| 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 |
|
