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Communications

Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]

total: 256,094 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2017 est.)

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 (July 2016 est.) | percent of population: 94.3% (July 2016 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: modern system centered in Doha (2016) | domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 175 telephones per 100 persons (2016) | 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: 440,909 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2017 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total subscriptions: 3,913,809 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 169 (2017 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: 44.1 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 53.82 billion (2017 est.)

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

-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central bank discount rate [time series]

5% (16 March 2017) | 4.5% (31 December 2012)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

4.95% (31 December 2017 est.) | 4.51% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

$6.426 billion (2017 est.) | -$8.27 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$167.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $157.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

41.1 (2007)

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 its budget deficit. 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. Following trade restriction imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt in 2017, Qatar established new trade routes with other countries to maintain access to imports.

Exchange rates [time series]

Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar - | 3.64 (2017 est.) | 3.64 (2016 est.) | 3.64 (2015 est.) | 3.64 (2014 est.) | 3.64 (2013 est.)

Exports [time series]

$67.5 billion (2017 est.) | $57.25 billion (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 17.3%, South Korea 16%, India 12.6%, China 11.2%, Singapore 8.2%, UAE 6.4% (2017)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$166.9 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

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

$339.5 billion (2017 est.) | $334.2 billion (2016 est.) | $327.3 billion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

household consumption: 24.6% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 17% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 43.1% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 1.5% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 51% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -37.3% (2017 est.)

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

agriculture: 0.2% (2017 est.) | industry: 50.3% (2017 est.) | services: 49.5% (2017 est.)

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

$124,100 (2017 est.) | $127,700 (2016 est.) | $134,200 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

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

1.6% (2017 est.) | 2.1% (2016 est.) | 3.7% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving [time series]

50.2% of GDP (2017 est.) | 42.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | 47.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$30.77 billion (2017 est.) | $31.93 billion (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners [time series]

China 10.9%, US 8.9%, UAE 8.5%, Germany 8.1%, UK 5.5%, India 5.4%, Japan 5.3%, Italy 4.3% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3% (2017 est.)

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]

0.4% (2017 est.) | 2.7% (2016 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.953 million (2017 est.)

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.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

Public debt [time series]

53.8% of GDP (2017 est.) | 46.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$15.01 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $31.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$34.71 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $36.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$59.33 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $57.63 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

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

$36.29 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $35.31 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$246.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $224.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$34.71 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $36.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

26.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

8.9% (2017 est.) | 11.1% (2016 est.)

Energy

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

114.2 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports [time series]

1.15 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production [time series]

1.5 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

25.24 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption [time series]

37.24 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

8.796 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

39.78 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access [time series]

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

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

39.9 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

126.5 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

166.4 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

24.07 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

277,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

485,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

12,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

273,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 11,586 sq km | land: 11,586 sq km | water: 0 sq km

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: 0 m lowest point: Persian Gulf | 103 highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir

Environment - current issues [time series]

air, land, and water pollution are significant environmental issues; limited natural freshwater resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities; other issues include conservation of oil supplies and preservation of the natural wildlife heritage

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% (2011 est.) | arable land: 1.1% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.2% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 4.3% (2011 est.) | forest: 0% (2011 est.) | 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 | exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line | contiguous zone: 24 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, fish, natural gas

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 (2016) | 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 | 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.) | note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is gattar or cottar

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ryan GLIHA (since 30 November 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 and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Khalid bin Mohamed al-Thani (since 14 November 2017); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (since 14 November 2017) | 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 courts: 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 (45 seats; 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 | elections: last on 17 June 2016 (term extended to 2019) | election results: NA; composition - men 41, women 4, percent of women 8.9%

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

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. In mid-2013, HAMAD peacefully abdicated, transferring power to his son, the current Amir TAMIM bin Hamad. TAMIM remains popular with the Qatari public, having 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. Recently, Qatar’s relationships with its neighbors have been tense at times. Following the outbreak of regional unrest in 2011, Doha prided itself on its support for many popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. This stance was to the detriment of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which temporarily recalled their respective ambassadors from Doha in March 2014. TAMIM later oversaw a warming of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in November 2014 following Kuwaiti mediation and signing of the Riyadh Agreement. In June 2017, however, the Quartet — Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE — cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in response to alleged violations of the agreement.

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: 12.7% (male 151,888 /female 148,186) | 15-24 years: 12.12% (male 205,242 /female 81,297) | 25-54 years: 70.67% (male 1,391,192 /female 279,256) | 55-64 years: 3.44% (male 62,683 /female 18,731) | 65 years and over: 1.06% (male 16,295 /female 8,799) (2018 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Middle East :: Qatar Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Qatar. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate [time series]

9.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

37.5% (2012)

Death rate [time series]

1.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios [time series]

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

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.6% of GDP (2014)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.1% (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

<100 (2017 est.)

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

<500 (2017 est.)

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

2.2% of GDP (2014)

Hospital bed density [time series]

1.2 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | female: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 79 years (2018 est.) | male: 76.9 years (2018 est.) | female: 81.2 years (2018 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.) | total population: 97.3% (2015 est.) | male: 97.4% (2015 est.) | female: 96.8% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

633,000 DOHA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

13 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 33.4 years | male: 34.6 years | female: 28.2 years (2018 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Qatari(s) | adjective: Qatari

Net migration rate [time series]

14.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

35.1% (2016)

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

1.96 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population [time series]

2,363,569 (July 2018 est.)

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]

1.95% (2018 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 67.7%, Christian 13.8%, Hindu 13.8%, Buddhist 3.1%, folk religion (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access [time series]

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

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 15-24 years: 2.64 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 25-54 years: 4.91 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 55-64 years: 3.38 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 65 years and over: 1.71 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | total population: 3.41 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.89 children born/woman (2018 est.)

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

total: 0.5% (2016 est.) | male: 0.2% (2016 est.) | female: 2.1% (2016 est.)

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 99.1% of total population (2018) | rate of urbanization: 2.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s) (Terrorist groups - foreign based) [time series]

HAMAS: aim(s): continue engagement with the Qatari Government area(s) of operation: maintains a limited office in Doha (April 2018)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

stateless persons: 1,200 (2017)

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)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 4 (2017) | over 3,047 m: 3 (2017) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 2 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013) | 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: 143 (2017) | by type: bulk carrier 8, container ship 6, general cargo 5, oil tanker 6, other 118 (2017)

National air transport system [time series]

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

Pipelines [time series]

288 km condensate, 221 km condensate/gas, 2383 km gas, 90 km liquid petroleum gas, 745 km oil, 103 km refined products (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Doha, Musay'id, Ra's Laffan | LNG terminal(s) (export): Ras Laffan

Roadways [time series]

total: 9,830 km (2010)