Qatar

absolute monarchy

name: Doha geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is derived from the Arabic ad-dawha , meaning "the big tree," and probably referred to a large tree at the site of the original fishing village

chief of state: Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013) head of government: Prime Minister and Foreign Minister MUHAMMAD bin Abd al-Rahman Al Thani (since 7 March 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the amir

legislature name: Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 49 (all appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/9/2025 percentage of women in chamber: 6.1% expected date of next election: September 2029

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of the court president and several judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 9-member independent body consisting of judiciary heads appointed by the amir; judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms; Supreme Constitutional Court members nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council and appointed by the monarch; term of appointment NA subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Administrative Court; Courts of First Instance; sharia courts; Courts of Justice; Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center, established in 2009, provides dispute resolution services for institutions and bodies in Qatar, as well as internationally

history: previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002, approved by referendum 29 April 2003, endorsed 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005 amendment process: proposed by the Amir or by one third of Advisory Council members; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Advisory Council members and approval and promulgation by the emir; articles pertaining to the rule of state and its inheritance, functions of the emir, and citizen rights and liberties cannot be amended

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, OIF, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

5% of GDP (2023 est.) 5% of GDP (2022 est.) 4% of GDP (2021 est.) 4% of GDP (2020 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Qatar Armed Forces (QAF): Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF, includes Emiri Guard), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN, includes Coast Guard), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Public Security, General Directorate of Coasts and Border Security, Internal Security Force (ISF or Lekhwiya) (2025)

typically 18-30 for voluntary service for men and women; compulsory military service for men 18-35; compulsory service is from 4-12 months, depending on educational and professional circumstances (2025) note: the military incorporates about 2,000 conscripts annually and recruits foreign contract soldiers to overcome manpower limitations

Qatar's military is responsible for territorial defense and maritime security; the military is in the midst of a large equipment acquisition program designed to enhance its capabilities and Qatar's regional standing; Qatar has military ties with a variety of countries, including France, the UK, the US, Turkey, and member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); it hosts the regional headquarters for the US Central Command (CENTCOM; established 1983) and several thousand US military forces at various military facilities, including the Al Udeid Air Base; Qatar has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; Qatar also hosts Turkish military forces at two bases established in 2014 and 2019; the Qatari military is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region (2025)

$317.064 billion (2024 est.) $308.522 billion (2023 est.) $304.903 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$110,900 (2024 est.) $116,200 (2023 est.) $114,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

2.8% (2024 est.) 1.2% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

1.3% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

46.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

$125.216 billion (2024 est.) $128.709 billion (2023 est.) $161.693 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$69.692 billion (2024 est.) $72.174 billion (2023 est.) $74.52 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

0.2% (2024 est.) 0.2% (2023 est.) 0.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $65.922 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $57.258 billion (2019 est.)

liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizer, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair

dates, chicken, tomatoes, camel milk, vegetables, cucumbers/gherkins, pumpkins/squash, eggs, sheep milk, eggplants (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 2,568,426 (2025 est.) male: 1,970,605 female: 597,821

0.57% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 13.1% (male 168,844/female 165,905) 15-64 years: 85.4% (male 1,767,294/female 411,977) 65 years and over: 1.5% (2024 est.) (male 24,997/female 13,071)

9.19 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

1.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 80.3 years (2024 est.) male: 78.2 years female: 82.4 years

urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

non-Qatari 88.4%, Qatari 11.6% (2015 est.)

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Muslim 65.2%, Christian 13.7%, Hindu 15.9%, Buddhist 3.8%, folk religion 0.1%, Jewish 0.1%, other 1%, unaffiliated 1% (2020 est.)

petroleum, fish, natural gas

refugees: 349 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 1,200 (2024 est.)

8 (2025)

total: 123 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 4, general cargo 4, oil tanker 2, other 108

total subscriptions: 4.68 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 154 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)