Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2005) | Qatar (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | 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: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: 24.7% (male 102,938; female 98,934)
15-64 years: 72.4% (male 415,302; female 176,183) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,199; female 6,496) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish |
Airports | 5 (2004 est.) | 4 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 12,173 sq km
land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands |
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
Background | Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. | 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. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 15.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.) |
revenues: $5 billion
expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (FY 02/03 est.) |
Capital | Stanley | Doha |
Climate | cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
Coastline | 1,288 km | 563 km |
Constitution | 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 | 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 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
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 |
Currency | - | Qatari rial (QAR) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 4.43 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $15.4 billion (2002 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | chief of mission: Ambassador Maureen E. QUINN
embassy: Al-Luqtas District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston |
Disputes - international | Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied the islands by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $0 (1997 est.) | $NA |
Economy - overview | The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost. | Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 14.5 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important to the economy. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 17.9 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore natural gas reserves. Since 2000, Qatar has consistently posted trade surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, and Qatar's economy is expected to receive an added boost as it begins to increase liquid natural gas exports. |
Electricity - consumption | 17.72 million kWh (2002) | 8.616 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 19.06 million kWh (2002) | 9.264 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
Environment - current issues | overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | British | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% |
Exchange rates | Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound |
Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000), 3.64 (1999), 3.64 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch |
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 JASIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); 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) 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 | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | wool, hides, meat | petroleum products, fertilizers, steel |
Exports - partners | Spain 77.4%, UK 9.4%, US 4.9% (2004) | Japan 40.1%, South Korea 16.6%, Singapore 8.2%, US 4.1% (2002) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $15.91 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 67.6% services: 32% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $20,100 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 4.6% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 51 45 S, 59 00 W | 25 30 N, 51 15 E |
Geography - note | deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits |
Heliports | - | 1 (2002) |
Highways | total: 440 km
paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002) |
total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals |
Imports - partners | UK 63.2%, Spain 30.3%, France 3.6% (2004) | France 17.8%, Japan 10.1%, US 8.5%, UK 8.3%, Germany 8%, Italy 6.7%, UAE 5.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%, South Korea 4% (2002) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | 3 September 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | fish and wool processing; tourism | crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA (2005 est.) |
total: 20.03 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.6% (1998) | 1.9% (2002) |
International organization participation | ICFTU, UPU | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 130 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction | Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 1,100 (est.) | 280,122 (1997 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2001) |
arable land: 1.27%
permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.46% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language |
Legal system | English common law | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor
elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held November 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8; note - 71% voter turnout |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2005 est.) |
total population: 73.14 years
male: 70.65 years female: 75.76 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.5% male: 81.4% female: 85% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | South America | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none | total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 638,815 GRT/995,096 DWT
ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1, UAE 3 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | no regular military forces | Army, Navy, Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | NA | $723 million (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | 10% (FY00) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 320,835
note: includes non-nationals (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 168,416 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 7,192 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) |
Nationality | noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island |
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari |
Natural hazards | strong winds persist throughout the year | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common |
Natural resources | fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss | petroleum, natural gas, fish |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 17.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | condensate 90 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 902 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 722 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | none; all independents | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none |
Population | 2,967 (July 2005 est.) | 817,052 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.44% (2005 est.) | 2.87% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Stanley | Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist | Muslim 95% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.36 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.65 male(s)/female total population: 1.9 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries |
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA international: 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 | 2,400 (2002) | 142,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (2001) | 43,476 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service)
note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002) |
1 (plus three repeaters) (2001) |
Terrain | rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman (2005 est.) | 3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | full employment; labor shortage (2001) | 2.7% (2001) |
Waterways | - | none |