Qatar
State of QatarDawlat Qatar
emirateIndependence 3 September 1971 (from the UK)
Qatar as the 2014 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 157 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
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 the father in a bloodless coup in 1995.
In short order, HAMAD oversaw the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's pursuit of a leadership role in mediating regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. As of 2007, oil and natural gas revenues had enabled Qatar to attain the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar has not experienced domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2010-11, due in part to its immense wealth.
Since the outbreak of regional unrest, however, Doha has prided itself on its support for many of these popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. In mid-2013, HAMAD transferred power to his 33 year-old son, TAMIM bin Hamad - a peaceful abdication rare in the history of Arab Gulf states. TAMIM has prioritized improving the domestic welfare of Qataris, including establishing advanced healthcare and education systems and expanding the country's infrastructure in anticipation of Doha's hosting of the 2022 World Cup.
Geography
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
20 fieldsLand useshare of 11,586 sq km
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.44 cu km/yr (39%/2%/59%)
- per capita:
- 376.9 cu m/yr (2005)
Environment - current issues
limited natural freshwater 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, Ship Pollution
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People and Society
32 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2014 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2014 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2004 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 2.75 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 4.8 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 3.37 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.5 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 3.29 male(s)/female (2014 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
fewer than 200 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162
Government
Emirate; Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013); Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Nasir bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 26 June 2013)
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 is cutter
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
7 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Az Za'ayin, Umm Salal
National holiday
National Day, 18 December (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Constitution
previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002, approved by referendum 29 April 2003, endorsed 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005 (2013)
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Nasir bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 26 June 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad bin Abdallah al-MAHMUD (since 20 September 2011)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the amir; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- the position of amir is hereditary
Legislative branch
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (45 seats; 15 members appointed; 30 members to be elected by popular vote beginning mid- or late 2013, per the 2003 constitutional referendum)
note: the Advisory Council has limited legislative authority to draft and approve laws, but the Amir has final say on all matters; Qatar's first legislative elections were expected to be held in 2013, but HAMAD postponed them in a final legislative act prior to handing over power to TAMIN;
there is currently no date set for Advisory Council elections; in principle the public would elect 30 members and the Amir would appoint 15; the Advisory Council would have authority to approve the national budget, hold ministers accountable through no-confidence votes, and propose legislation;
Qatar in May 2011 held nationwide elections for the 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC) - first elected in 1999 - which has limited consultative authority aimed at improving municipal services
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Court of Cassation (consists of the court president and several judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 members); note - the Supreme Constitutional Court and the Judicial Supreme Council were established in 1999
- judge selection and term of office:
- Cassation Court judges nominated by the Judicial Supreme Council, a 9-member independent body consisting of judiciary heads appointed by the monarch;
- judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms;
- Supreme Constitutional Court members nominated by the Judicial Supreme Council and appointed by the monarch;
- term of appointment NA
- subordinate courts:
- Courts of Appeal;
- Courts of First Instance;
- Sharia Courts;
- Courts of Justice
International organization participation
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA (observer), EITI (implementing country), FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Jaham A.A. KUWARI (since 10 March 2014)
- chancery:
- 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 237-0061
- consulates:
- Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Susan L. ZIADEH (since 11 September 2011)
- embassy:
- Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 2399, Doha
- telephone:
- [974] 4496-6000
- FAX:
- [974] 4488 4298
Flag description
- maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side;
- maroon represents the blood shed in Qatari wars, white stands for peace;
- the nine-pointed serrated edge signifies Qatar as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916
note: the other eight emirates are the seven that compose the UAE and Bahrain; according to some sources, the dominant color was formerly red, but this darkened to maroon upon exposure to the sun and the new shade was eventually adopted
Economy
Qatar has prospered in the last several years with continued high real GDP growth.
39 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2013 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP
Economy - overview
Qatar has prospered in the last several years with continued high real GDP growth. Throughout the financial crisis Qatari authorities sought to protect the local banking sector, with direct investments into domestic banks. GDP is driven largely by changes in oil prices and by investment in the energy sector.
Economic policy is focused on developing Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors, but oil and gas still account for more than 50% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 50% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar the world's highest per-capita income country and the country with the lowest unemployment.
Proved oil reserves in excess of 25 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for about 57 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, about 13% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar's successful 2022 World Cup bid is accelerating large-scale infrastructure projects such as Qatar's metro system, light rail system, the construction of a new port, roads, stadiums and related sporting infrastructure.
The new Hamad International Airport is expected to open in mid-2014 with an annual passenger capacity of 24 million on initial opening and 50 million when complete.
Gross national saving
54.1% of GDP (2013 est.) · 62.1% of GDP (2012 est.) · 59.8% of GDP (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Industries
liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair
Central bank discount rate
4.5% (31 December 2012 est.) · 4.93% (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Commercial bank prime lending rate
5.3% (31 December 2013 est.) · 5.38% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
Stock of narrow money
$29.98 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $24.98 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Stock of broad money
$136 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $104.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
Stock of domestic credit
$170.1 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $149.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 44
Current account balance
$47.56 billion (2013 est.) · $61.59 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$40.09 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $33.19 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 45
Debt - external
$149.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $139.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$33.48 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $32.17 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$28.86 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $26.86 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Exchange rates
Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar - 3.64 (2013 est.) · 3.64 (2012 est.) · 3.64 (2010 est.) · 3.64 (2009) · 3.64 (2008)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 7.83 million kW(2011 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
25.38 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Natural gas - proved reserves
25.2 trillion cu m (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- modern system centered in Doha
- domestic:
- combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 130 telephones per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 974;
- landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the US;
- tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
- microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and the UAE;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2011)
Broadcast media
- TV and radio broadcast licensing and access to local media markets are state controlled;
- home of the satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera, which was originally owned and financed by the Qatari government, but has evolved to independent corporate status;
- Al-Jazeera claims editorial independence in broadcasting;
- local radio transmissions include state, private, and international broadcasters on FM frequencies in Doha;
- in August 2013, Qatar's satellite company Es'hailSat launched its first communications satellite Es'hail 1 (manufactured in the US), which entered commercial service in December 2013 to provide improved television broadcasting capability and expand availability of voice and internet;
- Es'hailSat released a request for proposals in March 2014 for its second satellite to launch in 2016 (2014)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 28 ships by typeone square, one ship
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Pipelines
- condensate 288 km;
- condensate/gas 221 km;
- gas 2,383 km;
- liquid petroleum gas 90 km;
- oil 745 km;
- refined products 103 km (2013)
Military
Qatari Emiri Land Force (QELF), Qatari Emiri Navy (QEN), Qatari Emiri Air Force (QEAF) (2013)
5 fieldsMilitary branches
Qatari Emiri Land Force (QELF), Qatari Emiri Navy (QEN), Qatari Emiri Air Force (QEAF) (2013)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Qatar.” The World Factbook 2014. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/qatar/2014.