Country: 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; Exclusive fishing zone: as delimited with neighboring states, or to limit of shelf, or to median line; Extended economic zone: to median line; 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: NEGL% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 5% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 95% other 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: 490,897 (July 1990), growth rate 5.7% (1990) Birth rate: 22 births/1,000 population (1990) Death rate: 3 deaths/1,000 population (1990) Net migration rate: 38 migrants/1,000 population (1990) Infant mortality rate: 25 deaths/1,000 live births (1990) Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 73 years female (1990) Total fertility rate: 4.2 children born/woman (1990) Nationality: noun--Qatari(s); adjective--Qatari Ethnic divisions: 40% Arab, 18% Pakistani, 18% Indian, 10% Iranian, 14% other Religion: 95% Muslim Language: Arabic (official); English is commonly used as second language Literacy: 40% 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: Arab League, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, 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 Fariq Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha (mailing address is P. O. Box 2399, Doha); telephone p974o 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 90% of export earnings and more than 80% 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 $17,000, among the highest in the world. GDP: $5.4 billion, per capita $17,070; real growth rate 9.0% (1987) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (1987) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $3.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY88 est.) Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities--petroleum products 90%, steel, fertilizers; partners--France, FRG, Italy, Japan, Spain Imports: $1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.), excluding military equipment; commodities--foodstuffs, beverages, animal and vegetable oils, chemicals, machinery and equipment; partners--EC, Japan, Arab countries, US, Australia External debt: $1.1 billion (December 1989 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 0.6% (1987) 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 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, Musayid, Halul Island Merchant marine: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 273,318 GRT/420,227 DWT; includes 7 cargo, 3 container, 2 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; satellite earth stations--1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT - Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Department Military manpower: males 15-49, 255,474; 120,614 fit for military service; 3,982 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: NA