QATAR GEOGRAPHY Total area: 11,000 km2; land area: 11,000 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut Land boundaries: 60 km total; Saudi Arabia 40 km, UAE 20 km Coastline: 563 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: not specific; Territorial sea: 3 nm Disputes: boundary with UAE is in dispute; territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, fish Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 0%; other 95% Environment: haze, duststorms, sandstorms common; limited freshwater resources mean increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities Note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major crude oil sources PEOPLE Population: 518,478 (July 1991), growth rate 5.3% (1991) Birth rate: 21 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 3 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 35 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 24 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 74 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 4.0 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Qatari(s); adjective--Qatari Ethnic divisions: Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% Religion: Muslim 95% Language: Arabic (official); English is commonly used as second language Literacy: 76% (male 77%, female 72%) age 15 and over can read and write (1986) Labor force: 104,000; 85% non-Qatari in private sector (1983) Organized labor: trade unions are illegal GOVERNMENT Long-form name: State of Qatar Type: traditional monarchy Capital: Doha Administrative divisions: none Independence: 3 September 1971 (from UK) 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 National holiday: Independence Day, 3 September (1971) Executive branch: amir, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura) Judicial branch: Court of Appeal Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government--Amir and Prime Minister Khalifa bin Hamad Al THANI (since 22 February 1972); Heir Apparent Hamad bin Khalifa AL THANI (appointed 31 May 1977; son of Amir) Political parties and leaders: none Suffrage: none Elections: Advisory Council--constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held; seats--(30 total) Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Hamad Abd al-Aziz AL-KAWARI, Chancery at Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 338-0111; US--Ambassador Mark G. HAMBLEY; Embassy at 149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha (mailing address is P. O. Box 2399, Doha); telephone 0974 864701 through 864703 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 85% of export earnings and roughly 75% 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 of about $12,500, among the highest in the world outside the OECD countries. GDP: $6.6 billion, per capita $12,500 (1989 est.); real growth rate 5.0% (1988) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.9% (1988 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $1.8 billion; expenditures $3.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $400 million (FY89 est.) Exports: $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities--petroleum products 85%, steel, fertilizers; partners--Japan, Italy, Thailand, Singapore Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1989 est.), excluding military equipment; commodities--foodstuffs, beverages, animal and vegetable oils, chemicals, machinery and equipment; partners--Japan, UK, US, Italy External debt: $1.1 billion (December 1989 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 0.6% (1987); accounts for 64% of GDP, including oil Electricity: 1,514,000 kW capacity; 4,000 million kWh produced, 8,540 kWh per capita (1989) Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel, cement Agriculture: farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP; commercial fishing increasing in importance; most food imported Economic aid: donor--pledged $2.7 billion in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88) Currency: Qatari riyal (plural--riyals); 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 COMMUNICATIONS Highways: 1,500 km total; 1,000 km bituminous, 500 km gravel or natural surface (est.) Pipelines: crude oil, 235 km; natural gas, 400 km Ports: Doha, Umm Said, Halul Island Merchant marine: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 465,371 GRT/707,089 DWT; includes 12 cargo, 5 container, 3 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft Airports: 4 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; none with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: modern system centered in Doha; 110,000 telephones; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; stations--2 AM, 1 FM, 3 TV; earth stations--1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT DEFENSE FORCES Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Department Manpower availability: males 15-49, 235,516; 125,591 fit for military service; 4,243 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: $500 million, 8% of GDP (1989)