Qatar

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

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

2.211 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

2.887 male(s)/female

total population:

1.852 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

noun:

Qatari(s)

adjective:

Qatari

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

name:

Doha

geographic coordinates:

25 17 N, 51 32 E

time difference:

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

• 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

• based on Islamic and civil law codes;
• discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented;
• Islamic law dominates family and personal matters;
• has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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 HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani (since 3 April 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 3 April 2007)

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

• Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation;
• note - the Amir appoints all judges - based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council - for renewable three-year terms

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant)

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); charge d'Affaires Michael A. RATNEY

embassy:

Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha

mailing address:

P. O. Box 2399, Doha

telephone:

[974] 488 4298

FAX:

[974] 488 4176

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• fruits, vegetables;
• poultry, dairy products, beef;
• fish

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

• condensate 319 km;
• condensate/gas 209 km;
• gas 1,024 km;
• liquid petroleum gas 87 km;
• oil 844 km (2006)

total:

1,230 km

paved:

1,107 km

unpaved:

123 km (1999)

total:

20 ships (1000 GRT or over) 574,969 GRT/856,057 DWT

by type:

bulk carrier 1, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned:

7 (Kuwait 7)

registered in other countries:

3 (Liberia 2, Panama 1) (2007)

males age 18-49:

302,873

females age 18-49:

137,856 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49:

238,566

females age 18-49:

116,595 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49:

7,851

females age 18-49:

7,040 (2005 est.)

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