1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 11,000 sq km land area: 11,000 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Climate
desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer
Coastline
563 km
Environment
current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
International disputes
territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain
Irrigated land
NA sq km
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 bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
Map references
Middle East
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm 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
Age structure
0-14 years: 30% (female 81,443; male 80,591) 15-64 years: 68% (female 104,921; male 258,135) 65 years and over: 2% (female 2,941; male 5,885) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
22.72 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
3.59 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
Infant mortality rate
20.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
NA
Languages
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.03 years male: 70.45 years female: 75.5 years (1995 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
8.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
533,916 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
2.74% (1995 est.)
Religions
Muslim 95%
Total fertility rate
4.63 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
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
Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)
constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held; seats - (30 total)
Capital
Doha
Constitution
provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970
Digraph
QA
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador ABD AL-RAHMAN bin Saud bin Fahd Al Thani chancery: Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 338-0111
Executive branch
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 and Minister of Defense) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the amir
FAX
[974] 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
Member of
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, 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: [974] 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 billion, including capital expenditures of $440 million (1992 est.)
Currency
1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Economic aid
donor: pledged in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88), $2.7 billion
Electricity
capacity: 1,520,000 kW production: 4.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 8,415 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)
Exports
$3.13 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum products 75%, steel, fertilizers partners: Japan 57%, South Korea 9%, Brazil 4%, UAE 4%, Singapore 3% (1992)
External debt
$1.5 billion (1993 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Imports
$1.75 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals partners: Japan 16%, UK 11%, US 11%, Germany 7%, France 5% (1992)
Industrial production
accounts for 50% 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% (1993 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $10.7 billion (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$20,820 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
-1% (1994 est.)
Overview
Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 75% of export earnings, and 70% 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 comparable to the leading West European industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of off-shore oil and the diversification of the economy.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
110,000 telephones; modern system centered in Doha local: NA intercity: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station
Television
broadcast stations: 3 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 6 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3
Highways
total: 1,190 km paved: 1,030 km unpaved: 160 km (1988 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 463,227 GRT/763,507 DWT ships by type: combination ore/oil 1, container 3, cargo 11, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1
Pipelines
crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km
Ports
Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA%, of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ REUNION (overseas department of France)
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 219,442; males fit for military service 115,103; males reach military age (18) annually 3,915 (1995 est.)