Coral Sea Islands (2004) | Qatar (2006) | |
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 |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 23.4% (male 105,546/female 101,371)
15-64 years: 73% (male 446,779/female 199,133) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 24,059/female 8,471) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish |
Airports | - | 5 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important |
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
Background | Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. | 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. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him 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 one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. |
Birth rate | - | 15.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $17.31 billion
expenditures: $11.31 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (2005 est.) |
Capital | - | name: Doha
geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
Coastline | 3,095 km | 563 km |
Constitution | - | ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005 |
Country name | conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands |
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar |
Death rate | - | 4.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $21.13 billion (2005 est.) |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | 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 4176 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak al-KHALIFA
chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 16 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar has permitted substantial foreign investment in the development of its gas fields during the last decade and is expected to become the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter by 2007. In recent years, Qatar has consistently posted trade surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, becoming one of the world's fastest growing and highest per-capita income countries. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 9.053 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | - | 9.735 billion kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
Environment - current issues | no permanent fresh water resources | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | - | Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% |
Exchange rates | - | Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001) |
Executive branch | administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | 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, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent by the monarch on 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-ATIYAH (since 16 September 2003, also Electricity and Water Minister since 1999 and Energy and Industry Minister since 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 |
Exports | - | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | - | liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel |
Exports - partners | - | Japan 37.1%, South Korea 19.5%, Singapore 8.3% (2005) |
Fiscal year | - | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 0.2%
industry: 80.1% services: 19.7% (2005 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 8.8% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 18 00 S, 152 00 E | 25 30 N, 51 15 E |
Geography - note | important nesting area for birds and turtles | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits |
Heliports | - | 1 (2006) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | - | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals |
Imports - partners | - | France 11.5%, Japan 10.5%, US 10.4%, Germany 8.4%, Saudi Arabia 7.3%, UK 7%, Italy 6.5%, South Korea 5.5%, UAE 4.8% (2005) |
Independence | - | 3 September 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 10% (2003 est.) |
Industries | - | crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 18.04 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 8.8% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | - | ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 130 sq km (2002) |
Judicial branch | - | Court of Appeal
note: under a judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two court systems, civil and Islamic law, were merged under a higher court, the Court of Cassation, established for appeals |
Labor force | - | 440,000 (2005 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001) |
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2005) |
Languages | - | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language |
Legal system | the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Shari'a law dominates family and personal matters |
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, which came into force on 9 June 2005, 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; preparations are underway to conduct elections to the Majlis al-Shura in early 2007 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 73.9 years
male: 71.37 years female: 76.57 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89% male: 89.1% female: 88.6% (2004 est.) |
Location | Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Oceania | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line |
Merchant marine | - | total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 750,669 GRT/1,177,673 DWT
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, container 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 8 (Kuwait 7, US 1) registered in other countries: 4 (Honduras 1, Liberia 2, Panama 1) (2006) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors | - |
Military branches | - | Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $723 million (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 10% (FY00) |
National holiday | - | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) |
Nationality | - | noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari |
Natural hazards | occasional tropical cyclones | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common |
Natural resources | NEGL | petroleum, natural gas, fish |
Net migration rate | - | 14.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Pipelines | - | condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 844 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | - | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2004 est.) |
885,359 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 2.5% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | - |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Religions | - | Muslim 95% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.24 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.87 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
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 |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 205,400 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 716,800 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001) |
Terrain | sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel |
Total fertility rate | - | 2.81 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 2.7% (2001) |