Qatar

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet country code

.qa

Internet users

75,000 (2001)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

256,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: modern system centered in Doha domestic: NA international: 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

Telephones - main lines in use

142,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

43,476 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

Televisions

230,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $5 billion expenditures: $4.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $900 million (FY01/02 est. )

Currency

Qatari rial (QAR)

Currency code

QAR

Debt - external

$13.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 58% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore natural gas reserves. In 2000, Qatar posted its highest ever trade surplus of $7 billion, due mainly to high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, and managed to maintain the surplus in 2001.

Electricity - consumption

8.556 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production

9.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate)

Exports

$11 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners

Japan 43%, Singapore 8%, South Korea 6%, US 4%, UAE 2% (1999)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $16.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1% industry: 49% services: 50% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.6% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$3.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners

UK 10%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, Italy 6%, US 6% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (2001)

Labor force

280,122 (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

2.7% (2001)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Climate

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

Coastline

563 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Geography - note

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Irrigated land

130 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Land use

arable land: 1.27% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.46% (1998 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, natural gas, fish

Terrain

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

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

Capital

Doha

Constitution

provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution

Country name

conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar local long form: Dawlat Qatar

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 consulate(s) general: Houston FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

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 JASSIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); 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) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in March 1999, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council, which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services

Flag description

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

Government type

traditional monarchy

Independence

3 September 1971 (from UK)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal

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: the constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no 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

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Suffrage

suffrage is limited to municipal elections

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. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, 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 a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$723 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

10% (FY00/01)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 316,885 note: includes non-nationals (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 166,214 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 6,797 (2002 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.2% (male 102,110; female 98,053) 15-64 years: 72.1% (male 403,508; female 168,428) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 15,299; female 5,943) (2002 est.)

Birth rate

15.78 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.09% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

20.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.88 years female: 75.48 years (2002 est.) male: 70.4 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 79% female: 80% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari

Net migration rate

18.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population

793,341 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate

3.02% (2002 est.)

Religions

Muslim 95%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.4 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.57 male(s)/female total population: 1.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.1 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

4 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Heliports

1 (2002)

Highways

total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1996)

Merchant marine

total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 679,081 GRT/1,051,088 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1, United Arab Emirates 3 (2002 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km

Ports and harbors

Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id)

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none