Background: Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar within the last 60 years transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant hydrocarbon revenues. Former Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, who overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995, ushered in wide-sweeping political and media reforms, unprecedented economic investment, and a growing Qatari regional leadership role, in part through the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's mediation of some regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and by 2007, Doha had attained the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar did not experience domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2011, due in part to its immense wealth and patronage network. In mid-2013, HAMAD peacefully abdicated, transferring power to his son, the current Amir TAMIM bin Hamad. TAMIM is popular with the Qatari public for his role in shepherding the country through an economic embargo from some other regional countries, for his efforts to improve the country's healthcare and education systems, and for his expansion of the country's infrastructure in anticipation of hosting international sporting events. Qatar became the first country in the Arab world to host the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2022. Following the outbreak of regional unrest in 2011, Doha prided itself on its support for many popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. This stance was to the detriment of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which temporarily recalled their respective ambassadors from Doha in 2014. TAMIM later oversaw a warming of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in November 2014 following Kuwaiti mediation and signing of the Riyadh Agreement. This reconciliation, however, was short-lived. In 2017, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (the 'Quartet') cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in response to alleged violations of the agreement, among other complaints. They restored ties in 2021 after signing a declaration at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. In 2022, the United States designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally.

Area
Total: 11,586 km²
Land: 11,586 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: almost twice the size of Delaware; slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries
Total: 87 km
Border countries (1): (1) Saudi Arabia 87 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

Elevation
Highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir 103 m
Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Mean elevation: 28 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 6.4% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 1.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.)
Forest: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Other: 93.4% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 130 km² (2022)

Natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Geography
Note: the peninsula occupies a strategic location in the central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Population
Total: 2,552,088 (2024 est.)
Male: 1,961,135
Female: 590,953
Distribution: most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula
Growth rate: 0.71% (2024 est.)

Languages: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
Major-language sample(s): ; كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Muslim 65.2%, Christian 13.7%, Hindu 15.9%, Buddhist 3.8%, folk religion <0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 13.1% (male 168,844/female 165,905)
15-64 years: 85.4% (male 1,767,294/female 411,977)
65 years and over: 1.5% (2024 est.) (male 24,997/female 13,071)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 17.1 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 15.4 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 1.7 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 57.2 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 34.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 35.7 years
Female: 28.1 years

Population growth rate: 0.71% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 9.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 1.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula

Urbanization
Urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 798,000 Ar-Rayyan, 658,000 DOHA (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 4.29 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.91 male(s)/female
Total population: 3.32 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 78.2 years
Female: 82.4 years

Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.3% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 0.2% (2024 est.); 0.2% (2023 est.); 0.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Doha
Geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name is derived from the Arabic ad-dawha, meaning 'the big tree,' and probably referred to a large tree at the site of the original fishing village

Administrative divisions: 8 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Ash Shihaniyah, Az Za'ayin, Umm Salal

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

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013)
Head of government: Prime Minister and Foreign Minister MUHAMMAD bin Abd al-Rahman Al Thani (since 7 March 2023)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the amir

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 49 (all appointed)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 10/9/2025
Percentage of women in chamber: 6.1%
Expected date of next election: September 2,029

Flag description: maroon with a broad, serrated white band on the left side

National anthem
Title: 'Al-Salam Al-Amiri' (Peace be to the Emir)
Lyrics/music: Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN
History: adopted 1996

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 2.8% (2024 est.); 1.2% (2023 est.); 4.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 2.8% (2024 est.); 1.2% (2023 est.); 4.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 19.5% (2022 est.)
Government consumption: 12.9% (2022 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 30.6% (2022 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2022 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 68.6% (2022 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -31.6% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.3% (2024 est.)
Industry: 58.5% (2024 est.)
Services: 45.9% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1.6% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 2.123 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 0.2% (2024 est.); 0.2% (2023 est.); 0.2% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 0.2% (2024 est.); 0.2% (2023 est.); 0.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $65.922 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $57.258 billion (2019 est.)

Exports: $125.216 billion (2024 est.); $128.709 billion (2023 est.); $161.693 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, fertilizers (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $69.692 billion (2024 est.); $72.174 billion (2023 est.); $74.52 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: gas turbines, cars, aircraft, iron pipes, ships (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 11.4 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 51.965 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.177 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Exports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 1.818 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 268,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 25.244 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 171.805 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 48.034 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 124.747 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 23.861 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 127.783 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 10,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 27.781 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 99.991 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 814.308 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 526,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4.7 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 174 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 347,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 5% of GDP (2023 est.); 5% of GDP (2022 est.); 4% of GDP (2021 est.); 4% of GDP (2020 est.); 3.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Airports: 8 (2025)

Heliports: 12 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 123 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 4, general cargo 4, oil tanker 2, other 108