2021 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. 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 2011, due in part to its immense wealth and patronage network. In mid-2013, HAMAD peacefully abdicated, transferring power to his son, the current Amir TAMIM bin Hamad. TAMIM is popular with the Qatari public, for his role in shepherding the country through an economic embargo by some other regional countries, for his efforts to improve the country's healthcare and education systems, and for his expansion of 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, although since the fall of 2019 there have been signs of improved prospects for a thaw. 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, Egypt, 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, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in November 2014 following Kuwaiti mediation and signing of the Riyadh Agreement. This reconciliation, however, was short-lived. In June 2017, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (the "Quartet") cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in response to alleged violations of the agreement, among other complaints.

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

highest point

Tuwayyir al Hamir 103 m

lowest point

Persian Gulf 0 m

mean elevation

28 m

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

Saudi Arabia 87 km

total

87 km

Land use

agricultural land

5.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.3% (2018 est.)

forest

0% (2018 est.)

other

94.4% (2018 est.)

Location

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Major aquifers

Arabian Aquifer System

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

12.84% (male 158,702/female 155,211)

15-24 years

11.78% (male 203,703/female 84,323)

25-54 years

70.66% (male 1,439,364/female 287,575)

55-64 years

3.53% (male 66,561/female 19,600)

65 years and over

1.19% (male 19,067/female 10,068) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

9.38 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

37.5% (2012)

Current Health Expenditure

2.5% (2018)

Death rate

1.42 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

2

potential support ratio

50.1 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

18.1

youth dependency ratio

16.1

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 100% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

3.2% of GDP (2020)

Ethnic groups

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

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

6.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

7.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.74 years (2021 est.)

male

77.47 years

total population

79.58 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

94.7% (2017)

male

92.4%

total population

93.5%

Major urban areas - population

Ar-Rayyan 750,000, 646,000 DOHA (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

9 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

28.2 years (2020 est.)

male

35 years

total

33.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Qatari

noun

Qatari(s)

Net migration rate

4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

35.1% (2016)

Physicians density

2.49 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

2,479,995 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

1.23% (2021 est.)

Religions

Muslim 65.2%, Christian 13.7%, Hindu 15.9%, Buddhist 3.8%, folk religion <0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 100% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2020)

male

12 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years

2.42 male(s)/female

25-54 years

5.01 male(s)/female

55-64 years

3.4 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.89 male(s)/female

at birth

1.02 male(s)/female

total population

3.39 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

1.5% (2018 est.)

male

0.2%

total

0.4%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

99.3% of total population (2021)

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

etymology

derives from the Arabic term "dohat," meaning "roundness," and refers to the small rounded bays along the area's coastline

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 Amir 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

history

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

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

note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is gattar or cottar

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ambassador John DESROCHER (since 1 June 2021)

email address and website

PasDoha@state.govhttps://qa.usembassy.gov/

embassy

22 February Street, Al Luqta District, P.O. Box 2399, Doha

FAX

[974] 4488-4298

mailing address

6130 Doha Place, Washington DC  20521-6130

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

email address and website

info.dc@mofa.gov.qahttps://washington.embassy.qa/en

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 and Minister of Interior Sheikh KHALID ibn Khalifa ibn Abdul Aziz Al Thani (since 28 January 2020);  Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs KHALID bin Mohamed AL Attiyah (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

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 (sharia) 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; 15 members appointed by the monarch to serve until resignation or until relieved; note - legislative drafting authority rests with the Council of Ministers and is reviewed by the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura

election results

30 nonpartisan members elected;  composition of elected members - men 30, women 0

elections

first election held for 30 elected members on 2 October 2021 (next to be held in 2025); date of appointed members NA

National anthem

lyrics/music

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

name

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

note

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

Agricultural products

tomatoes, dates, camel milk, sheep milk, goat milk, pumpkins/gourds, mutton, poultry, milk, eggplants

Budget

expenditures

53.82 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

44.1 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AA- (2017)

Moody's rating

Aa3 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating

AA- (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$8.27 billion (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

