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 Match 199   DB Rec# - 7,651  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Qatar 
Text          : 
                                      Qatar 
 
                                    Geography 
 
Location: 
    Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia 
Map references: 
    Middle East 
Area: 
  total area: 
    11,000 sq km 
  land area: 
    11,000 sq km 
  comparative area: 
    slightly smaller than Connecticut 
Land boundaries: 
    total 60 km, Saudi Arabia 60 km 
Coastline: 
    563 km 
Maritime claims: 
  contiguous zone: 
    24 nm 
  exclusive economic zone: 


    200 nm 
  territorial sea: 
    12 nm 
International disputes: 
    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: 
    petroleum, natural gas, fish 
Land use: 
  arable land: 
    0% 
  permanent crops: 
    0% 
  meadows and pastures: 
    5% 
  forest and woodland: 
    0% 
  other: 
    95% 
Irrigated land: 
    NA sq km 
Environment: 
  current issues: 
    limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on 
    large-scale desalination facilities 
  natural hazards: 
    haze, dust storms, sandstorms common 
  international agreements: 
    signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea 
Note: 
    strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    533,916 (July 1995 est.) 
Age structure: 
  0-14 years: 
    30% (female 81,443; male 80,591) 
  15-64 years: 
    68% (female 104,921; male 258,135) 
  65 years and over: 
    2% (female 2,941; male 5,885) (July 1995 est.) 
Population growth rate: 
    2.74% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    22.72 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Death rate: 
    3.59 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Net migration rate: 
    8.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Infant mortality rate: 
    20.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) 
Life expectancy at birth: 
  total population: 
    73.03 years 


  male: 
    70.45 years 
  female: 
    75.5 years (1995 est.) 
Total fertility rate: 
    4.63 children born/woman (1995 est.) 
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 commonly used as a second language 
Literacy: 
    age 15 and over can read and write (1986) 
  total population: 
    76% 
  male: 
    77% 
  female: 
    72% 
Labor force: 
    NA 
 
                                   Government 
 
Names: 
  conventional long form: 
    State of Qatar 
  conventional short form: 
    Qatar 
  local long form: 
    Dawlat Qatar 
  local short form: 
    Qatar 
Digraph: 
    QA 
Type: 
    traditional monarchy 
Capital: 
    Doha 
Administrative divisions: 
    9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al 
    Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al 
    Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Salal 
Independence: 
    3 September 1971 (from UK) 
National holiday: 
    Independence Day, 3 September (1971) 
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 
Suffrage: 


    none 
Executive branch: 
  chief of state and head of government: 
    Amir and Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani (since 22 February 1972);
 
    Crown Prince HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (appointed 31 May 1977; son of Amir 
    and Minister of Defense) 
  cabinet: 
    Council of Ministers; appointed by the amir 
Legislative branch: 
    unicameral 
  Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura): 
    constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no 
    elections have been held; seats - (30 total) 
Judicial branch: 
    Court of Appeal 
Political parties and leaders: 
    none 
Member of: 
    ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 
    ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, 
    ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, 
    UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
  chief of mission: 
    Ambassador ABD AL-RAHMAN bin Saud bin Fahd Al Thani 
  chancery: 
    Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 
  telephone: 
    [1] (202) 338-0111 
 
                                   Government 
US diplomatic representation: 
  chief of mission: 
    Ambassador Kenton W. KEITH 
  embassy: 
    149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin Omran (opposite the television station), 
    Doha 
  mailing address: 
    P. O. Box 2399, Doha 
  telephone: 
    [974] 864701 through 864703 
  FAX: 
    [974] 861669 
Flag: 
    maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist 
    side 
 
                                     Economy 
 
Overview: 
    Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 30% of GDP, 
    roughly 75% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Proved oil 
    reserves of 3.3 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current 
    levels for about 25 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable 
    to the leading West European industrial countries. Production and export of 
    natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the
 
    development of off-shore oil and the diversification of the economy. 
National product: 


    GDP - purchasing power parity - $10.7 billion (1994 est.) 
National product real growth rate: 
    -1% (1994 est.) 
National product per capita: 
    $20,820 (1994 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 
    3% (1993 est.) 
Unemployment rate: 
    NA% 
Budget: 
  revenues: 
    $2.5 billion 
  expenditures: 
    $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $440 million (1992 est.) 
Exports: 
    $3.13 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) 
  commodities: 
    petroleum products 75%, steel, fertilizers 
  partners: 
    Japan 57%, South Korea 9%, Brazil 4%, UAE 4%, Singapore 3% (1992) 
Imports: 
    $1.75 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) 
  commodities: 
    machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals 
  partners: 
    Japan 16%, UK 11%, US 11%, Germany 7%, France 5% (1992) 
External debt: 
    $1.5 billion (1993 est.) 
Industrial production: 
    accounts for 50% of GDP, including oil 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    1,520,000 kW 
  production: 
    4.5 billion kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    8,415 kWh (1993) 
Industries: 
    crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel (rolls
 
    reinforcing bars for concrete construction), cement 
Agriculture: 
    farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP; agricultural area 
    is small and government-owned; commercial fishing increasing in importance; 
    most food imported 
Economic aid: 
  donor: 
    pledged in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88), $2.7 billion 
Currency: 
    1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams 
 
                                     Economy 
Exchange rates: 
    Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate) 
Fiscal year: 
    1 April - 31 March 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 


    0 km 
Highways: 
  total: 
    1,190 km 
  paved: 
    1,030 km 
  unpaved: 
    160 km (1988 est.) 
Pipelines: 
    crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km 
Ports: 
    Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id 
 
Merchant marine: 
  total: 
    19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 463,227 GRT/763,507 DWT 
  ships by type: 
    combination ore/oil 1, container 3, cargo 11, oil tanker 3, refrigerated 
    cargo 1 
Airports: 
  total: 
    6 
  with paved runways over 3,047 m: 
    1 
  with paved runways under 914 m: 
    2 
  with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 
    3 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    110,000 telephones; modern system centered in Doha 
  local: 
    NA 
  intercity: 
    NA 
  international: 
    tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and 
    UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 
    Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    3 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Branches: 
    Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security 
Manpower availability: 
    males age 15-49 219,442; males fit for military service 115,103; males reach
 
    military age (18) annually 3,915 (1995 est.) 


Defense expenditures: 
    $NA, NA%, of GDP 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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Updated: March 12, 1996