ARCHIVE // QA // 2015

Qatar

2015 Edition — sovereign

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Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
TV and radio broadcast licensing and access to local media markets are state controlled; home of the satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera, which was originally owned and financed by the Qatari government, but has evolved to independent corporate status; Al-Jazeera claims editorial independence in broadcasting; local radio transmissions include state, private, and international broadcasters on FM frequencies in Doha; in August 2013, Qatar's satellite company Es'hailSat launched its first communications satellite Es'hail 1 (manufactured in the US), which entered commercial service in December 2013 to provide improved television broadcasting capability and expand availability of voice and internet; Es'hailSat released a request for proposals in March 2014 for its second satellite to launch in 2016 (2014)
Internet country code [time series]
.qa
Internet users [time series]
total: 2.1 million | percent of population: 96.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 95
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha | domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 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 (2011)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 420,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total: 3.3 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 156 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2001)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish
Budget [time series]
revenues: $92.46 billion | expenditures: $58.54 billion (2014 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
16.1% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3
Central bank discount rate [time series]
4.5% (31 December 2012) | 4.93% (31 December 2011) | country comparison to the world: 83
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
4.5% (31 December 2014 est.) | 4.5% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157
Current account balance [time series]
$54.84 billion (2014 est.) | $62.42 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 9
Debt - external [time series]
$156.8 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $149.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Qatar has prospered in the last several years with continued high real GDP growth. GDP was driven largely by the oil and gas sector however growth in the manufacturing, construction, and financial services sectors have pushed the non-oil component to just over half of Qatar’s nominal GDP for the first time since 2000. Economic policy is focused on sustaining Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors, but oil and gas still account for roughly 92% of export earnings, and 62% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar the world's highest per-capita income country and the country with the lowest unemployment. Proved oil reserves in excess of 25 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for about 56 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, about 13% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar's successful 2022 World Cup bid is accelerating large-scale infrastructure projects such as Qatar's metro system, light rail system, the construction of a new port, roads, stadiums and related sporting infrastructure. The new Hamad International Airport opened in mid-2014 with an initial annual passenger capacity of 24 million and with a projected 50 million when complete.
Exchange rates [time series]
Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar - | 3.64 (2014 est.) | 3.64 (2013 est.) | 3.64 (2012 est.) | 3.64 (2011 est.) | 3.64 (2010 est.)
Exports [time series]
$131.6 billion (2014 est.) | $136.8 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35
Exports - commodities [time series]
liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel
Exports - partners [time series]
Japan 25.3%, South Korea 18.8%, India 12.7%, China 7.7%, Singapore 6.2%, UAE 5.1% (2014)
Fiscal year [time series]
1 April - 31 March
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$210.1 billion (2014 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$306.6 billion (2014 est.) | $294.9 billion (2013 est.) | $282 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 52
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 14.8% | government consumption: 14.1% | investment in fixed capital: 33.9% | investment in inventories: -1.6% | exports of goods and services: 69.1% | imports of goods and services: -30.5% | (2014 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 0.1% | industry: 68% | services: 32.1% (2014 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$137,200 (2014 est.) | $131,900 (2013 est.) | $126,100 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 1
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
4% (2014 est.) | 4.6% (2013 est.) | 4.9% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77
Gross national saving [time series]
58.5% of GDP (2014 est.) | 59.5% of GDP (2013 est.) | 60.7% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 1
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 1.3% | highest 10%: 35.9% (2007)
Imports [time series]
$38.23 billion (2014 est.) | $31.47 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64
Imports - commodities [time series]
machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners [time series]
US 11.5%, China 10.6%, UAE 8.2%, Germany 7.1%, Japan 6.4%, UK 5.5%, Italy 4.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2014)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
0.9% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140
Industries [time series]
liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
3% (2014 est.) | 3.1% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131
Labor force [time series]
1.593 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$126.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | $125.4 billion (31 December 2011) | $123.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Public debt [time series]
31.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | 32.3% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$42.77 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $43.32 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 43
Stock of broad money [time series]
$142.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $125.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]
$45.71 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $38.96 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]
$33.46 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $32.42 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$168.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $149.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$34.14 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $29.1 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
44% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28
Unemployment rate [time series]
0.4% (2014 est.) | 0.3% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
99.17 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41
Crude oil - exports [time series]
1.232 million bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 12
Crude oil - imports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116
Crude oil - production [time series]
1.54 million bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
25.24 billion bbl (1 January 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13
Electricity - consumption [time series]
30.53 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
98.5% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 195
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 169
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
1.5% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
7.947 million kW (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65
Electricity - production [time series]
32.7 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
32.93 billion cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 29
Natural gas - exports [time series]
125.5 billion cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124
Natural gas - production [time series]
158.5 billion cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
25.07 trillion cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
230,000 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 54
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
554,300 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 213
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
310,900 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 11,586 sq km | land: 11,586 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 166
Area - comparative [time series]
almost twice the size of Delaware; slightly smaller than Connecticut
Climate [time series]
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Coastline [time series]
563 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m | highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir 103 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
limited natural freshwater resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
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
Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]
total: 0.44 cu km/yr (39%/2%/59%) | per capita: 376.9 cu m/yr (2005)
Geographic coordinates [time series]
25 30 N, 51 15 E
Geography - note [time series]
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits
Irrigated land [time series]
129.4 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 87 km | border countries (1): Saudi Arabia 87 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 5.6% | arable land 1.1%; permanent crops 0.2%; permanent pasture 4.3% | forest: 0% | other: 94.4% (2011 est.)
