|
| 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 Maureen
E. QUINN (since Sep. 2001)
embassy: Al-Luqtas District,
22 February Road, Doha
mailing address: P. O. Box
2399, Doha
telephone: [974] 488 4101
FAX: [974] 486 1669
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.) |
| 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 |
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