Qatar

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. As of 2007, oil and natural gas revenues had enabled Qatar to attain the highest per capita income in the world.

Qatar

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Middle East

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)

0.1 cu km (1997)

total: 0.29 cu km/yr (24%/3%/72%)

per capita: 358 cu m/yr (2000)

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, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Qatar

928,635 (July 2008 est.)

0-14 years: 22.8% (male 108,063/female 103,887)

15-64 years: 72.9% (male 463,942/female 213,137)

65 years and over: 4.3% (male 29,515/female 10,091) (2008 est.)

total: 32.1 years

male: 37.5 years

female: 23.4 years (2008 est.)

2.279% (2008 est.)

15.56 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

4.94 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

12.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 2.18 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 2.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.84 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

total: 16.88 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 19.93 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

total population: 74.38 years

male: 71.82 years

female: 77.07 years (2008 est.)

2.7 children born/woman (2008 est.)

0.09% (2001 est.)

NA

NA

noun: Qatari(s)

adjective: Qatari

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

Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)

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 census)

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

3.3% (2005)

Qatar

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

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); also observed is National Day, 18 December

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

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

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as heir apparent, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Heir Apparent 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: the monarch is hereditary

note: in April 2007, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has limited 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 year since the new constitution came into force on 9 June 2005; the constitution provides for a new 45-member Advisory 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

Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; an Administrative Court and a Constitutional Court were established in 2007; note - all judges are appointed by Amiri Decree based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council for renewable three-year terms

none

none

ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, 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

chief of mission: Ambassador Ali Fahad al-Shahwany al-HAJRI

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

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

Qatar

Qatar is in the midst of an economic boom supported by its expanding production of natural gas and oil. Economic policy is focused on development of Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors. Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar the highest per-capita income country and one of the world's fastest growing. 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 22 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas are roughly 25 trillion cubic meters, about 15% 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 became the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2007.

$57.69 billion (2007)

$67.76 billion (2007 est.)

14.2% (2007 est.)

$80,900 (2007 est.)

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 71.2%

services: 28.7% (2007 est.)

638,000 (2007 est.)

0.7% (2007 est.)

NA%

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

13.8% (2007 est.)

46.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

revenues: $27.22 billion

expenditures: $22.55 billion (2007 est.)

11.7% of GDP (2007 est.)

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

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

8% (2007 est.)

13.54 billion kWh (2005)

fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (2001)

12.52 billion kWh (2005)

0 kWh (2005)

0 kWh (2005)

1.111 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

95,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

960,600 bbl/day (2004)

0 bbl/day (2004)

15.2 billion bbl (2007 est.)

43.93 billion cu m (2005 est.)

17.93 billion cu m (2005 est.)

25.99 billion cu m (2005 est.)

0 cu m (2005)

25.79 trillion cu m (1 January 2007 est.)

$23.44 billion (2007 est.)

$37.95 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

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

Japan 50.1%, Singapore 12.4%, India 6.5%, Thailand 6.1%, UAE 5% (2006)

$19.86 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

US 14.2%, Italy 11.5%, Japan 9.5%, France 8.4%, Germany 7.8%, UK 6.1%, UAE 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2006)

$2.18 million (2004)

$9.788 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

$33.09 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

$11.18 billion (2007 est.)

$5.625 billion (2007 est.)

$61.56 billion (2006)

Qatari rial (QAR)

QAR

Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2007), 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003)

1 April - 31 March

Qatar

228,300 (2006)

1.264 million (2007)

general assessment: modern system centered in Doha

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density is roughly 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

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

256,000 (1997)

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2001)

230,000 (1997)

.qa

19 (2007)

1 (2000)

289,900 (2006)

Qatar

5 (2007)

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2007)

1 (2007)

condensate 322 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,970 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 741 km (2007)

total: 7,761 km (2005)

total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 636,589 GRT/939,030 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 4

foreign-owned: 7 (Kuwait 7)

registered in other countries: 4 (Liberia 3, Panama 1) (2008)

Doha, Ra's Laffan

Qatar

Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) (2007)

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

males age 16-49: 320,383

females age 16-49: 167,475 (2008 est.)

males age 16-49: 258,159

females age 16-49: 143,999 (2008 est.)

males age 16-49: 7,539

females age 16-49: 7,022 (2008 est.)

10% (2005 est.)

Qatar

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, and, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual exploitation; the most common offense was forcing workers to accept worse contract terms than those under which they were recruited; other conditions include bonded labor, withholding of pay, restrictions on movement, arbitrary detention, and physical, mental, and sexual abuse

tier rating: Tier 3 - Qatar failed, for the second consecutive year, to enforce criminal laws against traffickers, or to provide an effective mechanism to identify and protect victims; it continues to detain and deport victims rather than providing them protection; the government made little progress to increase prosecutions for trafficking in a meaningful way in 2007; workers complaining of working conditions or non-payment of wages were sometimes penalized (2008)