Qatar

§1. Qatar Introduction

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.

§2. Qatar Geography

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 kmē
  land: 11,437 kmē
  water: 0 kmē

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline:
  563 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 kmē (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

§3. Qatar People

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Qatari(s)
  adjective: Qatari

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

Religions:
  Muslim 95%

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.)

§4. Qatar Government

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

Capital:
  Doha

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

§5. Qatar Economy

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.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

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)

Currency code:
  QAR

Exchange rates:
  Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

§6. Qatar Communications

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)

Radios:
  256,000 (1997)

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)

§7. Qatar Transportation

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 1,230 km
  paved: 1,107 km
  unpaved: 123 km (1996)

Waterways:
  none

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:
  4 (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.)

Heliports:
  1 (2000 est.)

§8. Qatar Military

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)

§9. Qatar Transnational Issues

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
