Qatar

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

noun:

Qatari(s)

adjective:

Qatari

total:

34.4 years (2025 est.)

male:

35.7 years

female:

28.1 years

at birth:

1.02 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

4.29 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

1.91 male(s)/female

total population:

3.32 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

7 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

80.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

78.2 years

female:

82.4 years

total:

0.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

19.2% (2025 est.)

male:

24.6% (2025 est.)

female:

2.3% (2025 est.)

• air, land, and water pollution;
• limited natural freshwater resources;
• limited conservation of oil and wildlife

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

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

urban population:

99.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

energy:

1,040.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

9.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

64.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

5.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

1.001 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

6% (2022 est.)

municipal:

582.862 million cubic meters (2022)

industrial:

40.18 million cubic meters (2022)

agricultural:

311.156 million cubic meters (2022)

conventional long form:

State of Qatar

conventional short form:

Qatar

local long form:

Dawlat Qatar

local short form:

Qatar

etymology:

the name may derive from the Arabic word katran , meaning "tar" or "resin" in reference to the area's oil and natural gas reserves

note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is GAT-tar or COT-tar

name:

Doha

geographic coordinates:

25 17 N, 51 32 E

time difference:

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

etymology:

the name is derived from the Arabic ad-dawha , meaning "the big tree," and probably referred to a large tree at the site of the original fishing village

• 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

history:

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

amendment process:

• 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

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

chief of state:

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

head of government:

Prime Minister and Foreign Minister MUHAMMAD bin Abd al-Rahman Al Thani (since 7 March 2023)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers appointed by the amir

election/appointment process:

the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the amir

legislature name:

Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura)

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

49 (all appointed)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

10/9/2025

percentage of women in chamber:

6.1%

expected date of next election:

September 2029

highest court(s):

• 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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Meshal bin Hamad AL THANI (since 24 April 2017)

chancery:

2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone:

[1] (202) 274-1600

FAX:

[1] (202) 237-0682

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://washington.embassy.qa/en/home

consulate(s) general:

Houston, Los Angeles, New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Stefanie ALTMAN-WINANS (since June 2025)

embassy:

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

mailing address:

6130 Doha Place, Washington DC 20521-6130

telephone:

[974] 4496-6000

FAX:

[974] 4488-4298

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://qa.usembassy.gov/

description:

maroon with a broad, serrated white band on the left side

meaning:

• maroon stands for the blood shed in Qatari wars, and white for peace;
• the nine-pointed serrated edge is a reference to Qatar's status as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" after the Qatari-British treaty of 1916 -- the other eight members are Bahrain and the seven that make up the UAE

title:

"Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (Peace be to the Emir)

lyrics/music:

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

history:

adopted 1996

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Al Zubarah Archaeological Site

• high-income, oil-and-gas-based Middle Eastern economy;
• implementing “National Vision 2030” government strategy for economic development, diversification, and favorable business conditions to boost investment and employment;
• expansion of LNG sector expected to boost growth;
• Islamic finance leader

agriculture:

0.3% (2024 est.)

industry:

58.5% (2024 est.)

services:

45.9% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

0.4% (2024 est.)

male:

0.1% (2024 est.)

female:

1.2% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

14.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

0.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.6% (2017 est.)

highest 10%:

25.8% (2017 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

exports:

300 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

total petroleum production:

1.818 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

268,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

25.244 billion barrels (2021 est.)

production:

171.805 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption:

48.034 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports:

124.747 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

23.861 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

• state-controlled TV and radio licensing and access to local media markets;
• home of satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera, which was originally state-owned but is now independent;
• local radio includes state, private, and international broadcasters on FM frequencies;
• satellite TV available (2019)

total ports:

6 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

1

small:

2

very small:

3

ports with oil terminals:

5

key ports:

Al Rayyan Terminal, Al Shaheen Terminal, Doha, Jazirat Halul, Ras Laffan, Umm Said

Qatar Armed Forces (QAF):

Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF, includes Emiri Guard), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN, includes Coast Guard), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF)

Ministry of Interior:

General Directorate of Public Security, General Directorate of Coasts and Border Security, Internal Security Force (ISF or Lekhwiya) (2025)

• typically 18-30 for voluntary service for men and women;
• compulsory military service for men 18-35;
• compulsory service is from 4-12 months, depending on educational and professional circumstances (2025)

note: the military incorporates about 2,000 conscripts annually and recruits foreign contract soldiers to overcome manpower limitations

• Qatar's military is responsible for territorial defense and maritime security;
• the military is in the midst of a large equipment acquisition program designed to enhance its capabilities and Qatar's regional standing;
• Qatar has military ties with a variety of countries, including France, the UK, the US, Turkey, and member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC);
• it hosts the regional headquarters for the US Central Command (CENTCOM; established 1983) and several thousand US military forces at various military facilities, including the Al Udeid Air Base;
• Qatar has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation;
• Qatar also hosts Turkish military forces at two bases established in 2014 and 2019;
• the Qatari military is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region (2025)

refugees:

349 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

1,200 (2024 est.)