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 him in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001 Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N 51 15 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 11,437 km²
Land: 11,437 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

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

Coastline: 563 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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 lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Extremes highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas fish

Land use
Arable land: 1.64%
Permanent crops: 0.27%
Other: 98.09% (2005)

Irrigated land: 130 km² (2002)

Natural hazards: haze dust storms sandstorms common

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

Population: 907,229 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: 2.386% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Qatari
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 14% (2004 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 23.1% (male 106,853/female 102,713)
15-64 years: 72.9% (male 455,631/female 206,099)
65 years and over: 4% (male 26,689/female 9,244) (2007 est.)

Median age
Total: 31.9 years
Male: 37.3 years
Female: 23.1 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.386% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 15.56 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 4.82 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: 13.12 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Environment
Current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female
15-64 years: 2.211 male/female
65 years and over: 2.887 male/female
Total population: 1.852 male/female (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 17.46 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 20.6 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 14.16 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.14 years
Male: 71.6 years
Female: 76.82 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.09% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 89%
Male: 89.1%
Female: 88.6% (2004 census)

Country name
Conventional long form: State of Qatar
Conventional short form: Qatar
Local long form: Dawlat Qatar
Local short form: Qatar
Note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Government type: emirate

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

Administrative divisions: 10 municipalities (baladiyat singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah Al Ghuwayriyah Al Jumayliyah Al Khawr Al Wakrah Ar Rayyan Jarayan al Batinah Madinat ash Shamal Umm Sa'id Umm Salal

Independence: 3 September 1971 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 3 September (1971)

Constitution: ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003 endorsed by the amir on 8 June 2004 effective on 9 June 2005

Legal system: based on Islamic and civil law codes; discretionary system of law controlled by the amir although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
Head of government: Prime Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani (since 3 April 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 3 April 2007)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999

Legislative branch
Note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which came into force on 9 June 2005, provides for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to the Majlis al-Shura in late 2007

Judicial branch: Courts of First Instance Appeal and Cassation; note - the Amir appoints all judges - based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council - for renewable three-year terms

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: ABEDA ACC AFESD AMF FAO G-77 GCC IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICRM IDB IFAD IFRCS ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IPU ISO ITSO ITU LAS MIGA NAM OAPEC OAS (observer) OIC OPCW OPEC PCA UN UN Security Council (temporary) UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
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 general: Houston
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); charge d'Affaires Michael A. RATNEY
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] 488 4,298
From the us fax: [974] 488 4,176

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

Economy overview: Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP roughly 85% of export earnings and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar one of the world's faster growing and higher per-capita income countries - in 2006 per-capita income equaled that of the EU. Sustained high oil prices and increased natural gas exports in recent years have helped build Qatar's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Proved oil reserves of more than 15 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters more than 5% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar has permitted substantial foreign investment in the development of its gas fields during the last decade and is expected to become the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2007. Qatar is also trying to attract foreign investment in the development of its non-energy projects by further liberalizing the economy.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $26.37 billion (2006 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 7.1% (2006 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $29,800 (2006 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.1%
Industry: 75.8%
Services: 24.1% (2006 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 10% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 508,000 (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate: 3.2% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $20.84 billion
Expenditures: $16.89 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt: 26.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 11.8% (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $61.56 billion (2006)

Current account balance: $9.948 billion (2006 est.)

Exports: $30.37 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: liquefied natural gas (LNG) petroleum products fertilizers steel
Partners: Japan 40.5% South Korea 16.5% Singapore 6.6% Thailand 4.2% (2006)

Imports: $12.36 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment food chemicals
Partners: France 13.4% Japan 10.2% US 9.3% Italy 8.9% Germany 7.8% UK 6.3% Saudi Arabia 5.8% South Korea 4.7% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $5.393 billion (2006 est.)

Debt external: $25.7 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $10.63 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $2.525 billion (2006 est.)

Exchange rates: Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2006) 3.64 (2005) 3.64 (2004) 3.64 (2003) 3.64 (2002)

Electricity
Production: 13.54 billion kWh (2005)
Consumption: 12.52 billion kWh (2005)
Exports: 0 kWh (2005)
Imports: 0 kWh (2005)

Natural gas
Production: 43.93 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption: 17.93 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Exports: 25.99 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2005)
Proven reserves: 24.73 trillion m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 228,300 (2006)
Mobile cellular: 919,800 (2006)

Telephone system
General assessment: modern system centered in Doha
Domestic: NA
International: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Internet
Country code: .qa
Hosts: 19 (2007)
Users: 289,900 (2006)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 10% (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; land forces enlisted personnel are largely unprofessional foreign nationals (2005)

Airports: 5 (2007)
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Heliports: 1 (2007)

Pipelines: condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1024 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 844 km (2006)

Roadways
Total: 1,230 km
Paved: 1,107 km
Unpaved: 123 km (1999)

Merchant marine
Total: 20 ships (1000 GRT or over) 574,969 GRT/856,057 DWT
By type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1
Foreign owned: 7 (Kuwait 7)
Registered in other countries: 3 (Liberia 2, Panama 1) (2007)

Ports and terminals: Doha

Disputes international: none