Qatar - QA - QAT - QAT - Middle East

chief of mission: Ambassador Timmy DAVIS (since 5 September 2022)

embassy: 22 February Street, Al Luqta District, P.O. Box 2399, Doha

mailing address: 6130 Doha Place, Washington DC  20521-6130

telephone: [974] 4496-6000

FAX: [974] 4488-4298

email address and website:
PasDoha@state.gov

https://qa.usembassy.gov/

0-14 years: 13.1% (male 168,844/female 165,905)

15-64 years: 85.4% (male 1,767,294/female 411,977)

65 years and over: 1.5% (2024 est.) (male 24,997/female 13,071)

25 30 N, 51 15 E

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 4.29 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.91 male(s)/female

total population: 3.32 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

almost twice the size of Delaware; slightly smaller than Connecticut

conscription for men aged 18-35 introduced in 2013; compulsory service times range from 4-12 months, depending on educational and professional circumstances; since 2018, women have been permitted to serve as volunteers in the armed forces, including as uniformed officers and pilots (2023)

note: the military incorporates about 2,000 conscripts annually and recruits foreign contract soldiers to overcome manpower limitations

Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar within the last 60 years transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant hydrocarbon revenues. Former Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, who overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995, ushered in wide-sweeping political and media reforms, unprecedented economic investment, and a growing Qatari regional leadership role, in part through the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's mediation of some regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and by 2007, Doha had attained the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar did not experience domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2011, due in part to its immense wealth and patronage network. In mid-2013, HAMAD peacefully abdicated, transferring power to his son, the current Amir TAMIM bin Hamad. TAMIM is popular with the Qatari public for his role in shepherding the country through an economic embargo from some other regional countries, for his efforts to improve the country's healthcare and education systems, and for his expansion of the country's infrastructure in anticipation of hosting international sporting events. Qatar became the first country in the Arab world to host the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2022.

Following the outbreak of regional unrest in 2011, Doha prided itself on its support for many popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. This stance was to the detriment of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which temporarily recalled their respective ambassadors from Doha in 2014. TAMIM later oversaw a warming of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in November 2014 following Kuwaiti mediation and signing of the Riyadh Agreement. This reconciliation, however, was short-lived. In 2017, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (the "Quartet") cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in response to alleged violations of the agreement, among other complaints. They restored ties in 2021 after signing a declaration at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. In 2022, the United States designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally.

 

air, land, and water pollution are significant environmental issues; limited natural freshwater resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities; other issues include conservation of oil supplies and preservation of the natural wildlife heritage

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

lowest 10%: 2.6% (2017 est.)

highest 10%: 25.8% (2017 est.)

natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, fertilizers (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

China 18%, India 11%, S. Korea 10%, Japan 7%, Pakistan 6% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

8 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Ash Shihaniyah, Az Za'ayin, Umm Salal

dates, chicken, tomatoes, camel milk, vegetables, cucumbers/gherkins, pumpkins/squash, eggs, sheep milk, eggplants (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Qatar Armed Forces (QAF): Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF, includes Emiri Guard), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN, includes Coast Guard), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF)

Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Public Security, General Directorate of Coasts and Border Security, Internal Security Forces (includes Mobile Gendarmerie) (2024)

note: the national police and Ministry of Interior forces maintain internal security, including preventing terrorism, cyberattacks, and espionage

revenues: $65.922 billion (2019 est.)

expenditures: $57.258 billion (2019 est.)

name: Doha

geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: derives from the Arabic term "dohat," meaning "roundness," and refers to the small rounded bays along the area's coastline

gas turbines, cars, aircraft, iron pipes, ships (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

563 km

history: previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002, approved by referendum 29 April 2003, endorsed 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005

amendment process: proposed by the Amir or by one third of Advisory Council members; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Advisory Council members and approval and promulgation by the emir; articles pertaining to the rule of state and its inheritance, functions of the emir, and citizen rights and liberties cannot be amended

Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
3.64 (2023 est.)
3.64 (2022 est.)
3.64 (2021 est.)
3.64 (2020 est.)
3.64 (2019 est.)

chief of state: Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013)

head of government: Prime Minister and Foreign Minister MUHAMMAD bin Abd al-Rahman Al Thani (since 7 March 2023)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the amir

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side; maroon represents the blood shed in Qatari wars, white stands for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge signifies Qatar as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916

note: the other eight emirates are the seven that compose the UAE and Bahrain; according to some sources, the dominant color was formerly red, but this darkened to maroon upon exposure to the sun and the new shade was eventually adopted

total: 7,039 km (2016)

3 September 1971 (from the UK)

liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizer, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of the court president and several judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 members)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 9-member independent body consisting of judiciary heads appointed by the amir; judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms; Supreme Constitutional Court members nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council and appointed by the monarch; term of appointment NA