Location [time series]
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
Map references [time series]
Middle East
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm | contiguous zone: 24 nm | exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line
Natural hazards [time series]
haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
Natural resources [time series]
petroleum, natural gas, fish
Terrain [time series]
mostly flat and barren desert
Total renewable water resources [time series]
0.06 cu km (2011)
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
7 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Az Za'ayin, Umm Salal
Capital [time series]
name: Doha | geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E | time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Citizenship [time series]
citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Qatar | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years; 15 years if an Arab national
Constitution [time series]
previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002, approved by referendum 29 April 2003, endorsed 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005 (2015)
Country name [time series]
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 is cutter
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Dana Shell SMITH (8 September 2014) | embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha | mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha | telephone: [974] 4496-6000 | FAX: [974] 4488 4298
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Jaham Abd al-Aziz al-KUWARI (since 10 March 2014) | chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 | telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603 | FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 | consulates: Houston, Los Angeles
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013) | head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Nasir bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 26 June 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad bin Abdallah al-MAHMUD (since 20 September 2011) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir | elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the amir
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side; maroon represents the blood shed in Qatari wars, white stands for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge signifies Qatar as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916 | note: the other eight emirates are the seven that compose the UAE and Bahrain; according to some sources, the dominant color was formerly red, but this darkened to maroon upon exposure to the sun and the new shade was eventually adopted
Government type [time series]
emirate
Independence [time series]
3 September 1971 (from the UK)
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation [time series]
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, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch [time series]
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); note - the Supreme Constitutional Court was established in 1999, but has not been fully implemented | 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 Judicial Supreme Council and appointed by the monarch; term of appointment NA | subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; Sharia Courts; Courts of Justice; Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center, established in 2009, provides dispute services for institutions and bodies in Qatar, as well as internationally
Legal system [time series]
mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic law (in family and personal matters)
Legislative branch [time series]
description: unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (15 seats; members appointed by the monarch); note - the 2003 constitutional referendum called for the election of 30 members, however, the first election scheduled for 2013 was postponed and current term extended until 2016 | note: although the Advisory Council has limited legislative authority to draft and approve laws, the Amir has final vote on all legislation; Qatar's first legislative elections were expected to be held in 2013, but HAMAD postponed them in a final legislative act prior to handing over power to TAMIM; in principle, the public would elect 30 members and the Amir would appoint 15; the Advisory Council would have authority to approve the national budget, hold ministers accountable through no-confidence votes, and propose legislation; the 29-member Central Municipal Council - first elected in 1999 - has limited consultative authority aimed at improving municipal services; members elected for a 4-year term; next election scheduled for May 2019
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (The Peace for the Anthem) | lyrics/music: Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN | note: adopted 1996; anthem first performed that year at a meeting of the Gulf Cooperative Council hosted by Qatar
National holiday [time series]
National Day, 18 December (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
National symbol(s) [time series]
a maroon field surmounted by a white serrated band with nine white points; national colors: maroon, white
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
political parties are banned
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
none
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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, HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, overthrew the father in a bloodless coup in 1995. In short order, HAMAD oversaw the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's pursuit of a leadership role in mediating regional conflicts. In the 2000s, 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 has not experienced domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2010-11, due in part to its immense wealth. Since the outbreak of regional unrest, however, Doha has prided itself on its support for many of these popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. In mid-2013, HAMAD transferred power to his 33 year-old son, the current Amir TAMIM bin Hamad - a peaceful abdication rare in the history of Arab Gulf states. TAMIM has prioritized improving the domestic welfare of Qataris, including establishing advanced healthcare and education systems and expanding the country's infrastructure in anticipation of Doha's hosting of the 2022 World Cup.
