Pearl Monument

While oil has made Qatar rich—it boasts the highest per capita income in the world—the tiny Gulf nation hasn’t forgotten its seafaring roots.

Prior to the discovery of oil in 1939, pearling was one of Qatar’s primary revenue streams. Not only is it a gamble—approximately one in 10,000 oysters contains a pearl—it was extremely dangerous due to the toll diving took on the body, coupled with the constant threat of lingering barracudas, sea snakes, and sharks nearby.