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| Introduction | Qatar |
| Background: | Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe. |
| People | Qatar |
| Population: | 840,290 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 24.2% (male 103,660; female 99,597) 15-64 years: 72.7% (male 426,559; female 184,067) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 19,306; female 7,101) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 31.4 years male: 36.7 years female: 22 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.74% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 15.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 4.52 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 16.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.32 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.72 male(s)/female total population: 1.89 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 19.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 22.77 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 73.4 years male: 70.9 years female: 76.04 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.95 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.09% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari |
| Ethnic groups: | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% |
| Religions: | Muslim 95% |
| Languages: | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.5% male: 81.4% female: 85% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Qatar |
| Country name: | conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar local long form: Dawlat Qatar |
| Government type: | traditional monarchy |
| Capital: | Doha |
| Administrative divisions: | 10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal |
| Independence: | 3 September 1971 (from UK) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) |
| Constitution: | provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari voters approved the new constitution |
| Legal system: | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996) Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20 January 1998); First Deputy Prime Minister HAMAD bin JASIM bin JABIR Al Thani (since 16 September 2003; also Foreign Minister since 1992); Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATTIYAH (since 16 September 2003; also Energy Minister since NA 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999 |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed) note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution provides for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the Amir would appoint the remaining members |
| Judicial branch: | Court of Appeal |
| Political parties and leaders: | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | none |
| International organization participation: | ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603 consulate(s) general: Houston FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298 |
| Flag description: | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side |
| Communications | Qatar |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 184,500 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 376,500 (2003) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: modern system centered in Doha domestic: NA international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios: | 256,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001) |
| Televisions: | 230,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .qa |
| Internet hosts: | 221 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 126,000 (2003) |
| Transportation | Qatar |
| Highways: | total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.) |
| Pipelines: | condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 702 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 525,051 GRT/772,635 DWT foreign-owned: Cambodia 1, Kuwait 1 (2003 est.) by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 4, container 8, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1 |
| Airports: | 4 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 1 |
| Heliports: | 1 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Qatar |
| Military branches: | Land Force, Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Amiri Air Force |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 324,001 note: includes non-nationals (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 170,266 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 7,496 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $723 million (FY00) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 10% (FY00) |
| Transnational Issues | Qatar |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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