Qatar

State of QatarDawlat Qatar

traditional monarchyIndependence 3 September 1971 (from UK)

Qatar as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 76 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalDoha

Area11,000 km2

LocationMiddle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between Iran

Populationas each edition published it

499,115 people July 1993 est. · 490,897 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.84% 1993 est. · 0.57% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 31.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

72.25 years 1993 est. · 80.3 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.88 children per woman 1993 est. · 4.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

22.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 25 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$17,000 1991 est. · $110,900 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

3% 1991 est. · 2.8% in 2025

Geography

Middle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between Iran | and Saudi Arabia

14 fields

Land useshare of 11,000 km2

permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 5%forest and woodland 0%other 95%arable land 0% in all

Area

11,000km2

land area: 11,000 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Coastline

563km

continental shelf: not specifiedexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

60km

total · Saudi Arabia 60 km

Location

Middle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between Iran and Saudi Arabia

Map references

Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain

Climate

desert;
hot, dry;
humid and sultry in summer

Terrain

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Environment

haze, duststorms, sandstorms common; limited freshwater resources mean increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Note

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

People

14 fields

Population

499,115

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 2.84% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

19.61Death

3.53Net migration

12.36

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years72.25

69.73 · 74.68

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy76%

77% · 72%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1986)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

22.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Qatari(s)
adjective:: Qatari

Languages

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

Labor force

104,000 85% non-Qatari in private sector (1983)

Government

Traditional monarchy

20 fields

Names

conventional long form:: State of Qatar
conventional short form:: Qatar
local long form:: Dawlat Qatar
local short form:: Qatar

Administrative divisions

there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah);
Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, Ash Shamal, Jarayan al Batnah, Umm Salal

Constitution

provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970

Legal system

discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in personal matters

Elections

Advisory Council: constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held; seats - (30 total)

Legislative branch

unicameral Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: Amir and Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani (since 22 February 1972); Crown Prince HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (appointed 31 May 1977; son of Amir)

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador 'Abd al-Rahman bin Sa'ud ALTHANI
chancery:: Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone:: (202) 338-0111

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Kenton W. KEITH
embassy:: 149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha
mailing address:: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
telephone:: (0974) 864701 through 864703
FAX:: (0974) 861669

Flag

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

Economy

Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 85% of export | earnings and roughly 75% of government revenues.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$17,000

(1991 est.)

Real growth rate

(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 0.6% (1987); accounts for 64% of GDP, including oil

Inflation, consumer prices

(1990)

External debt

$1.1billion

(December 1989 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$2.5 billionExpenditures

$3.0 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $440 million (FY92 est.)

Overview

Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 85% of export earnings and roughly 75% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.3 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for about 25 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP of about $17,000, comparable to the leading industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas is becoming increasingly important.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $8.1 billion (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: petroleum products 85%, steel, fertilizers
partners:: Japan 61%, Brazil 6%, South Korea 5%, UAE 4%

Imports

$1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)

commodities:: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals
partners:: France 13%, Japan 12%, UK 11%, Germany 9%

Electricity

1,596,000 kW capacity; 4,818 million kWh produced, 9,655 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel (rolls reinforcing bars for concrete construction), cement

Agriculture

farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP;
agricultural area is small and government-owned;
commercial fishing increasing in importance;
most food imported

Economic aid

donor - pledged $2.7 billion in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88)

Currency

1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams

Exchange rates

Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

6 fields

Merchant marine, 20 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 13container 4oil tanker 2refrigerated cargo 120 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 390,072 GRT/593,508 DWT

total:: 4
usable:: 4
with permanent-surface runways:: 1
with runways over 3,659 m:: 1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 2

Telecommunications

modern system centered in Doha;
110,000 telephones;
tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE;
submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE;
satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT;
broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV