Qatar
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
traditional monarchyIndependence 3 September 1971 (from UK)
Qatar as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 116 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
18 fieldsLand use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 0% other: 94% (1993 est.)
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, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 25.77% (male 101,155; female 97,086) 15-64 years: 71.75% (male 391,178; female 160,665) 65 years and over: 2.48% (male 13,625; female 5,443) (2001 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.43 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.5 male(s)/female total population: 1.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.62 years male: 70.16 years female: 75.21 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 79% female: 80% (1995 est.)
Government
Traditional monarchy; 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)
20 fieldsCountry 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
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 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution
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:
- 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
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 their terms extended every four years since
International organization participation
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth Davenport MCKUNE embassy: 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101
Economy
Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 66% of government revenues.
31 fieldsElectricity
Economy - overview
Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 66% 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 petroleum and the diversification of the economy. In 2000, Qatar posted its highest ever trade surplus of $6 billion, due mainly to high oil prices and increased natural gas exports.
Budget
revenues: $3.9 billion expenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Industries
crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone 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
Transportation
10 fieldsMerchant marine
total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 677,992 GRT/1,049,447 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.)
Military
Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - international
- in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and adjusted its maritime boundary with Qatar;
- a final border resolution was agreed to with Saudi Arabia in March of 2001
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Qatar.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/qatar/2001.