with Saudi Arabia, has a population of just two million, yet boasts the world’s third largest natural gas and oil reserves. As such, it has one of the fastest-growing economies, with real GDP forecast to grow at 6.8% in 2014. Its GDP capita per head of $104,000 is the highest in the world, (by way of comparison, the US’s GDP capita per head stands at $49,000). More recently, it has become better known for its deep pockets – Qatar Holdings, the investment arm...