1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Coastline
563 km
Comparative area
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land area
11,000 km2
Land boundaries
60 km total; Saudi Arabia 40 km, UAE 20 km
Total area
11,000 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
21 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
4 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
Infant mortality rate
24 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
104,000; 85% non-Qatari in private sector (1983)
Languages
Arabic (official); English is commonly used as second language
Life expectancy at birth
69 years male, 74 years female (1992)
Literacy
76% (male 77%, female 72%) age 15 and over can read and write (1986)
Nationality
noun - Qatari(s); adjective - Qatari
Net migration rate
15 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
trade unions are illegal
Population
484,387 (July 1992), growth rate 3.2% (1992)
Religions
Muslim 95%
Total fertility rate
4.0 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, Ash Shamal, Jarayan al Batnah, Umm Salal
Advisory Council
constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held; seats - (30 total)
Capital
Doha
Chief of State and Head of Government
Amir and Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani (since 22 February 1972); Heir Apparent HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (appointed 31 May 1977; son of Amir)
Constitution
provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Hamad `Abd al-`Aziz AL-KAWARI, Chancery at Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037; telephone (202) 338-0111 US: Ambassador Kenton W. KEITH; Embassy at 149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha (mailing address is P. O. Box 2399, Doha); telephone (0974) 864701 through 864703; FAX (0974) 861669
Executive branch
amir, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Flag
maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side
Independence
3 September 1971 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal
Legal system
discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in personal matters
Legislative branch
unicameral Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)
Long-form name
State of Qatar
Member of
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
National holiday
Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Political parties and leaders
none
Suffrage
none
Type
traditional monarchy
Economy
Agriculture
farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP; commercial fishing increasing in importance; most food imported
Budget
revenues $2.1 billion; expenditures $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $490 million (FY91 est.)
Currency
Qatari riyal (plural - riyals); 1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Economic aid
donor - pledged $2.7 billion in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88)
Electricity
1,520,000 kW capacity; 4,200 million kWh produced, 8,080 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)
Exports
$3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: petroleum products 85%, steel, fertilizers partners: Japan 61%, Brazil 9%, UAE 3%, Singapore 3%
External debt
$1.1 billion (December 1989 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $7.4 billion, per capita $15,000; real growth rate NA (1990)
Imports
$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, animal and vegetable oils, chemicals, machinery and equipment partners: UK 13%, Japan 11%, US 8%, Italy 8%
Industrial production
growth rate 0.6% (1987); accounts for 64% of GDP, including oil
Industries
crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel, cement
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.9% (1988 est.)
Overview
Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 85% of export earnings and roughly 75% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.3 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for about 25 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP of about $15,000, comparable to the leading industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas is becoming increasingly important.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
4 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; none with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
3 major transport aircraft
Highways
1,500 km total; 1,000 km paved, 500 km gravel or natural surface (est.)
Merchant marine
23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 473,042 GRT/716,039 DWT; includes 14 cargo, 5 container, 3 petroleum tanker, 1 refrigerated cargo
Pipelines
crude oil 235 km, natural gas 400 km
Ports
Doha, Umm Sa'id, Halul Island
Telecommunications
modern system centered in Doha; 110,000 telephones; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA%, of GDP
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 211,812; 112,250 fit for military service; 3,414 reach military age (18) annually