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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 expects to launch its second satellite in 2018 (2014)

Internet country code [time series]

.qa

Internet users [time series]

total: 2,129,360 | percent of population: 94.3% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 95

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: modern system centered in Doha | domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 175 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 (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 467,148 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 3,552,579 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 157 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $39.67 billion | expenditures: $52.67 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-8.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Central bank discount rate [time series]

4.5% (31 December 2012) | 4.93% (31 December 2011) | country comparison to the world: 82

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

4.51% (31 December 2016 est.) | 4.5% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 149

Current account balance [time series]

$-7.679 billion (2016 est.) | $13.75 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Debt - external [time series]

$157.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $141.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Qatar’s oil and natural gas resources are the country’s main economic engine and government revenue source, driving Qatar’s high economic growth and per capita income levels, robust state spending on public entitlements, and booming construction spending, particularly as Qatar prepares to host the World Cup in 2022. Although the government has maintained high capital spending levels for ongoing infrastructure projects, low oil and natural gas prices in recent years have led the Qatari Government to tighten some spending to help stem a $12 billion budget deficit in 2016 - 7.8% of GDP. | Qatar’s reliance on oil and natural gas is likely to persist for the foreseeable future. Proved natural gas reserves exceed 25 trillion cubic meters - 13% of the world total and, among countries, third largest in the world. Proved oil reserves exceed 25 billion barrels, allowing production to continue at current levels for about 56 years. Despite the dominance of oil and natural gas, Qatar has made significant gains in strengthening non-oil sectors, such as manufacturing, construction, and financial services, leading non-oil GDP to steadily rise in recent years to just over half the total.

Exchange rates [time series]

Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar - | 3.64 (2016 est.) | 3.64 (2015 est.) | 3.64 (2014 est.) | 3.64 (2013 est.) | 3.64 (2012 est.)

Exports [time series]

$57.25 billion (2016 est.) | $77.29 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 46

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 20%, South Korea 15.5%, India 13.1%, China 8.2%, UAE 5.5%, Singapore 5.3% (2016)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$155.8 billion (2016 est.)

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

$327.6 billion (2016 est.) | $316.4 billion (2015 est.) | $302.3 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 52

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

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

agriculture: 0.2% | industry: 54.6% | services: 52% (2016 est.)

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

$125,100 (2016 est.) | $131,500 (2015 est.) | $139,700 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 2

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

2.2% (2016 est.) | 3.6% (2015 est.) | 4% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Gross national saving [time series]

44% of GDP (2016 est.) | 46.6% of GDP (2015 est.) | 55.7% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 1.3% | highest 10%: 35.9% (2007)

Imports [time series]

$31.93 billion (2016 est.) | $28.5 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners [time series]

US 13.7%, Germany 9.8%, UAE 9.2%, China 8.6%, Japan 7.2%, UK 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.6%, Italy 4.4% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

0.6% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 149

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.7% (2016 est.) | 1.9% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136

Labor force [time series]

1.896 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$142.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $185.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $152.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 37

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Public debt [time series]

55.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | 42.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$31.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $37.26 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 48

Stock of broad money [time series]

$136.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $142.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$57.63 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $49.73 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$35.31 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $34.53 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$224.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $200.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 43

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$35.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $34.87 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 58

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

25.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Unemployment rate [time series]

0.7% (2016 est.) | 0.4% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

92 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42

Crude oil - exports [time series]

1.255 million bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 179

Crude oil - production [time series]

1.523 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

25.24 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 14

Electricity - consumption [time series]

36.53 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

99.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 30

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 169

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 190

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

8.836 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 67

Electricity - production [time series]

39.01 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59

Electricity access [time series]

population without electricity: 45,165 | electrification - total population: 98% | electrification - urban areas: 98% | electrification - rural areas: 93% (2012)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

49.64 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - exports [time series]

123.9 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Natural gas - production [time series]

164 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

24.3 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 3

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

280,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 46

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

544,000 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

245.3 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 210

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

278,300 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 11,586 sq km | land: 11,586 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 165

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 [time series]

mean elevation: 28 m | elevation extremes: 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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Geography - note [time series]

the peninsula occupies a strategic location in the central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Irrigated land [time series]

130 sq km (2012)

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

Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]

most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat and barren desert

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

8 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Ash Shihaniyah, 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]

history: previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002, approved by referendum 29 April 2003, endorsed 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005 | amendments: proposed by the emir 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 (2016)

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 gattar or cottar | etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain, but it dates back at least 2,000 years since a term "Catharrei" was used to describe the inhabitants of the peninsula by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.), and a "Catara" peninsula is depicted on a map by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.)

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William GRANT (since 23 July 2017) | embassy: 22 February Street, Al Luqta District, 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 MISHAL bin Hamad bin Muhammad Al Thani (since 24 April 2017) | chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 | telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 | FAX: [1] (202) 237-0682 | consulate(s) general: 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]

absolute monarchy

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) | 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

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 (35 seats; members appointed by the monarch) | note: the 2003 constitution calls for a 45-member council with 30 members directly elected by popular vote for 4-year re-electable terms and 15 appointed by the monarch to serve until resignation or until relieved; election for the new Council was initially scheduled for 2007 but has been extended several times, the latest to June 2019

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (The Amiri Salute) | 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 within the last 60 years transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. The continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenue through the mid-1990s by Qatari amirs permanently residing in Europe had stunted Qatar’s economic growth. Former amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, who overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995, ushered in wide-sweeping political and media reforms, unprecedented economic investment, and a growing Qatari regional leadership role, in part through the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's mediation of some regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and by 2007 had attained the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar did not experience 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, although to the detriment of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which temporarily recalled their respective ambassadors from Qatar. 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 oversaw a warming of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE by later in 2014 and 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 and Security

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: 12.63% (male 148,021/female 144,252) | 15-24 years: 12.35% (male 206,055/female 79,859) | 25-54 years: 70.59% (male 1,359,383/female 274,334) | 55-64 years: 3.42% (male 61,051/female 18,203) | 65 years and over: 1% (male 14,932/female 8,217) (2017 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

9.6 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 199

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

37.5% (2012)

Death rate [time series]

1.5 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 226

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 17.5 | youth dependency ratio: 16.3 | elderly dependency ratio: 1.3 | potential support ratio: 78.1 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.5% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 154

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

<.1% (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

<100 (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

<100 (2016 est.)

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

2.2% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 189

Hospital bed density [time series]

1.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 5.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 78.9 years | male: 76.8 years | female: 81 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

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: 140

Median age [time series]

total: 33.2 years | male: 34.3 years | female: 28.1 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90

Nationality [time series]

noun: Qatari(s) | adjective: Qatari

Net migration rate [time series]

14.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

35.1% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 15

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

1.96 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population [time series]

2,314,307 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Population distribution [time series]

most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula

Population growth rate [time series]

2.27% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32

Religions [time series]

Muslim 67.7%, Christian 13.8%, Hindu 13.8%, Buddhist 3.1%, folk religion <.1%, Jewish <.1%, other 0.7%, unaffiliated 0.9% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 13 years | male: 13 years | female: 14 years (2011)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.9 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 0.6% | male: 0.2% | female: 2.2% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 99.4% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 1.63% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

stateless persons: 1,200 (2016)

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 for low- and semi-skilled work 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; the government investigated 11 trafficking cases but did not prosecute or convict any offenders, including exploitative employers and recruitment agencies; the primary solution for resolving labor violations was to transfer a worker’s sponsorship to a new employer with minimal effort to investigate whether a forced labor violation had occurred; authorities increased their efforts to protect some trafficking victims, although many victims of forced labor, particularly domestic workers, remained unidentified and unprotected and were sometimes punished for immigration violations or running away from an employer or sponsor; authorities visited worksites throughout the country to meet and educate workers and employers on trafficking regulations, but the government failed to abolish or reform the sponsorship system, perpetuating Qatar’s forced labor problem (2015)

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 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 2 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]

A7 (2016)

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: 88

National air transport system [time series]

number of registered air carriers: 2 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 199 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 25,263,224 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 7,563,307,390 mt-km (2015)

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