QATAR
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QATAR
@Qatar:Geography
Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi
Arabia
Map references: Middle East
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QATAR - MAJOR CITIES
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Latitude, Internat'l Time
Population Longitude Phone Code Zone
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DOHA 217,000 25.15N, 51.32E 974- GMT+3
Musayid N/A 24.59N, 51.32E 974- GMT+3
Dukhan N/A 25.25N, 50.48E 974- GMT+3
Umm Bab N/A 25.12N, 50.48E 974- GMT+3
Al Khawr N/A 25.41N, 51.30E 974- GMT+3
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Area:
total area: 11,000 sq km
land area: 11,000 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries: total 60 km, Saudi Arabia 60 km
Coastline: 563 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: territorial dispute with Bahrain over the
Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain
Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer
Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and
gravel
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 5%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 95%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing
dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law
of the Sea
Note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum
deposits
@Qatar:People
Population: 533,916 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30% (female 81,443; male 80,591)
15-64 years: 68% (female 104,921; male 258,135)
65 years and over: 2% (female 2,941; male 5,885) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.74% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 22.72 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 3.59 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 20.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.03 years
male: 70.45 years
female: 75.5 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.63 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari
Ethnic divisions: Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%,
other 14%
Religions: Muslim 95%
Languages: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second
language
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1986)
total population: 76%
male: 77%
female: 72%
Labor force: NA
@Qatar:Government
Names:
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar
local long form: Dawlat Qatar
local short form: Qatar
Digraph: QA
Type: traditional monarchy
Capital: Doha
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
Independence: 3 September 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Constitution: provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970
Legal system: discretionary system of law controlled by the amir,
although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant
in personal matters
Suffrage: none
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: Amir and Prime Minister KHALIFA
bin Hamad Al Thani (since 22 February 1972); Crown Prince HAMAD bin
Khalifa Al Thani (appointed 31 May 1977; son of Amir and Minister of
Defense)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the amir
Legislative branch: unicameral
Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura): constitution calls for elections
for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held;
seats - (30 total)
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: none
Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador ABD AL-RAHMAN bin Saud bin Fahd Al Thani
chancery: Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20037
telephone: [1] (202) 338-0111
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kenton W. KEITH
embassy: 149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin Omran (opposite the
television station), Doha
mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
telephone: [974] 864701 through 864703
FAX: [974] 861669
Flag: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on
the hoist side
Economy
Overview: Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more
than 30% of GDP, roughly 75% of export earnings, and 70% of government
revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.3 billion barrels should ensure
continued output at current levels for about 25 years. Oil has given
Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to the leading West European
industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas are
becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the
development of off-shore oil and the diversification of the economy.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $10.7 billion (1994
est.)
National product real growth rate: -1% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $20,820 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $2.5 billion
expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $440
million (1992 est.)
Exports: $3.13 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities: petroleum products 75%, steel, fertilizers
partners: Japan 57%, South Korea 9%, Brazil 4%, UAE 4%, Singapore 3%
(1992)
Imports: $1.75 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals
partners: Japan 16%, UK 11%, US 11%, Germany 7%, France 5% (1992)
External debt: $1.5 billion (1993 est.)
Industrial production: accounts for 50% of GDP, including oil
Electricity:
capacity: 1,520,000 kW
production: 4.5 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 8,415 kWh (1993)
Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers,
petrochemicals, steel (rolls reinforcing bars for concrete
construction), cement
Agriculture: farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP;
agricultural area is small and government-owned; commercial fishing
increasing in importance; most food imported
Economic aid:
donor: pledged in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88), $2.7
billion
Currency: 1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Exchange rates: Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed
rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Qatar:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways:
total: 1,190 km
paved: 1,030 km
unpaved: 160 km (1988 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km
Ports: Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id
Merchant marine:
total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 463,227 GRT/763,507 DWT
ships by type: combination ore/oil 1, container 3, cargo 11, oil
tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1
Airports:
total: 6
with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1
with paved runways under 914 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3
@Qatar:Communications
Telephone system: 110,000 telephones; modern system centered in Doha
local: NA
intercity: NA
international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay
to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; 2
INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth
station
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
radios: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: 3
televisions: NA
@Qatar:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 219,442; males fit for military
service 115,103; males reach military age (18) annually 3,915 (1995
est.)
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA%, of GDP
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