Edition 2005 — Qatar — World Factbook

Administrative divisions

10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.7% (male 104,453/female 100,295) 15-64 years: 72.9% (male 437,118/female 191,830) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 21,599/female 7,756) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Airports

4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Area

land: 11,437 sq km
total: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

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. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, overthrew him 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 one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. Geography Qatar

Birth rate

15.54 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $7.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $10.17 billion

Capital

Doha

Climate

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Coastline

563 km

Constitution

ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the Emir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

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

Currency (code)

Qatari rial (QAR)

Currency code

QAR

Current account balance

$5.187 billion (2004 est.)

Death rate

4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$18.62 billion (2004 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER
embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha
FAX: [974] 488 4298
mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
telephone: [974] 488 4101

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016
chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak al-KHALIFA
consulate(s) general: Houston
FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Economic aid - recipient

NA

Economy - overview

Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 16 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 14 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore natural gas reserves to offset the ultimate decline in oil production. In recent years, Qatar has consistently posted trade surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, becoming one of the world's fastest growing and highest per-capita income countries.

Electricity - consumption

9.046 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

9.727 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

Environment - current issues

limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Exchange rates

Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000)

Executive branch

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
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 TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, third son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999
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); First Deputy Prime Minister HAMAD bin JASIM bin JABIR al-Thani (since 16 September 2003; also Foreign Minister since 1992); Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATTIYAH (since 16 September 2003; also Energy Minister since NA 1992)

Exports

$15 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners

Japan 41.9%, South Korea 15.8%, Singapore 9.1%, India 5.4% (2004)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Qatar

Flag description

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side Economy Qatar

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 58.2%
services: 41.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

8.7% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$19.49 billion (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Geography - note

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits People Qatar

Government type

traditional monarchy

Heliports

1 (2004 est.) Military Qatar

Highways

paved: 1,107 km
total: 1,230 km
unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.09% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$6.15 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners

France 26.6%, US 9.5%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UAE 6.3%, Germany 5.2%, Japan 5.2%, UK 5.1% (2004)

Independence

3 September 1971 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

10% (2003 est.)

Industries

crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair

Infant mortality rate

female: 15.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
male: 21.95 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 18.61 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (2004 est.)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO

Internet country code

.qa

Internet hosts

221 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

126,000 (2003) Transportation Qatar

Investment (gross fixed)

22.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Irrigated land

130 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal note: under the new judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two court systems, civil and Islamic law, were merged under a higher court, the Court of Cassation, established for appeals

Labor force

140,000 (2004 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km
total: 60 km

Land use

arable land: 1.64%
other: 98.09% (2001)
permanent crops: 0.27%

Languages

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Legal system

discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters

Legislative branch

unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed) note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which came into force on 8 June 2004, provides for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the remaining members

Life expectancy at birth

female: 76.32 years (2005 est.)
male: 71.15 years
total population: 73.67 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 88.6% (2004 est.) Government Qatar
male: 89.1%
total population: 89%

Location

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 302,873 note: includes non-nationals (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 238,566 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males: 7,851 (2005 est.)

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line
territorial sea: 12 nm

Median age

female: 22.33 years (2005 est.)
male: 36.87 years
total: 31.57 years

Merchant marine

by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 5, container 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 6) (2005)
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 525,051 GRT/772,635 DWT

Military branches

Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$723 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

10% (FY00) Transnational Issues Qatar

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; Land Force's enlisted personnel are largely nonprofessional foreign nationals (2005)

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Nationality

adjective: Qatari
noun: Qatari(s)

Natural gas - consumption

15.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

18.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

32.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

14.41 trillion cu m (2004)

Natural hazards

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, fish

Net migration rate

15.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

30,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

790,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

16 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Pipelines

condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 702 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2004)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Population

863,051 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Population growth rate

2.61% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors