:Qatar Geography

Total area:
    11,000 km2
Land area:
    11,000 km2
Comparative area:
    slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
    60 km total; Saudi Arabia 40 km, UAE 20 km
Coastline:
    563 km
Maritime claims:
    *** No entry for this item ***
  Continental shelf:
    not specific
  Exclusive economic zone:
    200 nm
  Territorial sea:
    12 nm
Disputes:
    location and status of Qatar's southern boundaries with Saudi Arabia and UAE
    are unresolved; territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands;
    maritime boundary with Bahrain
Climate:
    desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer
Terrain:
    mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel
Natural resources:
    crude oil, natural gas, fish
Land use:
    arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and
    woodland 0%; other 95%
Environment:
    haze, duststorms, sandstorms common; limited freshwater resources mean
    increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
Note:
    strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major crude oil sources

:Qatar People

Population:
    484,387 (July 1992), growth rate 3.2% (1992)
Birth rate:
    21 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
    4 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
    15 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
    24 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
    69 years male, 74 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
    4.0 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
    noun - Qatari(s); adjective - Qatari
Ethnic divisions:
    Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
Religions:
    Muslim 95%
Languages:
    Arabic (official); English is commonly used as second language
Literacy:
    76% (male 77%, female 72%) age 15 and over can read and write (1986)
Labor force:
    104,000; 85% non-Qatari in private sector (1983)
Organized labor:
    trade unions are illegal

:Qatar Government

Long-form name:
    State of Qatar
Type:
    traditional monarchy
Capital:
    Doha
Administrative divisions:
    there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
    Government, but there are 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular -
    baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Rayyan,
    Al Wakrah, Ash Shamal, Jarayan al Batnah, Umm Salal
Independence:
    3 September 1971 (from UK)
Constitution:
    provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970
Legal system:
    discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are
    being implemented; Islamic law is significant in personal matters
National holiday:
    Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Executive branch:
    amir, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
    unicameral Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)
Judicial branch:
    Court of Appeal
Leaders:
  Chief of State and Head of Government:
    Amir and Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani (since 22 February 1972);
    Heir Apparent HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (appointed 31 May 1977; son of
    Amir)
Political parties and leaders:
    none
Suffrage:
    none
Elections:
  Advisory Council:
    constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no
    elections have been held; seats - (30 total)
Member of:
    ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFAD,
    ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC,
    OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
    Ambassador Hamad `Abd al-`Aziz AL-KAWARI, Chancery at Suite 1180, 600 New
    Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037; telephone (202) 338-0111
  US:
    Ambassador Kenton W. KEITH; Embassy at 149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin
    Omran (opposite the television station), Doha (mailing address is P. O. Box
    2399, Doha); telephone (0974) 864701 through 864703; FAX (0974) 861669
Flag:
    maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist
    side

:Qatar Economy

Overview:
    Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 85% of export
    earnings and roughly 75% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.3
    billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for about
    25 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP of about $15,000, comparable
    to the leading industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas is
    becoming increasingly important.
GDP:
    exchange rate conversion - $7.4 billion, per capita $15,000; real growth
    rate NA (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
    4.9% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate:
    NA%
Budget:
    revenues $2.1 billion; expenditures $3.2 billion, including capital
    expenditures of $490 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
    $3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
  commodities:
    petroleum products 85%, steel, fertilizers
  partners:
    Japan 61%, Brazil 9%, UAE 3%, Singapore 3%
Imports:
    $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
  commodities:
    foodstuffs, beverages, animal and vegetable oils, chemicals, machinery and
    equipment
  partners:
    UK 13%, Japan 11%, US 8%, Italy 8%
External debt:
    $1.1 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production:
    growth rate 0.6% (1987); accounts for 64% of GDP, including oil
Electricity:
    1,520,000 kW capacity; 4,200 million kWh produced, 8,080 kWh per capita
    (1991)
Industries:
    crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel,
    cement
Agriculture:
    farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP; commercial fishing
    increasing in importance; most food imported
Economic aid:
    donor - pledged $2.7 billion in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88)
Currency:
    Qatari riyal (plural - riyals); 1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Exchange rates:
    Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)
Fiscal year:
    1 April - 31 March

:Qatar Communications

Highways:
    1,500 km total; 1,000 km paved, 500 km gravel or natural surface (est.)
Pipelines:
    crude oil 235 km, natural gas 400 km
Ports:
    Doha, Umm Sa'id, Halul Island
Merchant marine:
    23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 473,042 GRT/716,039 DWT; includes 14
    cargo, 5 container, 3 petroleum tanker, 1 refrigerated cargo
Civil air:
    3 major transport aircraft
Airports:
    4 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over
    3,659 m; none with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
    modern system centered in Doha; 110,000 telephones; tropospheric scatter to
    Bahrain; radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and
    UAE; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV; satellite earth stations - 1
    Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT

:Qatar Defense Forces

Branches:
    Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Manpower availability:
    males 15-49, 211,812; 112,250 fit for military service; 3,414 reach military
    age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
    exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA%, of GDP