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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 220,635 males fit for military service: 115,403 males reach military age (18) annually: 4,115 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

201,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

modern system centered in Doha domestic: NA international: 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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

160,717 (1992 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

3 (1988 est.)

Televisions [time series]

205,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish (all on small scale)

Budget [time series]

revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $3.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams

Economic aid [time series]

$NA

Economic overview [time series]

Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 75% of export earnings, and 70% 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 comparable to the leading West European industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of off-shore petroleum and the diversification of the economy.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 1,520,000 kW production: 4.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 8,415 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: petroleum products 75%, steel, fertilizers partners: Japan 61%, Australia 5%, UAE 4%, Singapore 4% (1994)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$1.5 billion (1993 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

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

purchasing power parity - $10.7 billion (1994 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 1% industry: 50% services: 49% (1993 est.)

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

$20,820 (1994 est.)

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

-1% (1994 est.)

Imports [time series]

$2 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals partners: Germany 14%, Japan 12%, UK 11%, US 9%, Italy 5% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3% (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

233,000 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 11,000 sq km land area: 11,000 sq km 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]

current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates [time series]

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain; 1965 boundary with Saudi Arabia, renegotiated and revised in 1992, but not official depiction

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 60 km border country: 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 bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Map references [time series]

Middle East

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, natural gas, fish

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Aba al Bawl 103 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batnah, Ash Shamal, Umm Salal

Legislative branch (Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)) [time series]

the constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no 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; seats - (30 total)

Capital [time series]

Doha

Constitution [time series]

provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970

Data code [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador ABD AL-RAHMAN bin Saud bin Fahd Al Thani chancery: Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 338-0111

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: Amir and Prime Minister 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) is an absolute monarch; Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani (since NA July 1995); note - Amir HAMAD who also holds the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has not yet selected a new crown prince cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the amir

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

[974] 861669

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)

International organization participation [time series]

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal

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

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: pronounced gutter

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 of government) [time series]

traditional monarchy

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick N. THEROS embassy: 149 Armed Bin Ali St., Fariq Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 864701 through 864703

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 30% (male 82,147; female 83,552) 15-64 years: 68% (male 263,107; female 109,177) 65 years and over: 2% (male 6,609; female 3,169) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

21.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

3.6 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.35 years male: 70.75 years female: 75.84 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 79.4% male: 79.2% female: 79.9%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari

Net migration rate [time series]

6.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

547,761 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.39% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 95%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 0.96 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.41 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.09 male(s)/female all ages: 1.8 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.28 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 3 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Heliports [time series]

1 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,191 km paved: 1,028 km unpaved: 163 km (1988 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 467,447 GRT/771,483 DWT ships by type: combination ore/oil 2, container 3, cargo 11, oil tanker 3 (1995 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km

Ports [time series]

Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id

Railways [time series]

0 km