| 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. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir
HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, 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 a per capita income not far below the
leading industrial countries of Western Europe. |
| Location: |
Middle East,
peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
25 30 N, 51 15 E |
| Map
references: |
Middle East |
| Area: |
total:
11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller
than Connecticut |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: as determined by
bilateral agreements or the median line
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 |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
| Natural
resources: |
petroleum,
natural gas, fish |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 94% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
80 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
haze, dust
storms, sandstorms common |
| Environment
- current issues: |
limited natural
fresh water resources are increasing dependence on
large-scale desalination facilities |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
| Geography
- note: |
strategic
location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum
deposits |
| Population: |
769,152 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
25.77% (male 101,155; female 97,086)
15-64 years: 71.75% (male 391,178; female
160,665)
65 years and over: 2.48% (male 13,625; female
5,443) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
3.18% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
15.91
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
4.26 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
20.12 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 2.43 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.5 male(s)/female
total population: 1.92 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
21.44
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 72.62 years
male: 70.16 years
female: 75.21 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.17 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.09% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| 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 |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 79%
female: 80% (1995 est.) |
| 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: |
traditional
monarchy |
| Administrative
divisions: |
9 municipalities
(baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah,
Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al
Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Salal |
| Independence: |
3 September 1971
(from UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
3 September (1971) |
| Constitution: |
provisional
constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD
issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent
constitution |
| Legal
system: |
discretionary
system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes
are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in
personal matters |
| Suffrage: |
suffrage is
limited to municipal elections |
| 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 JASSIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of
the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October
1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of
minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed
forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin
Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October
1996); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani,
brother of the monarch (since 20 January 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
note: in March 1999 Qatar held nationwide
elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council, which
has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of
municipal services |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members
appointed)
note: the constitution calls for elections for
part of this consultative body, but no elections have been
held since 1970, when there were partial elections to the
body; Council members have their terms extended every four
years since |
| Judicial
branch: |
Court of Appeal |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
none |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
none |
| International
organization participation: |
ABEDA, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB,
IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM,
OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600
FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
consulate(s) general: Houston |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Elizabeth Davenport MCKUNE
embassy: 22 February Road, Doha
mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
telephone: [974] 488 4101
FAX: [974] 488 4298
note: workweek is Saturday-Wednesday |
| Flag
description: |
maroon with a
broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist
side |
| Economy
- overview: |
Oil accounts for
more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and
66% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7
billion barrels should ensure continued output at current
levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP
comparable to that of the leading West European industrial
countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7
trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total,
third largest in the world. Production and export of natural
gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals
feature the development of offshore petroleum and the
diversification of the economy. In 2000, Qatar posted its
highest ever trade surplus of $6 billion, due mainly to high
oil prices and increased natural gas exports. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $15.1 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $20,300 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
1%
industry: 49%
services: 50% (1996 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
2.5% (2000) |
| Labor
force: |
233,000 (1993
est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$3.9 billion
expenditures: $4 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
| Industries: |
crude oil
production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel
reinforcing bars, cement |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
9 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
8.37 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
fruits,
vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish |
| Exports: |
$9.8 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
petroleum
products 80%, fertilizers, steel |
| Exports
- partners: |
Japan 52%,
Singapore 9%, South Korea 8%, US, UAE (1998) |
| Imports: |
$3.8 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
transport equipment, food, chemicals |
| Imports
- partners: |
UK 10%, Japan 8%,
Germany 6%, US 6%, Italy 6% (1998) |
| Debt
- external: |
$13.1 billion
(2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$NA |
| Currency: |
Qatari rial (QAR) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Qatari rials per
US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31
March |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
142,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
43,476 (1997) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA
international: 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 |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 6, FM 5,
shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
2 (plus three
repeaters) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
230,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.qa |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
45,000 (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km
unpaved: 123 km (1996) |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 235 km;
natural gas 400 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Doha, Halul
Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 677,992 GRT/1,049,447
DWT
ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2,
container 7, petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy, Air
Force, Public Security |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 312,116
note: includes non-nationals (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 163,642 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
6,797 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$723 million
(FY00/01) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
10% (FY00/01) |
| Disputes
- international: |
in March of 2001,
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar
Islands to Bahrain and adjusted its maritime boundary with
Qatar; a final border resolution was agreed to with Saudi
Arabia in March of 2001 |
|