Military
Manpower available for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 389,487 | females age 16-49: 165,572 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 321,974 | females age 16-49: 140,176 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]
male: 6,429 | female: 5,162 (2010 est.)
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
Qatari Emiri Land Force (QELF), Qatari Emiri Navy (QEN), Qatari Emiri Air Force (QEAF) (2013)
Military service age and obligation [time series]
conscription for males aged 18-35; 4 month general obligation, 3 months for graduates (2014)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 12.52% (male 139,353/female 135,514) | 15-24 years: 12.96% (male 207,493/female 76,879) | 25-54 years: 70.23% (male 1,278,442/female 263,051) | 55-64 years: 3.39% (male 57,581/female 16,886) | 65 years and over: 0.89% (male 12,365/female 7,253) (2015 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
9.84 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 199
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
38% (2012)
Death rate [time series]
1.53 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 225
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 20.1% | youth dependency ratio: 18.6% | elderly dependency ratio: 1.4% | potential support ratio: 70.4% (2015 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
urban: 100% of population | rural: 100% of population | total: 100% of population | urban: 0% of population | rural: 0% of population | total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
2.4% of GDP (2008) | country comparison to the world: 154
Ethnic groups [time series]
Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
2.2% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 189
Hospital bed density [time series]
1.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 6.32 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 6.61 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163
Languages [time series]
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 78.59 years | male: 76.58 years | female: 80.65 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 97.3% | male: 97.4% | female: 96.8% (2015 est.)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
DOHA (capital) 718,000 (2015)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
13 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166
Median age [time series]
total: 32.8 years | male: 33.9 years | female: 28.1 years (2015 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Qatari(s) | adjective: Qatari
Net migration rate [time series]
22.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 1
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
41% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 16
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
7.74 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
Population [time series]
2,194,817 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 144
Population growth rate [time series]
3.07% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6
Religions [time series]
Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other (includes mainly Hindu and other Indian religions) 14% (2004 est.)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
urban: 98% of population | rural: 98% of population | total: 98% of population | urban: 2% of population | rural: 2% of population | total: 2% of population (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 14 years | male: 14 years | female: 14 years (2005)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 2.7 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 4.86 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 3.41 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 1.71 male(s)/female | total population: 3.39 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.91 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 1.1% | male: 0.4% | female: 6.2% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 99.2% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 6.02% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
stateless persons: 1,200 (2014)
Trafficking in persons [time series]
current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor, and, to a much lesser extent, forced prostitution; the predominantly foreign workforce migrates to Qatar legally but often experiences situations of forced labor, including debt bondage, delayed or nonpayment of salaries, confiscation of passports, abuse, hazardous working conditions, and squalid living arrangements; foreign female domestic workers are particularly vulnerable to trafficking because of their isolation in private homes and lack of protection under Qatari labor laws; some women who migrate for work are also forced into prostitution | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Qatar does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2013, the government took action to prevent human trafficking by convicting individuals for visa selling, doubling the number of labor inspectors, closing some recruitment firms, and implementing anti-trafficking awareness campaigns; authorities identified some trafficking victims and provided them with shelter and other protection services; the government did not reform the exploitive sponsorship system, prosecute or convict any trafficking offenders, or rigorously enforce laws prohibiting employers from withholding wages and passports (2014)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
6 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 178
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 4 | over 3,047 m: 3 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 2 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | 1 (2013)
Heliports [time series]
1 (2013)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 28 | by type: bulk carrier 3, chemical tanker 2, container 13, liquefied gas 6, petroleum tanker 4 | foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 6) | registered in other countries: 35 (Liberia 5, Marshall Islands 29, Panama 1) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 87
Pipelines [time series]
condensate 288 km; condensate/gas 221 km; gas 2,383 km; liquid petroleum gas 90 km; oil 745 km; refined products 103 km (2013)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
major seaport(s): Doha, Mesaieed (Umaieed), Ra's Laffan | LNG terminal(s) (export): Ras Laffan
Roadways [time series]
total: 9,830 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 136