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Introduction
General Information:
 |
The capital of Qatar is Doha.
Major cities of Qatar are: Doha. |
Geography
|
Location:
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Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia |
| Coordinates: | 25 30 N, 51 15 E |
| Area: | total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area Comparative: | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
| Coastline: | 563 km |
| Maritime Claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line |
| Climate: | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
| Terrain: | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel |
| Elevation Extremes: | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
| Natural Resources: | petroleum, natural gas, fish |
| Land Use: | arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2001) |
| Irrigated Land: | 130 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural Hazards: | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common |
| Environment Current Issues: | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities |
| Environment International Agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Note: | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits |
People
|
Population:
|
840,290 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age Structure: | total: 31.4 years
male: 36.7 years female: 22 years (2004 est.) |
| Population Growth Rate: | 2.74% (2004 est.) |
| Birth Rate: | 15.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death Rate: | 4.52 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Migration Rate: | 16.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex Ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.32 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.72 male(s)/female total population: 1.89 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant Mortality Rate: | total: 19.32 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
| Expectancy Birth: | total population: 73.4 years
male: 70.9 years female: 76.04 years (2004 est.) |
| Fertility Rate: | 2.95 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV Adult Prevalence Rate: | 0.09% (2001 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari |
| Ethnic Groups: | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% |
| Religions: | Muslim 95% |
| Languages: | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.5% male: 81.4% female: 85% (2003 est.) |
Gouvernment
|
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 |
| Government Type: | traditional monarchy |
| Capital: | Doha |
| 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 |
| Independence: | 3 September 1971 (from UK) |
| National Holiday: | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) |
| Constitution: | provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari voters approved the new constitution; on 8 June 2004 the new constitution came into force |
| Legal System: | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive Branch: | 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
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) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch 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 |
| 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 |
| Judicial Branch: | Court of Appeal
note: under the new judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two court systems, civil and Islamic law, have been merged under a higher court, the Court of Cassation, to be established for appeals |
| Political Parties Leaders: | none |
| Political Pressure Groups Leaders: | none |
| 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, WToO, WTO |
| Diplomatic in US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston |
| Diplomatic from US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER
embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298 |
| Flag Description: | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side |
Economy
|
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 14.5 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 17.9 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. Since 2000, Qatar has consistently posted trade surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural gas exports. |
| GDP: | purchasing power parity - $17.54 billion (2003 est.) |
| GDP Growth Rate: | 8.5% (2003 est.) |
| GDP Capital: | purchasing power parity - $21,500 (2003 est.) |
| GDP Composition: | agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 70.8% services: 28.8% (2003 est.) |
| Investment: | 23.2% of GDP (2003) |
| Household Income: | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
| Inflation Rate: | 2.3% (2003) |
| Labor Force: | 140,000 (2003 est.) |
| Unemployment Rate: | 2.7% (2001) |
| Budget: | revenues: $8.202 billion
expenditures: $6.981 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (2003 est.) |
| Public Debt: | 72.7% of GDP (2003) |
| Agriculture Products: | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish |
| Industries: | crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement |
| Industry Production Growth Rate: | 10% (2003 est.) |
| Electricity Production: | 9.264 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity Consumption: | 8.616 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity Exports: | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity Imports: | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Oil Production: | 864,200 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil Consumption: | 29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil Exports: | NA (2001) |
| Oil Imports: | NA (2001) |
| Oil Proved Reserves: | 14.51 billion bbl (1 January 2002) |
| Natural Gas Production: | 32.4 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
| Natural Gas Consumption: | 15.86 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
| Natural Gas Exports: | 16.54 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
| Natural Gas Imports: | 0 cu m (2001 est.) |
| Natural Gas Proved Reserves: | 17.93 trillion cu m (1 January 2002) |
| Current Account Balance: | $4.149 billion (2003) |
| Exports: | $12.36 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
| Exports Commodities: | petroleum products, fertilizers, steel |
| Exports Partners: | Japan 46%, South Korea 18.5%, Singapore 9.5% (2003) |
| Imports: | $5.711 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
| Imports Commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals |
| Imports Partners: | US 12.2%, Japan 10.5%, Germany 9.6%, UK 8%, Italy 7.4%, UAE 6.7%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, South Korea 5% (2003) |
| Reserves: | $2.952 billion (2003) |
| Debt External: | $17.5 billion (2003 est.) |
| Currency: | Qatari rial (QAR) |
| Currency Code: | QAR |
| Exchange Rates: | Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000), 3.64 (1999) |
| Fiscal Year: | 1 April - 31 March |
Communications
|
Telephones Lines Use:
|
184,500 (2003) |
| Mobile Cellular: | 376,500 (2003) |
| Telephone System: | general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
| Radio Stations: | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Television Stations: | 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001) |
| Internet Code: | .qa |
| Internet Hosts: | 221 (2004) |
| Internet Users: | 126,000 (2003) |
Military
|
Military Branches:
|
Land Force, Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Amiri Air Force |
| Military Age Obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) |
| Military Availability: | males age 15-49: 324,001
note: includes non-nationals (2004 est.) |
| Fit Military Service: | males age 15-49: 170,266 (2004 est.) |
| Reaching Military Age Annually: | males: 7,496 (2004 est.) |
| Military Expenditures Dollar Figure: | $723 million (FY00) |
| Military Expenditures Percent GDP: | 10% (FY00) |
Transnational Issues
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Disputes International:
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none |
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