2018 Edition

Background

Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar within the last 60 years transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. The continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenue through the mid-1990s by Qatari amirs permanently residing in Europe had stunted Qatar’s economic growth. Former amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, who overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995, ushered in wide-sweeping political and media reforms, unprecedented economic investment, and a growing Qatari regional leadership role, in part through the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's mediation of some regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and by 2007 had attained the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar did not experience domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2010-11, due in part to its immense wealth. In mid-2013, HAMAD peacefully abdicated, transferring power to his son, the current Amir TAMIM bin Hamad. TAMIM remains popular with the Qatari public, having prioritized improving the domestic welfare of Qataris, including establishing advanced healthcare and education systems and expanding the country's infrastructure in anticipation of Doha's hosting of the 2022 World Cup.Recently, Qatar’s relationships with its neighbors have been tense at times. Following the outbreak of regional unrest in 2011, Doha prided itself on its support for many popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. This stance was to the detriment of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which temporarily recalled their respective ambassadors from Doha in March 2014. TAMIM later oversaw a warming of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in November 2014 following Kuwaiti mediation and signing of the Riyadh Agreement. In June 2017, however, the Quartet — Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE — cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in response to alleged violations of the agreement.

Area

land

11,586 sq km

total

11,586 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area Comparative

almost twice the size of Delaware; slightly smaller than Connecticut

Climate

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

Coastline

563 km

Elevation

elevation extremes

0 m lowest point: Persian Gulf

mean elevation

28 m

note

103 highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir

Environment Current Issues

air, land, and water pollution are significant environmental issues; limited natural freshwater resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities; other issues include conservation of oil supplies and preservation of the natural wildlife heritage

Environment International Agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic Coordinates

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Geography Note

the peninsula occupies a strategic location in the central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Irrigated Land

130 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (1)

Saudi Arabia 87 km

total

87 km

Land Use

arable land: 1.1% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.2% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 4.3% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

5.6% (2011 est.)

forest

0% (2011 est.)

other

94.4% (2011 est.)

Location

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

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

Natural Hazards

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Natural Resources

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Population Distribution

most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula

Terrain

mostly flat and barren desert

Age Structure

0-14 years

12.7% (male 151,888 /female 148,186)

15-24 years

12.12% (male 205,242 /female 81,297)

25-54 years

70.67% (male 1,391,192 /female 279,256)

55-64 years

3.44% (male 62,683 /female 18,731)

65 years and over

1.06% (male 16,295 /female 8,799) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

9.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

37.5% (2012)

Death Rate

1.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

1.3 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

78.1 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

17.5 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

16.3 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

3.6% of GDP (2014)

Ethnic Groups

non-Qatari 88.4%, Qatari 11.6% (2015 est.)

Health Expenditures

2.2% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

0.1% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

<100 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

<500 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

1.2 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

81.2 years (2018 est.)

male

76.9 years (2018 est.)

total population

79 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

96.8% (2015 est.)

male

97.4% (2015 est.)

total population

97.3% (2015 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

633,000 DOHA (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

13 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

28.2 years (2018 est.)

male

34.6 years

total

33.4 years

Nationality

adjective

Qatari

noun

Qatari(s)

Net Migration Rate

14.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

35.1% (2016)

Physicians Density

1.96 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

2,363,569 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.95% (2018 est.)

Religions

Muslim 67.7%, Christian 13.8%, Hindu 13.8%, Buddhist 3.1%, folk religion (2010 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 98% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 98% of population (2015 est.)

total: 98% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 2% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 2% of population (2015 est.)

total: 2% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

14 years (2011)

male

13 years (2011)

total

13 years (2011)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

2.64 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

4.91 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

3.38 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

1.71 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

3.41 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.89 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

2.1% (2016 est.)

male

0.2% (2016 est.)

total

0.5% (2016 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

99.1% of total population (2018)

Administrative Divisions

8 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Ash Shihaniyah, Az Za'ayin, Umm Salal

Capital

geographic coordinates

25 17 N, 51 32 E

name

Doha

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Qatar

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

20 years; 15 years if an Arab national

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the emir or by one-third of Advisory Council members; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Advisory Council members and approval and promulgation by the emir; articles pertaining to the rule of state and its inheritance, functions of the emir, and citizen rights and liberties cannot be amended (2016)

history

previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002, approved by referendum 29 April 2003, endorsed 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005 (2016)