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Administrative Court; Courts of First Instance; sharia courts; Courts of Justice; Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center, established in 2009, provides dispute resolution services for institutions and bodies in Qatar, as well as internationally

total: 87 km

border countries (1): Saudi Arabia 87 km

agricultural land: 6.4% (2022 est.)

arable land: 1.8% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 4.4% (2022 est.)

forest: 0% (2022 est.)

other: 93.6% (2022 est.)

mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic (sharia) law (in family and personal matters)

legislature name: Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura)

legislative structure: unicameral

number of seats: 45 (30 directly elected; 15 appointed)

electoral system: plurality/majority

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 4 years

most recent election date: 10/2/2021

percentage of women in chamber: 4.4%

expected date of next election: September 2025

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.5%

male: 92.4%

female: 94.7% (2017)

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA (observer), EITI (implementing country), FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National Day, 18 December (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

noun: Qatari(s)

adjective: Qatari

petroleum, fish, natural gas

the peninsula occupies a strategic location in the central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

high-income, oil-and-gas-based Middle Eastern economy; National Vision 2030 government strategy for economic development, diversification, favorable business conditions to grow investment and employment; infrastructure investments; Islamic finance leader; citizenship-based labor force growth

288 km condensate, 221 km condensate/gas, 2,383 km gas, 90 km liquid petroleum gas, 745 km oil, 103 km refined products (2013)

political parties are banned

18 years of age; universal

general assessment: Qatar had developed a mature telecom sector which has been able to absorb the additional data demands made on it during the pandemic; mobile services based on LTE are universally available to migrate to 5G; in combination with a strong fiber rollout, the country is aiming to provide gigabit services nationally; 5G services are largely based on 3.5GHz spectrum made available following an auction in early 2019 (2022)

domestic: fixed-line is 17 per 100 and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership is 144 telephones per 100 persons (2021)

international: country code - 974; landing points for the Qatar-UAE Submarine Cable System, AAE-1, FOG, GBICS/East North Africa MENA and the FALCON submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Southeast Asia; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and the UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; retains full ownership of two commercial satellites, Es'hailSat 1 and 2 (2019)

mostly flat and barren desert

absolute monarchy

conventional long form: State of Qatar

conventional short form: Qatar

local long form: Dawlat Qatar

local short form: Qatar

etymology: the name may derive from the Arabic word katran, meaning "tar" or "resin" in reference to the area's oil and natural gas reserves

note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is GAT-tar or COT-tar

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Middle East

130 sq km (2022)

chief of mission: Ambassador Meshal bin Hamad AL THANI (since 24 April 2017)

chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600

FAX: [1] (202) 237-0682

email address and website:
info.dc@mofa.gov.qa

https://washington.embassy.qa/en/home

consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

percent of population: 100% (2022 est.)

.qa

stateless persons: 1,200 (2022)

$213.003 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Fitch rating: AA- (2017)

Moody's rating: Aa3 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: AA- (2017)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 15 years (2021)

urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

TV and radio broadcast licensing and access to local media markets are state controlled; home of the satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera, which was originally owned and financed by the Qatari government but has evolved to independent corporate status; Al-Jazeera claims editorial independence in broadcasting; local radio transmissions include state, private, and international broadcasters on FM frequencies in Doha; in August 2013, Qatar's satellite company Es'hailSat launched its first communications satellite Es'hail 1 (manufactured in the US), which entered commercial service in December 2013 to provide improved television broadcasting capability and expand availability of voice and Internet; Es'hailSat launched its second commercial satellite in 2018 with aid of SpaceX (2019)

improved:

urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 99.6% of population

unimproved:

urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)

name: "Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (The Amiri Salute)

lyrics/music: Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN

note: adopted 1996; anthem first performed that year at a meeting of the Gulf Cooperative Council hosted by Qatar

798,000 Ar-Rayyan, 658,000 DOHA (capital) (2023)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

3.02 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

a maroon field surmounted by a white serrated band with nine white points; national colors: maroon, white

37.5% (2012)

household consumption: 19.5% (2022 est.)

government consumption: 12.9% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 30.6% (2022 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2022 est.)

exports of goods and services: 68.6% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services: -31.6% (2022 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

total dependency ratio: 20.7

youth dependency ratio: 16.1

elderly dependency ratio: 2

potential support ratio: 50.1 (2021 est.)

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Qatar

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years; 15 years if an Arab national

most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 251

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 29,178,923 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 12,666,710,000 (2018) mt-km

A7

improved:

urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

non-Qatari 88.4%, Qatari 11.6% (2015 est.)