$6.426 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$157.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$167.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic 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

currency

Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

3.64 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

3.64 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

3.641 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

3.641 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

3.641 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$102.56 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$92.05 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$70.93 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, ethylene polymers, fertilizers (2019)

Exports - partners

Japan 17%, South Korea 16%, India 14%, China 13%, Singapore 7% (2019)

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)

$191.29 billion (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2007

41.1 (2007)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

35.9% (2007)

lowest 10%

1.3%

Imports

Imports 2018

$65.81 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$66.77 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$59.06 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

aircraft, gas turbines, cars, jewelry, iron piping (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 15%, France 13%, United Kingdom 9%, China 9%, Germany 5%, Italy 5% (2019)

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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

0.3% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

0.2% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

-0.6% (2019 est.)

Labor force

1.953 million (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

Public debt 2016

46.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

53.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$253.05 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$255.01 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$245.66 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

3.7% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

2.1% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

1.6% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$91,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$90,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$85,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$31.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$15.01 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

26.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

11.1% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

8.9% (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

1.5% (2018 est.)

male

0.2%

total

0.4%

Crude oil - exports

1.15 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

1.464 million bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

25.24 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

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.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

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

10.28 (2020 est.)

total

296,126 (2020)

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 launched its second commercial satellite in 2018 with aid of SpaceX (2019)

Internet country code

.qa

Internet users

percent of population

99.65% (2020 est.)

total

2.88 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line 16 per 100 and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership 138 telephones per 100 persons (209)

general assessment

telecom infrastructure in Qatar demonstrated resilience during the pandemic, following surge in Internet usage; highest fixed-line and mobile penetrations in Middle East with almost 100% LTE coverage; operator deployed 5G across the country with positive subscribership, primarily around Doha; largest user of the Internet in the Middle East; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)

international

country code - 974; landing points for the Qatar-UAE Submarine Cable System, AAE-1, FOG, GBICS/East North Africa MENA and the FALCON submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Southeast Asia; 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; retains full ownership of two commercial satellites, Es'hailSat 1 and 2 (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

15.78 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

454,701 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

131.8 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

3,798,514 (2020)

Airports

total

6 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2017)

over 3,047 m

3

total

4

Airports - with unpaved runways

914 to 1,523 m

1

total

2

under 914 m

1 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

A7

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 9, container ship 4, general cargo 4, oil tanker 5, other 107 (2021)

total

129

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

12,666,710,000 mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

29,178,923 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

251

number of registered air carriers

3 (2020)

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

7,039 km (2016)

Military - note

as of 2021, Qatar hosted more than 8,000 US military forces and the regional headquarters for the US Central Command (CENTCOM; established 1983) at various military facilities, including the large Al Udeid Air Base; Qatar also hosted as many as 5,000 Turkish military forces at two bases established in 2014 and 2019

Military and security forces

Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF, includes Emiri Guard), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN, includes Coast Guard), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF); Internal Security Forces: Mobile Gendarmerie (2021)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 14,000 active personnel (10,000 Land Force, including Emiri Guard; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2021)

Military deployments

in 2021, Turkey agreed to train Qatari fighter pilots and allow the temporary deployment of up to 36 Qatari military aircraft and 250 personnel

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Qatari military's inventory includes a broad mix of older and modern weapons systems, mostly from the US and Europe; in the 2010s, Qatar embarked on an extensive military expansion and modernization program with large air, ground, and naval equipment purchases from European countries, Turkey, and the US (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Military Expenditures 2017

2.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military Expenditures 2018

3.2% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

3.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

conscription for males aged 18-35; compulsory service times range from 4 months to up to a year, depending on the cadets educational and professional circumstances; women are permitted to serve in the armed forces, including as uniformed officers and pilots (2021)

Disputes - international

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

1,200 (2020)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

103.26 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

8.34 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

90.35 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

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, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

5.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.3% (2018 est.)

forest

0% (2018 est.)

other

94.4% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Arabian Aquifer System

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

58 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

291.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

143.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

477.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

99.3% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,000,990 tons (2012 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

30,030 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

3% (2014 est.)