Qatar

State of QatarDawlat Qatar

traditional monarchyIndependence 3 September 1971 (from UK)

Qatar as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 79 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 sq km

LocationMiddle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi

Populationas each edition published it

533,916 people July 1995 est. · 490,897 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.74% 1995 est. · 2.84% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 31.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

73.03 years 1995 est. · 72.25 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.63 children per woman 1995 est. · 4.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

20.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 25 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$20,820 1994 est. · $17,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-1% 1994 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi | Arabia

14 fields

Land useshare of 11,000 sq km

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

Area

11,000sq km

land area: 11,000 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Coastline

563km

contiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

60km

total · Saudi Arabia 60 km

Location

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

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

current issues:: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
natural hazards:: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
international agreements:: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Note

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

People

15 fields

Population

533,916

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.74% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

22.72Death

3.59Net migration

8.25

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years73.03

70.45 · 75.5

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%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 30% (female 81,443; male 80,591)
15-64 years:: 68% (female 104,921; male 258,135)
65 years and over:: 2% (female 2,941; male 5,885) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

20.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Qatari(s)
adjective:: Qatari

Languages

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

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

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

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

Executive branch

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 and Minister of Defense)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers; appointed by the amir

Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)

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

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador ABD AL-RAHMAN bin Saud bin Fahd Al Thani
chancery:: Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone:: [1] (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:: [974] 864701 through 864703

FAX

[974] 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 30% of GDP, roughly 75% of export earnings, and 70% of government | revenues.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$20,820

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

-1%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: accounts for 50% of GDP, including oil

Inflation, consumer prices

(1993 est.)

External debt

$1.5billion

(1993 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$2.5 billionExpenditures

$3 billion (1992 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $440 million

Installed generating capacity, 1,520,000 kW

Electricity production

4.5 billionElectricity consumption per capita

8,415 (1993)

Overview

Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 75% of export earnings, and 70% 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 comparable to the leading West European industrial countries.

Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of off-shore oil and the diversification of the economy.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $10.7 billion (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$3.13 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: petroleum products 75%, steel, fertilizers
partners:: Japan 57%, South Korea 9%, Brazil 4%, UAE 4%, Singapore 3% (1992)

Imports

$1.75 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals
partners:: Japan 16%, UK 11%, US 11%, Germany 7%, France 5% (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

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 6 in all

over 3,047 m

under 914 m

914 to 1,523 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

1,190Railroads

Highways: paved: 1,030 km · unpaved: 160 km (1988 est.)

Highways

total:: 1,190 km
paved:: 1,030 km
unpaved:: 160 km (1988 est.)

total:: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 463,227 GRT/763,507 DWT
ships by type:: combination ore/oil 1, container 3, cargo 11, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

110,000 telephones; modern system centered in Doha

local:: NA
intercity:: NA
international:: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE;
submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE;
2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station