Qatar
State of QatarDawlat Qatar
traditional emirateIndependence 3 September 1971 (from UK)
Qatar as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 124 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. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him 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 one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.
Geography
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
18 fieldsLand useshare of 11,437 sq km
Environment - current issues
limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People
19 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)
Male · female
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 2.24 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 2.84 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.87 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Government
Traditional emirate; 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); Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa al-Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996)
18 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
Capital
- name:
- Doha
- geographic coordinates:
- 25 17 N, 51 32 E
- time difference:
- UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
- 10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah);
- Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal
Constitution
ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005
Legal system
discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Shari'a law dominates family and 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 TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003);
- 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);
- First Deputy Prime Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani (since 16 September 2003, also Foreign Minister since 1992);
- Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 16 September 2003, also Electricity and Water Minister since 1999 and Energy and Industry Minister since 1992)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
- elections:
- none; the monarch is hereditary
note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999
Legislative branch
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: no legislative 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;
the new constitution, which came into force on 9 June 2005, provides for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to the Majlis al-Shura in early 2007
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal note: under a judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two court systems, civil and Islamic law, were merged under a higher court, the Court of Cassation, established for appeals
International organization participation
ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak al-KHALIFA
- chancery:
- 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 237-0061
- consulate(s) general:
- Houston
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER
- embassy:
- Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 2399, Doha
- telephone:
- [974] 488 4101
- FAX:
- [974] 488 4176
Economy
Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues.
44 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2005 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 16 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years.
Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar has permitted substantial foreign investment in the development of its gas fields during the last decade and is expected to become the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter by 2007.
In recent years, Qatar has consistently posted trade surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, becoming one of the world's fastest growing and highest per-capita income countries.
Industries
crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair
Exchange rates
Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- modern system centered in Doha
- domestic:
- NA
- international:
- country code - 974;
- 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
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Pipelines
- condensate 319 km;
- condensate/gas 209 km;
- gas 1,024 km;
- liquid petroleum gas 87 km;
- oil 844 km (2006)
Merchant marine
- total:
- 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 750,669 GRT/1,177,673 DWT
- by type:
- cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, container 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1
- foreign-owned:
- 8 (Kuwait 7, US 1)
- registered in other countries:
- 4 (Honduras 1, Liberia 2, Panama 1) (2006)
Military
Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; land forces enlisted personnel are largely unprofessional foreign nationals (2005)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
- males age 18-49:
- 7,851
- females age 18-49:
- 7,040 (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsTrafficking in persons
- current situation:
- Qatar is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers;
- the problem of trafficking of foreign children as camel jockeys was thoroughly addressed by government action in 2005, but independent confirmation of the problem's complete elimination is not yet available
- tier rating:
- Tier 2 Watch List - Qatar has made noticeable progress in rescuing and repatriating child camel jockeys, establishing a shelter for abused domestic workers, and creating hotlines to register complaints;
- however, Qatar is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2005, particularly with regard to labor exploitation
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Qatar.” The World Factbook 2006. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/qatar/2006.