Country Name

conventional long form

State of Qatar

conventional short form

Qatar

etymology

the origin of the name is uncertain, but it dates back at least 2,000 years since a term "Catharrei" was used to describe the inhabitants of the peninsula by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.), and a "Catara" peninsula is depicted on a map by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.)

local long form

Dawlat Qatar

local short form

Qatar

note

closest approximation of the native pronunciation is gattar or cottar

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ryan GLIHA (since 30 November 2017)

embassy

22 February Street, Al Luqta District, Doha

FAX

[974] 4488-4298

mailing address

P. O. Box 2399, Doha

telephone

[974] 4496-6000

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

chief of mission

Ambassador MISHAL bin Hamad bin Muhammad Al Thani (since 24 April 2017)

consulate(s) general

Houston, Los Angeles

FAX

[1] (202) 237-0682

telephone

[1] (202) 274-1600

Executive Branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the amir

chief of state

Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the amir

head of government

Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Nasir bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 26 June 2013); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Khalid bin Mohamed al-Thani (since 14 November 2017); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (since 14 November 2017)

Flag Description

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side; maroon represents the blood shed in Qatari wars, white stands for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge signifies Qatar as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916

note

the other eight emirates are the seven that compose the UAE and Bahrain; according to some sources, the dominant color was formerly red, but this darkened to maroon upon exposure to the sun and the new shade was eventually adopted

Government Type

absolute monarchy

Independence

3 September 1971 (from the UK)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International Organization Participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA (observer), EITI (implementing country), FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of the court president and several judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 members)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 9-member independent body consisting of judiciary heads appointed by the Amir; judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms; Supreme Constitutional Court members nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council and appointed by the monarch; term of appointment NA

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; Administrative Court; courts of first instance; sharia courts; Courts of Justice; Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center, established in 2009, provides dispute resolution services for institutions and bodies in Qatar, as well as internationally

Legal System

mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic law (in family and personal matters)

Legislative Branch

description

unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (45 seats; 30 members directly elected by popular vote for 4-year re-electable terms and 15 appointed by the monarch to serve until resignation or until relieved

election results

NA; composition - men 41, women 4, percent of women 8.9%

elections

last on 17 June 2016 (term extended to 2019)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN

name

"Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (The Amiri Salute)

note

adopted 1996; anthem first performed that year at a meeting of the Gulf Cooperative Council hosted by Qatar

National Holiday

National Day, 18 December (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

National Symbol S

a maroon field surmounted by a white serrated band with nine white points; national colors: maroon, white

Political Parties And Leaders

political parties are banned

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

53.82 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

44.1 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

5% (16 March 2017)

4.5% (31 December 2012)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

4.95% (31 December 2017 est.)

4.51% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

$6.426 billion (2017 est.)

-$8.27 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$167.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$157.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

41.1 (2007)

Economy Overview

Qatar’s oil and natural gas resources are the country’s main economic engine and government revenue source, driving Qatar’s high economic growth and per capita income levels, robust state spending on public entitlements, and booming construction spending, particularly as Qatar prepares to host the World Cup in 2022. Although the government has maintained high capital spending levels for ongoing infrastructure projects, low oil and natural gas prices in recent years have led the Qatari Government to tighten some spending to help stem its budget deficit.Qatar’s reliance on oil and natural gas is likely to persist for the foreseeable future. Proved natural gas reserves exceed 25 trillion cubic meters - 13% of the world total and, among countries, third largest in the world. Proved oil reserves exceed 25 billion barrels, allowing production to continue at current levels for about 56 years. Despite the dominance of oil and natural gas, Qatar has made significant gains in strengthening non-oil sectors, such as manufacturing, construction, and financial services, leading non-oil GDP to steadily rise in recent years to just over half the total.Following trade restriction imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt in 2017, Qatar established new trade routes with other countries to maintain access to imports.

Exchange Rates

Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar -

3.64 (2017 est.)

3.64 (2016 est.)

3.64 (2015 est.)

3.64 (2014 est.)

3.64 (2013 est.)

Exports

$67.5 billion (2017 est.)

$57.25 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

Japan 17.3%, South Korea 16%, India 12.6%, China 11.2%, Singapore 8.2%, UAE 6.4% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

51% (2017 est.)

government consumption

17% (2017 est.)

household consumption

24.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-37.3% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

43.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

0.2% (2017 est.)

industry

50.3% (2017 est.)

services

49.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$166.9 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$124,100 (2017 est.)

$127,700 (2016 est.)

$134,200 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$339.5 billion (2017 est.)

$334.2 billion (2016 est.)

