Qatar – or the State of Qatar, to give it its full name – is a small country in the Middle East that's surrounded by the Persian Gulf and borders with Saudi Arabia.

The nation is famed for its outrageous wealth. Qatari residents have one of the highest monthly net salaries in the world, while the state also owns or part-owns a number of global icons, ranging from New York's Empire State Building to France's Paris Saint-Germain football club.

Having controversially held the 2022 FIFA World Cup – after Qatar spent a reported $161 million (£118.8m) on its successful bid to host it – read on as we examine how, exactly, the country came to be so wealthy and what it spends its money on. 

All dollar amounts in US dollars.