Muslim 65.2%, Christian 13.7%, Hindu 15.9%, Buddhist 3.8%, folk religion <0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

USA 12%, China 12%, UAE 9%, UK 7%, India 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

4% of GDP (2023 est.)
4% of GDP (2022 est.)
4% of GDP (2021 est.)
4% of GDP (2020 est.)
3.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir 103 m

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

mean elevation: 28 m

2.9% of GDP (2021)

Qatar's military is a small and well-equipped force that is responsible for defense against external threats; following the downturn in ties with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in the mid-2010s, the Qatari Government embarked on an arms acquisition and modernization program to increase the military's capabilities and regional standing; the Air Force's inventory of combat aircraft, for example, grew from 12 older models in 2017 to more than 60 modern multirole fighter aircraft from Europe and the US by the 2020s; it is slated to further increase to about 100 such aircraft; other aircraft acquisitions have included US attack helicopters; the Land Force has re-equipped its armored, mechanized, and artillery units with modern tanks, armored vehicles, and self-propelled artillery, mostly with purchases from Germany and Turkey; meanwhile, the Navy over the same period has received several corvettes and offshore patrol vessels from Italy and Turkey

Qatar hosts the regional headquarters for the US Central Command (CENTCOM; established 1983) and several thousand US military forces at various military facilities, including the Al Udeid Air Base; it has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; Qatar also has close security ties with Turkey and hosts Turkish military forces at two bases established in 2014 and 2019 (2024)

information varies; approximately 15,000 active-duty personnel (10,000 Land Force, including Emiri Guard; 3,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2023)

the Qatari military's inventory includes a broad mix of older and modern weapons systems, mostly from the US and Europe; in the 2010s, Qatar embarked on a military expansion and modernization program with large air, ground, and naval equipment purchases; in recent years, major suppliers have included France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the US; Qatar is one of the world's largest arms importers (2024)

municipal: 530 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 400 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,000,990 tons (2012 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 30,030 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3% (2014 est.)

on food: 14.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 0.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 59.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 103.26 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 8.34 megatons (2020 est.)

Arabian Aquifer System

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Al Zubarah Archaeological Site

exports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

fossil fuels: 99.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

production: 171.805 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption: 48.034 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports: 124.747 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 23.861 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

total petroleum production: 1.818 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 268,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 25.244 billion barrels (2021 est.)

0.94 (2024 est.)

65.8% (2023 est.)

0.67% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.44% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.48% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

total ports: 6 (2024)

large: 0

medium: 1

small: 2

very small: 3

ports with oil terminals: 5

key ports: Al Rayyan Terminal, Al Shaheen Terminal, Doha, Jazirat Halul, Ras Laffan, Umm Said

2.003 million (2023 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total: 0.6% (2023 est.)

male: 0.3% (2023 est.)

female: 1.5% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

total: 34.3 years (2024 est.)

male: 35.7 years

female: 28.1 years

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

$51.539 billion (2023 est.)
$47.389 billion (2022 est.)
$42.213 billion (2021 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

53.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

1.9 children born/woman (2024 est.)

0.13% (2023 est.)
0.13% (2022 est.)
0.14% (2021 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 2,552,088 (2024 est.)

male: 1,961,135

female: 590,953

127.783 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 10,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 27.781 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 99.991 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total : 11,586 sq km

land: 11,586 sq km

water: 0 sq km

26.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

$308.522 billion (2023 est.)
$304.903 billion (2022 est.)
$292.655 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

8 (2025)

total: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total subscriptions: 4.7 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 174 (2022 est.)

35.1 (2017 est.)

3.03% (2023 est.)
5% (2022 est.)
2.3% (2021 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

$36.453 billion (2023 est.)
$63.118 billion (2022 est.)
$26.319 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$116,200 (2023 est.)
$114,700 (2022 est.)
$116,800 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

total: 347,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)

total: 11.8% (2020 est.)

male: 21.7% (2020 est.)

female: 1.9% (2020 est.)

35.1% (2016)

814.308 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

1.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

9.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

installed generating capacity: 11.4 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 51.965 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 3.177 billion kWh (2023 est.)

total: 123 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 4, general cargo 4, oil tanker 2, other 108

NA

$72.174 billion (2023 est.)
$74.52 billion (2022 est.)
$61.204 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$128.709 billion (2023 est.)
$161.693 billion (2022 est.)
$105.549 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

12 (2025)

total subscriptions: 526,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2023 est.)

total: 0.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total population: 80.3 years (2024 est.)

male: 78.2 years

female: 82.4 years

1.19% (2023 est.)
4.19% (2022 est.)
1.63% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

0.31% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

agriculture: 0.3% (2023 est.)

industry: 60.4% (2023 est.)

services: 45.3% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.71% (2024 est.)