Qatar (2001) | Equatorial Guinea (2001) | |
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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 | 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
25.77% (male 101,155; female 97,086) 15-64 years: 71.75% (male 391,178; female 160,665) 65 years and over: 2.48% (male 13,625; female 5,443) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
42.56% (male 103,909; female 102,946) 15-64 years: 53.68% (male 124,808; female 136,088) 65 years and over: 3.76% (male 8,178; female 10,131) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish | coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber |
Airports | 4 (2000 est.) | 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total:
2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
11,437 sq km land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
28,051 sq km land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | slightly smaller than Maryland |
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. | Composed of a mainland portion and five inhabited islands, Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by ruthless leaders who have badly mismanaged the economy since independence from 190 years of Spanish rule in 1968. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 presidential and 1999 legislative elections were widely seen as being flawed. |
Birth rate | 15.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 37.72 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$3.9 billion expenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
revenues:
$47 million expenditures: $43 million, including capital expenditures of $7 million (1996 est.) |
Capital | Doha | Malabo |
Climate | desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer | tropical; always hot, humid |
Coastline | 563 km | 296 km |
Constitution | provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution | approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995 |
Country name | 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 |
conventional long form:
Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial former: Spanish Guinea |
Currency | Qatari rial (QAR) | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States |
Death rate | 4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 13.11 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $13.1 billion (2000 est.) | $290 million (1999 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Elizabeth Davenport MCKUNE embassy: 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298 note: workweek is Saturday-Wednesday |
chief of mission:
Ambassador John M. YATES; note - the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); US relations with Equatorial Guinea are handled through the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon; the US State Department is considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Teodoro BIYOGO NSUEA chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 528-5252 |
Disputes - international | in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and adjusted its maritime boundary with Qatar; a final border resolution was agreed to with Saudi Arabia in March of 2001 | tripartite maritime boundary and economic zone dispute with Cameroon and Nigeria is currently before the ICJ; maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $33.8 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 66% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore petroleum and the diversification of the economy. In 2000, Qatar posted its highest ever trade surplus of $6 billion, due mainly to high oil prices and increased natural gas exports. | The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth. A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of the government's gross corruption and mismanagement. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. The country responded favorably to the devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994. Boosts in production and high world oil prices stimulated growth in 2000, with oil accounting for 90% of greatly increased exports. |
Electricity - consumption | 8.37 billion kWh (1999) | 19.5 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 9 billion kWh (1999) | 21 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
85.71% hydro: 14.29% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities | tap water is not potable; desertification |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% | Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish |
Exchange rates | Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate) | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro |
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 JASSIM 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 March 1999 Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council, which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services |
chief of state:
President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup) head of government: Prime Minister Candido Muatetema RIVAS (since 26 February 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG (since NA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG NZE FUMU (since NA January 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote to a seven-year term; election last held 25 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2003); prime minister and vice prime ministers appointed by the president election results: President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected with 98% of popular vote in elections marred by widespread fraud |
Exports | $9.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $860 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel | petroleum, timber, cocoa |
Exports - partners | Japan 52%, Singapore 9%, South Korea 8%, US, UAE (1998) | US 62%, Spain 17%, China 9%, France 3%, Japan 3%, (1997) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $15.1 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $960 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
1% industry: 49% services: 50% (1996 est.) |
agriculture:
20% industry: 60% services: 20% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $20,300 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2000 est.) | 12% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 25 30 N, 51 15 E | 2 00 N, 10 00 E |
Geography - note | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits | insular and continental regions rather widely separated |
Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1996) |
total:
2,880 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 2,880 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $3.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $300 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals | manufactured goods and equipment |
Imports - partners | UK 10%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, US 6%, Italy 6% (1998) | US 35%, France 15%, Spain 10%, Cameroon 10%, UK 6% (1997) |
Independence | 3 September 1971 (from UK) | 12 October 1968 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 7.4% (1994 est.) |
Industries | crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement | petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas |
Infant mortality rate | 21.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 92.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2000) | 6% (1999 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 80 sq km (1993 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal | Supreme Tribunal |
Labor force | 233,000 (1993 est.) | NA |
Land boundaries | total:
60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
total:
539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km |
Land use | arable land:
1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 0% other: 94% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
5% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 46% other: 41% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language | Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo |
Legal system | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in personal matters | partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom |
Legislative branch | unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: the constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held since 1970, when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have their terms extended every four years since |
unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS 5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1 note: opposition parties have refused to take up their seats in the House to protest widespread irregularities in the 1999 legislative elections |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
72.62 years male: 70.16 years female: 75.21 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
53.95 years male: 51.89 years female: 56.07 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 79% female: 80% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.5% male: 89.6% female: 68.1% (1995 est.) |
Location | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon |
Map references | Middle East | Africa |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 677,992 GRT/1,049,447 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.) |
total:
12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 26,035 GRT/27,927 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 7, combination bulk 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security | Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $723 million (FY00/01) | $3 million (FY97/98) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 10% (FY00/01) | 0.6% (FY97/98) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
312,116 note: includes non-nationals (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
108,973 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
163,642 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
55,347 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
6,797 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) | Independence Day, 12 October (1968) |
Nationality | noun:
Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari |
noun:
Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean |
Natural hazards | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common | violent windstorms, flash floods |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, fish | oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium |
Net migration rate | 20.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido Miko ABOGO]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP [Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP [Victorino Bolekia BONAY, mayor of Malabo]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI [Daniel OYONO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 769,152 (July 2001 est.) | 486,060 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 3.18% (2001 est.) | 2.46% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) | Bata, Luba, Malabo |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 4 (1998) |
Radios | 256,000 (1997) | 180,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total:
0 km |
Religions | Muslim 95% | nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.43 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.5 male(s)/female total population: 1.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | suffrage is limited to municipal elections | 18 years of age; universal adult |
Telephone system | 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 |
general assessment:
poor system with adequate government services domestic: NA international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 142,000 (1997) | 4,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 43,476 (1997) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (plus three repeaters) (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel | coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic |
Total fertility rate | 3.17 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 4.88 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 30% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |