5 things to know about Qatar, the 2022 World Cup hosts

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5 things to know about
Qatar, the 2022 World
Cup hosts
This month, more than a million people are expected to
descend on the tiny nation of Qatar, raising its population
by more than 30 percent. The crowds will have one thing
in mind: the world’s biggest soccer tournament, the FIFA
World Cup.
Since the country was selected to host in 2010, Qatar has
been embroiled in controversy, from international
concerns about inhumane conditions for migrant workers
that allegedly resulted in 
thousands of deaths
, to
questions about 
LGBTQ visitors’ safety
 in a country
where homosexuality can be punishable by death.
But the first Middle Eastern country to host the World
Cup aims to show its best to the world during the
competition, which runs from November 20 to December
18.
(
Who invented soccer
?)

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Ahead of the first kick, here are five facts to know about
Qatar.
1. It’s hot—really hot 
Qatar is one of the hottest places on Earth, with an
average summer temperature of 95°F and peak
temperatures of 122°F.
As a result of that punishing heat, Qatar’s World Cup is
being 
played
in November—most countries’ off-season
—instead of the usual peak of summer. But the hosts
aren’t leaving anything to chance: though temperatures
outside are only expected reach 75°F, energy-efficient
cooling 
systems
on the field aim to keep most stadiums
to a comfortable 68°F.
Qatar’s scorching heat has gotten worse with human-
caused climate change, 
with
 a lack of arable land,
rainfall
, and forests compounding the effects. With a
stark 
rise
in temperatures in recent years, Qatar has even
resorted to air-conditioning outdoor spaces like sports
venues and restaurant patios. In the capital city of Doha,
for example, a newly launched air-conditioned 
running
track
 wafts chilly air into a solar-paneled structure that
shades athletes.
(
Climate change can help heal conflicts—not just fuel
them. Here’s how
.)

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