$327.3 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

1.6% (2017 est.)

2.1% (2016 est.)

3.7% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

50.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

42.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

47.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

35.9% (2007)

lowest 10%

35.9% (2007)

Imports

$30.77 billion (2017 est.)

$31.93 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports Partners

China 10.9%, US 8.9%, UAE 8.5%, Germany 8.1%, UK 5.5%, India 5.4%, Japan 5.3%, Italy 4.3% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

3% (2017 est.)

Industries

liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizer, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

0.4% (2017 est.)

2.7% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

1.953 million (2017 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$142.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$185.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$152.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

NA

Public Debt

53.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

46.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$15.01 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$31.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$34.71 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$36.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$59.33 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$57.63 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$36.29 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$35.31 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$246.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$224.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$34.71 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$36.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

26.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

8.9% (2017 est.)

11.1% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

114.2 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

1.15 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

1.5 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

25.24 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

93% (2012)

electrification - total population

98% (2012)

electrification - urban areas

98% (2012)

population without electricity

45,165 (2012)

Electricity Consumption

37.24 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

8.796 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

39.78 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

39.9 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

126.5 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

166.4 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

24.07 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

277,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

485,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

12,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

273,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2017 est.)

total

256,094 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

TV and radio broadcast licensing and access to local media markets are state controlled; home of the satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera, which was originally owned and financed by the Qatari government but has evolved to independent corporate status; Al-Jazeera claims editorial independence in broadcasting; local radio transmissions include state, private, and international broadcasters on FM frequencies in Doha; in August 2013, Qatar's satellite company Es'hailSat launched its first communications satellite Es'hail 1 (manufactured in the US), which entered commercial service in December 2013 to provide improved television broadcasting capability and expand availability of voice and Internet; Es'hailSat expects to launch its second satellite in 2018 (2014)

Internet Country Code

.qa

Internet Users

percent of population

94.3% (July 2016 est.)

total

2,129,360 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 175 telephones per 100 persons (2016)

general assessment

modern system centered in Doha (2016)

international

country code - 974; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the US; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and the UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

19 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

440,909 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

169 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

3,913,809 (2017 est.)

Airports

6 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2017)

over 3,047 m

3 (2017)

total

4 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2013)

total

2 (2013)

under 914 m

1 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

A7 (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

bulk carrier 8, container ship 6, general cargo 5, oil tanker 6, other 118 (2017)

total

143 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

7,563,307,390 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

25,263,224 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

199 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

2 (2015)

Pipelines

288 km condensate, 221 km condensate/gas, 2383 km gas, 90 km liquid petroleum gas, 745 km oil, 103 km refined products (2013)

Ports And Terminals

LNG terminal(s) (export)

Ras Laffan

major seaport(s)

Doha, Musay'id, Ra's Laffan

Roadways

total

9,830 km (2010)

Military Branches

Qatari Emiri Land Force (QELF), Qatari Emiri Navy (QEN), Qatari Emiri Air Force (QEAF) (2013)

Military Service Age And Obligation

conscription for males aged 18-35; 4-month general obligation, 3 months for graduates (2014)

Disputes International

none

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

stateless persons

1,200 (2017)

Trafficking In Persons

current situation

Qatar is a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor, and, to a much lesser extent, forced prostitution; the predominantly foreign workforce migrates to Qatar legally for low- and semi-skilled work but often experiences situations of forced labor, including debt bondage, delayed or nonpayment of salaries, confiscation of passports, abuse, hazardous working conditions, and squalid living arrangements; foreign female domestic workers are particularly vulnerable to trafficking because of their isolation in private homes and lack of protection under Qatari labor laws; some women who migrate for work are also forced into prostitution

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List – Qatar does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government investigated 11 trafficking cases but did not prosecute or convict any offenders, including exploitative employers and recruitment agencies; the primary solution for resolving labor violations was to transfer a worker’s sponsorship to a new employer with minimal effort to investigate whether a forced labor violation had occurred; authorities increased their efforts to protect some trafficking victims, although many victims of forced labor, particularly domestic workers, remained unidentified and unprotected and were sometimes punished for immigration violations or running away from an employer or sponsor; authorities visited worksites throughout the country to meet and educate workers and employers on trafficking regulations, but the government failed to abolish or reform the sponsorship system, perpetuating Qatar’s forced labor problem (2015)

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

HAMAS

aim(s): continue engagement with the Qatari Governmentarea(s) of operation: maintains a limited office in Doha (April 2018)