1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 11,000 km2 land area: 11,000 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Climate
desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer
Coastline
563 km
Environment
haze, duststorms, sandstorms common; limited freshwater resources mean increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
International disputes
territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
total 60 km, Saudi Arabia 60 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 0% other: 95%
Location
Middle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between Iran and Saudi Arabia
Map references
Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, fish
Note
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits
Terrain
mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel
People and Society
Birth rate
19.61 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
3.53 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
Infant mortality rate
22.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
104,000 85% non-Qatari in private sector (1983)
Languages
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.25 years male: 69.73 years female: 74.68 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1986) total population: 76% male: 77% female: 72%
Nationality
noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari
Net migration rate
12.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
499,115 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
2.84% (1993 est.)
Religions
Muslim 95%
Total fertility rate
3.88 children born/woman (1993 est.)
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); Crown Prince HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (appointed 31 May 1977; son of Amir)
Constitution
provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970
Digraph
QA
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador 'Abd al-Rahman bin Sa'ud ALTHANI chancery: Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: (202) 338-0111
Executive branch
amir, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
FAX
(0974) 861669
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)
Member of
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, 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
Names
conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar
National holiday
Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Political parties and leaders
none
Suffrage
none
Type
traditional monarchy
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Kenton W. KEITH embassy: 149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: (0974) 864701 through 864703
Economy
Agriculture
farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP; agricultural area is small and government-owned; commercial fishing increasing in importance; most food imported
Budget
revenues $2.5 billion; expenditures $3.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $440 million (FY92 est.)
Currency
1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Economic aid
donor - pledged $2.7 billion in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88)
Electricity
1,596,000 kW capacity; 4,818 million kWh produced, 9,655 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)
Exports
$3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: petroleum products 85%, steel, fertilizers partners: Japan 61%, Brazil 6%, South Korea 5%, UAE 4%
External debt
$1.1 billion (December 1989 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Imports
$1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals partners: France 13%, Japan 12%, UK 11%, Germany 9%
Industrial production
growth rate 0.6% (1987); accounts for 64% of GDP, including oil
Industries
crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel (rolls reinforcing bars for concrete construction), cement
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3% (1990)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $8.1 billion (1991 est.)
National product per capita
$17,000 (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate
3% (1991 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 $17,000, comparable to the leading industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas is becoming increasingly important.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
total: 4 usable: 4 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2
Highways
1,500 km total; 1,000 km paved, 500 km gravel or natural surface (est.)
Merchant marine
20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 390,072 GRT/593,508 DWT; includes 13 cargo, 4 container, 2 oil 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; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA%, of GDP
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 214,977; fit for military service 113,514; reach military age (18) annually 3,578 (1993 est.)