| GEOGRAPHY |
| 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 |
| Capital: |
Doha |
| Location: |
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia |
| Geographic
Coordinates: |
25 30 N, 51 15 E |
| Area: |
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
Comparative: |
slightly smaller than Connecticut |
| Land
Boundaries: |
total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
| Coastline: |
563 km |
| Maritime
Claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line |
| Climate: |
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
| Terrain: |
mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel |
| Elavation
Extremes: |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
| Natural
Resources: |
petroleum, natural gas, fish |
| GOVERNEMENT |
| Governement
Type: |
traditional monarchy |
| Administratives
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 |
| Independence |
3 September 1971 (from UK) |
| National
Holiday: |
Independence Day, 3 September (1971) |
| Constitution: |
provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari voters approved the new constitution; on 8 June 2004 the new constitution came into force |
| Legal
System; |
discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters |
| Suffrage |
18 years of age; universal |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Political
parties and Leaders: |
none |
| PEOPLE |
| Population: |
863,051 (July 2005 est.) |
| 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.) |
| Median age: |
total: 31.57 years
male: 36.87 years
female: 22.33 years (2005 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari |
| Ethnic groups: |
Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% |
| Religions: |
Muslim 95% |
| Languages: |
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language |
| COMUNICATIONS |
| Telephones - main
lines in use: |
184,500 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile
cellular: |
376,500 (2003) |
| 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 |
| Radio broadcast
stations: |
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Television broadcast
stations: |
1 (plus three repeaters) (2001) |
| Internet country
code: |
.qa |
| Internet hosts: |
221 (2004) |
| Internet users: |
126,000 (2003) |
| TRANSPORT |
| Railways: |
|
| Highways: |
total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km
unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.) |
| Waterways: |
|
| 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) |
| Ports and harbors: |
Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) |
| 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) |
| Airports: |
4 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Heliports: |
1 (2004 est.) |
