Map of Qatar | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the Amir who had ruled the country since 1972. His son the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani overthrew the father in a bloodless coup in 1995. In short order HAMAD oversaw the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's pursuit of a leadership role in mediating regional conflicts. In the 2000s Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. As of 2007 oil and natural gas revenues had enabled Qatar to attain the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar has not experienced domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2010-11 due in part to its immense wealth. Since the outbreak of regional unrest however Doha has prided itself on its support for many of these popular revolutions particularly in Libya and Syria. In mid-2013 HAMAD transferred power to his 33 year-old son TAMIM bin Hamad - a peaceful abdication rare in the history of Arab Gulf states. TAMIM has prioritized improving the domestic welfare of Qataris including establishing advanced healthcare and education systems and expanding the country's infrastructure in anticipation of Doha's hosting of the 2022 World Cup.


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Location: Middle East peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N 51 15 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 166
Land: 11,586 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries
Border countries: (1) Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline: 563 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line

Climate: arid; mild pleasant winters; very hot humid summers

Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir 103 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas fish

Land use
Permanent crops: 0.17%
Other: 98.62% (2011)

Irrigated land: 129.4 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0.06 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: haze dust storms sandstorms common

Geography
Note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits


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Population: 2,123,160 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 146
Growth rate: 3.58% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 5
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Adjective: Qatari

Ethnic groups: Arab 40% Indian 18% Pakistani 18% Iranian 10% other 14%

Languages: Arabic (official) English commonly used as a second language

Religions: Muslim 77.5% Christian 8.5% other (includes mainly Hindu and other Indian religions) 14% (2004 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 13.4% (male 208,278/female 75,889)
25-54 years: 69.9% (male 1,228,151/female 256,099)
55-64 years: 3.4% (male 55,386/female 16,156)
65 years and over: 0.8% (male 11,226/female 6,858) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 16 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 1.1 %
Potential support ratio: 87.4 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 33.6 years
Female: 28 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.58% (2014 est.)
Rank: 5

Birth rate: 9.95 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 194

Death rate: 1.53 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 225

Net migration rate: 27.35 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 2

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 3.01% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: DOHA (capital) 567,000 (2011)

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 2.75 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 4.8 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 3.37 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.5 male(s)/female
Total population: 3.29 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 165
Male: 6.67 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.16 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 53
Male: 76.4 years
Female: 80.4 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 136

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 2.76 physicians/1000 population (2006)

Hospital bed density: 1.2 beds/1000 population (2009)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 121
People living with hivaids: fewer than 200 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 162
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 122

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 33.2% (2008)
Rank: 16

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 154

Literacy
Total population: 96.3%
Male: 96.5%
Female: 95.4% (2010 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 14 years
Female: 14 years (2005)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Qatar
Local long form: Dawlat Qatar
Local short form: Qatar

Government type: emirate

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 25 17 N 51 32 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 7 municipalities (baladiyat singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah Al Wakrah Ar Rayyan Ash Shamal Az Za'ayin Umm Salal

Dependent areas

Independence: 3 September 1971 (from the UK)

National holiday: National Day 18 December (1878) anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day 3 September (1971)

Constitution: previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002 approved by referendum 29 April 2003 endorsed 8 June 2004 effective 9 June 2005 (2013)

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic law (in family and personal matters)

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Nasir bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 26 June 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad bin Abdallah al-MAHMUD (since 20 September 2011)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir
Elections: the position of amir is hereditary

Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (45 seats; 15 members appointed; 30 members to be elected by popular vote beginning mid- or late 2013 per the 2003 constitutional referendum)

Judicial branch: note - the Supreme Constitutional Court and the Judicial Supreme Council were established in 1999
Judge selection and term of office: Cassation Court judges nominated by the Judicial Supreme Council a 9-member independent body consisting of judiciary heads appointed by the monarch; judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms; Supreme Constitutional Court members nominated by the Judicial Supreme Council and appointed by the monarch; term of appointment NA
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; Sharia Courts; Courts of Justice

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: ABEDA AFESD AMF CAEU CD CICA (observer) EITI (implementing country) FAO G-77 GCC IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM (observer) IPU ISO ITSO ITU LAS MIGA NAM OAPEC OAS (observer) OIC OPCW OPEC PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNIFIL UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 2,555 M Street NW Washington DC 20,037
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
In the us consulates: Houston Los Angeles New York
From the us embassy: Al-Luqta District 22 February Road Doha
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 2,399 Doha
From the us telephone: [974] 4,496-6,000
From the us FAX: [974] 4,488 4,298

Flag description: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side; maroon represents the blood shed in Qatari wars white stands for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge signifies Qatar as the ninth member of the 'reconciled emirates' in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916

