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.

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

25 30 N, 51 15 E

total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km

slightly smaller than Connecticut

total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

563 km

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line

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

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

petroleum, natural gas, fish

arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.27%
other: 98.09% (2005)

130 sq km (2002)

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

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

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

885,359 (July 2006 est.)

0-14 years: 23.4% (male 105,546/female 101,371)
15-64 years: 73% (male 446,779/female 199,133)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 24,059/female 8,471) (2006 est.)

total: 31.7 years
male: 37.1 years
female: 22.7 years (2006 est.)

2.5% (2006 est.)

15.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

4.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

14.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

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.)

total: 18.04 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

total population: 73.9 years
male: 71.37 years
female: 76.57 years (2006 est.)

2.81 children born/woman (2006 est.)

0.09% (2001 est.)

NA

NA

noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari

Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Muslim 95%

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

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 89.1%
female: 88.6% (2004 est.)

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

traditional emirate

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

3 September 1971 (from UK)

Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Shari'a law dominates family and personal matters

18 years of age; universal

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); 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

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

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

none

none

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, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

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

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side

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. Sustained high oil prices and increased natural gas exports in recent years have helped build Qatar's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Proved oil reserves of more than 15 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 in 2007. Qatar is also trying to attract foreign investment in the development of its non-energy projects by further liberalizing the economy. Qatar has become one of the world's fastest growing and highest per-capita income countries.

$26.05 billion (2006 est.)

$30.76 billion (2006 est.)

7.1% (2006 est.)

$29,400 (2006 est.)

agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 77.2%
services: 22.6% (2006 est.)

508,000 (2006 est.)

3.2% (2006 est.)

NA%

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

7.2% (2006 est.)

33.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

revenues: $22.51 billion
expenditures: $16.89 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (2006 est.)

23.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

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

crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair

10% (2003 est.)

12.4 billion kWh (2004)

11.53 billion kWh (2004)

0 kWh (2004)

0 kWh (2004)

790,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

80,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

NA bbl/day

NA bbl/day

15.2 billion bbl (2006 est.)

39.17 billion cu m (2004 est.)

15.11 billion cu m (2004 est.)

24.06 billion cu m (2004 est.)

0 cu m (2004 est.)

25.77 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

$12.51 billion (2006 est.)

$33.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Japan 36.9%, South Korea 19.4%, Singapore 8.2% (2005)

$12.36 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

France 11.4%, Japan 10.4%, US 10.3%, Germany 8.3%, Saudi Arabia 7.2%, UK 6.9%, Italy 6.4%, South Korea 5.5%, UAE 4.8% (2005)

$5.755 billion (2006 est.)

$25.7 billion (2006 est.)

$NA

Qatari rial (QAR)

Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002)

1 April - 31 March

205,400 (2005)

716,800 (2005)

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

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

.qa

301 (2006)

219,000 (2005)

5 (2006)

total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

1 (2006)

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: 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)

Doha

Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF)

18 years of age for voluntary military service; land forces enlisted personnel are largely unprofessional foreign nationals (2005)

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.)

10% (FY00)

none

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