Airports [time series]

total: 4 usable: 4 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

1,500 km total; 1,000 km paved, 500 km gravel or natural surface (est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 390,072 GRT/593,508 DWT; includes 13 cargo, 4 container, 2 oil tanker, 1 refrigerated cargo

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 235 km, natural gas 400 km

Ports [time series]

Doha, Umm Sa'id, Halul Island

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

modern system centered in Doha; 110,000 telephones; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV

Affiliation [time series]

(overseas department of France)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA%, of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 214,977; fit for military service 113,514; reach military age (18) annually 3,578 (1993 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP; agricultural area is small and government-owned; commercial fishing increasing in importance; most food imported

Budget [time series]

revenues $2.5 billion; expenditures $3.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $440 million (FY92 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams

Economic aid [time series]

donor - pledged $2.7 billion in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88)

Electricity [time series]

1,596,000 kW capacity; 4,818 million kWh produced, 9,655 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)

Exports [time series]

$3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: petroleum products 85%, steel, fertilizers partners: Japan 61%, Brazil 6%, South Korea 5%, UAE 4%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$1.1 billion (December 1989 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Imports [time series]

$1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals partners: France 13%, Japan 12%, UK 11%, Germany 9%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 0.6% (1987); accounts for 64% of GDP, including oil

Industries [time series]

crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel (rolls reinforcing bars for concrete construction), cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3% (1990)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $8.1 billion (1991 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$17,000 (1991 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

3% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 85% of export earnings and roughly 75% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.3 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for about 25 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP of about $17,000, comparable to the leading industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas is becoming increasingly important.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

total area: 11,000 km2 land area: 11,000 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Climate [time series]

desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer

Coastline [time series]

563 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

haze, duststorms, sandstorms common; limited freshwater resources mean increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain

Irrigated land [time series]

NA km2

Land boundaries [time series]

total 60 km, Saudi Arabia 60 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 0% other: 95%

Location [time series]

Middle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between Iran and Saudi Arabia

Map references [time series]

Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, natural gas, fish

Note [time series]

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Administrative divisions [time series]

there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, Ash Shamal, Jarayan al Batnah, Umm Salal

Capital [time series]

Doha

Constitution [time series]

provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970

Digraph [time series]

QA

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador 'Abd al-Rahman bin Sa'ud ALTHANI chancery: Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: (202) 338-0111

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

Advisory Council: constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held; seats - (30 total)

Executive branch [time series]

amir, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

3 September 1971 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: Amir and Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani (since 22 February 1972); Crown Prince HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (appointed 31 May 1977; son of Amir)

Legal system [time series]

discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in personal matters

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

none

Suffrage [time series]

none

Government type (Type) [time series]

traditional monarchy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Kenton W. KEITH embassy: 149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: (0974) 864701 through 864703 FAX: (0974) 861669

Birth rate [time series]

19.61 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

3.53 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

22.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

104,000 85% non-Qatari in private sector (1983)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 72.25 years male: 69.73 years female: 74.68 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1986) total population: 76% male: 77% female: 72%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari

Net migration rate [time series]

12.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

499,115 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.84% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 95%

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.88 children born/woman (1993 est.)