Qatar (2005) | Jan Mayen (2001) | |
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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: 23.7% (male 104,453/female 100,295)
15-64 years: 72.9% (male 437,118/female 191,830) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 21,599/female 7,756) (2005 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish | - |
Airports | 4 (2004 est.) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
373 sq km land: 373 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
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. 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. | This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on earth. |
Birth rate | 15.54 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $10.17 billion
expenditures: $7.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (2004 est.) |
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Capital | Doha | - |
Climate | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers | arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog |
Coastline | 563 km | 124.1 km |
Constitution | ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the Emir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005 | - |
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:
none conventional short form: Jan Mayen |
Death rate | 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $18.62 billion (2004 est.) | - |
Dependency status | - | territory of Norway; administered from Oslo through a governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard); however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service |
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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak al-KHALIFA
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston |
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Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | - |
Economy - overview | 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 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 14 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 to offset the ultimate decline in oil production. 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. | Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island. |
Electricity - consumption | 9.046 billion kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - production | 9.727 billion kWh (2002) | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
lowest point:
Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities | NA |
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 |
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Ethnic groups | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% | - |
Exchange rates | Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000) | - |
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 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-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 |
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Exports | NA | - |
Exports - commodities | liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel | - |
Exports - partners | Japan 41.9%, South Korea 15.8%, Singapore 9.1%, India 5.4% (2004) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | - |
Flag description | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side | the flag of Norway is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 58.2% services: 41.5% (2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2004 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 8.7% (2004 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 25 30 N, 51 15 E | 71 00 N, 8 00 W |
Geography - note | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits | barren volcanic island with some moss and grass |
Heliports | 1 (2004 est.) | - |
Highways | total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Imports | NA | - |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals | - |
Imports - partners | France 26.6%, US 9.5%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UAE 6.3%, Germany 5.2%, Japan 5.2%, UK 5.1% (2004) | - |
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: 18.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (2004 est.) | - |
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, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000) |
Irrigated land | 130 sq km (1998 est.) | 0 sq km (1993) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal
note: under the new 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 |
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Labor force | 140,000 (2004 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2001) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
Languages | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language | - |
Legal system | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters | the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply |
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 8 June 2004, 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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.67 years
male: 71.15 years female: 76.32 years (2005 est.) |
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Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89% male: 89.1% female: 88.6% (2004 est.) |
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Location | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland |
Map references | Middle East | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line |
contiguous zone:
10 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 4 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 525,051 GRT/772,635 DWT
by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 5, container 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 6) (2005) |
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Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Norway |
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 |
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Natural hazards | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, fish | none |
Net migration rate | 15.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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) | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | - |
Population | 863,051 (July 2005 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are personnel who operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | - |
Population growth rate | 2.61% (2005 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Doha | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998) |
Religions | Muslim 95% | - |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.28 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.88 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
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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 |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 184,500 (2003) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 376,500 (2003) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001) | - |
Terrain | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel | volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers |
Total fertility rate | 2.87 children born/woman (2005 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 2.7% (2001) | - |
Waterways | - | none |