Background: 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.

Map reference: Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: 11,000 km²
Land: 11,000 km²

Land boundaries: total 60 km, Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline: 563 km
Continental shelf: not specified
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer

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

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 5%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 95%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Population: 499,115 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.84% (1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Qatari(s)
Adjective: Qatari

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

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

Religions: Muslim 95%

Population growth rate: 2.84% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: 19.61 births/1000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate: 3.53 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: 12.36 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

Environment
Current issues: haze, duststorms, sandstorms common; limited freshwater resources mean increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
Current issues note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Infant mortality rate: 22.7 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.25 years
Male: 69.73 years
Female: 74.68 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.88 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1986)
Total population: 76%
Male: 77%
Female: 72%

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

Government type: traditional monarchy

Capital: Doha

Administrative divisions:

Independence: 3 September 1971 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Constitution: provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970

Legal system: discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in personal matters

Suffrage: none

Executive branch: amir, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador 'Abd al-Rahman bin Sa'ud ALTHANI
In the us chancery: Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,037
In the us telephone: (202) 338-0111
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kenton W. KEITH
From the us embassy: 149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 2,399, Doha
From the us telephone: (0974) 864,701 through 864,703
From the us fax: (0974) 861,669

Flag description: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side

Economy overview: Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 85% of export earnings and roughly 75% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.3 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for about 25 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP of about $17,000, comparable to the leading industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas is becoming increasingly important.

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (1991 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $17,000 (1991 est.)

Agriculture products: farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP; agricultural area is small and government-owned; commercial fishing increasing in importance; most food imported

Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel (rolls reinforcing bars for concrete construction), cement

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 0.6% (1987; accounts for 64% of GDP, including oil

Labor force: 104,000 85% non-Qatari in private sector (1983)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $2.5 billion; expenditures $3.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $440 million (FY92 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Exports: $3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: petroleum products 85%, steel, fertilizers
Partners: Japan 61%, Brazil 6%, South Korea 5%, UAE 4%

Imports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
Commodoties: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals
Partners: France 13%, Japan 12%, UK 11%, Germany 9%

Exchange rates: Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)

Electricity
Production: 1,596,000 kW capacity; 4,818 million kWh produced, 9,655 kWh per capita (1992)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA%, of GDP

Airports: 4
Usable: 4
With permanentsurface runways: 1
With runways over 3659 m: 1
With runways 2440-3659 m: 0
With runways 1220-2439 m: 2

Pipelines: crude oil 235 km, natural gas 400 km

Merchant marine:

Disputes international: