Qatar




                                 Geography


Location:
     Middle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between
     Iran and Saudi Arabia
Map references:
     Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
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:
continental shelf:
     not specified
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 freshwater 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:
     512,779 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     2.56% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     18.83 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     3.53 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     10.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     72.64 years
male:
     70.08 years
female:
     75.09 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     3.74 children born/woman (1994 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:
     104,000 (85% non-Qatari in private sector) (1983)


                                Government




Names:
conventional long form:
     State of Qatar
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Dawlat Qatar
local short form:
Digraph:
     QA
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)
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, 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 in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador ABD AL-RAHMAN bin Saud bin Faud Al Thani
chancery:
     Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone:
     (202) 338-0111
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:
     (0974) 864701 through 864703
FAX:
     (0974) 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 roughly 85% of
     export earnings and 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 comparable to
     the leading industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas
     are becoming increasingly important.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $8.8 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     -0.5% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
     $17,500 (1993 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:
     $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
     petroleum products 85%, steel, fertilizers
partners:
     Japan 61%, Brazil 6%, South Korea 5%, UAE 4%, Singapore 3% (1991)
Imports:
     $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)




commodities:
     machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals
partners:
     Japan 14%, UK 12%, US 12%, Germany 9%, France 5% (1991)
External debt:
     $1.5 billion (1993 est.)
Industrial production:
     growth rate NA%; accounts for 64% of GDP, including oil
Electricity:
capacity:
     1,596,000 kW
production:
     4.818 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
     9,655 kWh (1992)
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
Exchange rates:
     Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)
Fiscal year:
     1 April - 31 March


                              Communications


Highways:
total:
     1,500 km
paved:
     1,000 km
unpaved:
     gravel, natural surface 500 km (est.)
Pipelines:
     crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km
Ports:
     Doha, Umm Sa'id, Halul Island
Merchant marine:
     18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 373,491 GRT/567,294 DWT,
     container 4, cargo 11, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1
Airports:
total:
     5
usable:
     4
with permanent-surface runways:
     1




with runways over 3,659 m:
     1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     2
Telecommunications:
     modern system centered in Doha; 110,000 telephones; tropospheric
     scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE;
     submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 1
     Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT; broadcast
     stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 217,538; fit for military service 114,468; reach
     military age (18) annually 3,737 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
     $NA, NA%, of GDP