National symbols

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN

National heritage


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Economy overview: Qatar has prospered in the last several years with continued high real GDP growth. Throughout the financial crisis Qatari authorities sought to protect the local banking sector with direct investments into domestic banks. GDP is driven largely by changes in oil prices and by investment in the energy sector. Economic policy is focused on developing Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors but oil and gas still account for more than 50% of GDP roughly 85% of export earnings and 50% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar the world's highest per-capita income country and the country with the lowest unemployment. Proved oil reserves in excess of 25 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for about 57 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters about 13% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar's successful 2022 World Cup bid is accelerating large-scale infrastructure projects such as Qatar's metro system light rail system the construction of a new port roads stadiums and related sporting infrastructure. The new Hamad International Airport is expected to open in mid-2014 with an annual passenger capacity of 24 million on initial opening and 50 million when complete.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 56

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 47

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 1

Gross national saving:
Rank: 3

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 13.8%
Investment in fixed capital: 29.3%
Investment in inventories: 2.5%
Exports of goods and services: 71.7%
Imports of goods and services: -30.8%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 72.2%
Services: 27.7% (2013 est.)

Agriculture products: fruits vegetables; poultry dairy products beef; fish

Industries: liquefied natural gas crude oil production and refining ammonia fertilizers petrochemicals steel reinforcing bars cement commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate: 2.9% (2013 est.)
Rank: 108

Labor force: 1.424 million (2013 est.)
Rank: 132

Unemployment rate: 0.5% (2012 est.)
Rank: 2

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 35.9% (2007)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Expenditures: $57.25 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 9.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 6

Taxes and other revenues: 38.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 48

Public debt: 32.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 120

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.9% (2012 est.)
Rank: 115

Central bank discount rate: 4.93% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 73

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 5.38% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 147

Stock of narrow money: $24.98 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 61

Stock of broad money: $104.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 50

Stock of domestic credit: $149.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 44

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 36

Current account balance: $61.59 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 14

Exports: $133 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 87
Commodities: liquefied natural gas (LNG) petroleum products fertilizers steel
Partners: Japan 26.7% South Korea 19% India 12.1% Singapore 5.7% China 5.4% (2013 est.)

Imports: $27.73 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 60
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment food chemicals
Partners: US 14.2% UAE 11.1% Saudi Arabia 8.6% UK 6.4% Japan 6% China 4.8% Germany 4.7% Italy 4.4% France 4.4% (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $33.19 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 45

Debt external: $139.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 37

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $32.17 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 60

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $26.86 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 43

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 32.34 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 65
Consumption: 20.51 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 68
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 185
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 189
Installed generating capacity: 7.83 million kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 67
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 29
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 166
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 192
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 115

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 1.579 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 18
Crude oil exports: 1.389 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 14
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 111
Crude oil proven reserves: 25.38 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 12

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 287,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 43
Products consumption: 189,700 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products consumption rank: 60
Products exports: 210,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 30
Products imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 211

Natural gas
Production: 133.2 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 6
Consumption: 19.53 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 36
Exports: 113.7 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 2
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 119
Proven reserves: 25.2 trillion m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 3

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 64.46 million Mt (2011 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 327,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 111
Mobile cellular: 2.6 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 136

Telephone system
Domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 130 telephones per 100 persons
International: country code - 974; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia Middle East Europe and the US; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and the UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2011)

Broadcast media: TV and radio broadcast licensing and access to local media markets are state controlled; home of the satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera which was originally owned and financed by the Qatari government but has evolved to independent corporate status; Al-Jazeera claims editorial independence in broadcasting; local radio transmissions include state private and international broadcasters on FM frequencies in Doha; in August 2013 Qatar's satellite company Es'hailSat launched its first communications satellite Es'hail 1 (manufactured in the US) which entered commercial service in December 2013 to provide improved television broadcasting capability and expand availability of voice and internet; Es'hailSat released a request for proposals in March 2014 for its second satellite to launch in 2016 (2014)

Internet
Country code: .qa
Hosts: 897 (2012)
Hosts rank: 173
Users: 563,800 (2009)
Users rank: 117

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: conscription for males aged 18-35 (2014)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 6 (2013)
Rank: 178
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways: 1 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: condensate 288 km; condensate/gas 221 km; gas 2,383 km; liquid petroleum gas 90 km; oil 745 km; refined products 103 km (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 135

Waterways

Merchant marine
Rank: 87
By type: bulk carrier 3 chemical tanker 2 container 13 liquefied gas 6 petroleum tanker 4
Foreign owned: 6 (Kuwait 6)
Registered in other countries: 35 (Liberia 5 Marshall Islands 29 Panama 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs