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| Qatar | Communications | Back to Top |
modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA
international: 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
| Qatar | Culture | Back to Top |
The Qatari people still strongly espouse Bedouin traditions. Tribal traditions have remained very much alive. Men wear the orthodox abah, and women, who rarely appear outside the home, wear not only heavy black veils but also face masks when in public. This conservatism, has undergone considerable strain with the heavy influx of foreign workers.
The land is stony and largely barren. An extremely hot, arid climate prevails. Humidity is high during the summer (May to October), but the average annual rainfall is less than 127 mm (5 in). Petroleum and natural gas are the natural resources. Qatar relies heavily on imports of food because it has virtually no agricultural land. Water is scarce.
| Qatar | Defence | Back to Top |
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 312,116
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 163,642 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 6,797 (2001 est.)
| Qatar | International Disputes | Back to Top |
in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and adjusted its maritime boundary with Qatar; a final border resolution was agreed to with Saudi Arabia in March of 2001.
| Qatar | Economy | Back to Top |
1998 Qatar’s gross domestic product, which measures the value of all goods and services produced, was $9.2 billion, or $12,830 per capita. Petroleum is the dominant source of income and, along with natural gas, accounted for 75 % of exports in 1994. Oil production in 1999 totaled 284 million barrels; the output of natural gas was 24 billion cu m (850 billion cu ft). Manufactures include cement, fertilizer, and petroleum products. Although some fruits and vegetables are grown, herding is the principal agricultural occupation. In 2000 the nation had 179,000 goats, 207,000 sheep, 50,000 camels, and 14,200 cattle. The fish catch totaled 5,034 metric tons in 1997. The unit of currency is the Qatar riyal.
Qatar's oil production represents less than 1 % of the world's total output. Proven reserves are limited, and, with the prospect of a decline in oil production as reserves are depleted, natural gas is expected to offer the long-term basis for the Qatari economy. Natural-gas production in the nation's oil fields is subject to depletion along with the crude oil, and Qatar therefore began to tap the large reserves of unassociated natural gas in the nation's huge offshore North Field (also known as the Northwest Dome) in 1991. The value of Qatar's exports is around double that of its imports annually. Exports consist chiefly of crude petroleum and liquefied natural gas.
Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 66% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly valuable. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore petroleum and the diversification of the economy. In 2000, Qatar posted its highest ever trade surplus of $6 billion, due mainly to high oil prices and increased natural gas exports.
| Qatar | Education | Back to Top |
Before oil was determined, there was no formal education system in Qatar. Instead, some children in villages and towns memorized passages from the Quran and learned to read and write in a kuttab, an informal class taught in mosques or homes by literate men and women knowledgeable about Islam. Based on the custom of keeping women in a milieu shut off from the political, social, and economic opportunities afforded men, the development of education in Qatar focused mainly on the male population. From 1918 to 1938, for example, an Islamic school for adult males was run by Muhammad Abd al Aziz al Mana, an eminent scholar who had studied under Muhammad Abduh of Egypt and Al Alusi of Baghdad. According to a 1970 study, only 9 % of the population born between 1895 and 1910 were literate, as were 15 % of those born between 1910 and 1920 and 14 % of those born between 1920 and 1930.
The first institutions of higher education in Qatar were separate teacher-training colleges for men and women that opened in 1973. Before that, those wishing to pursue higher degrees either studied abroad (mainly in Egypt and Lebanon) or took correspondence courses. A decree establishing the University of Qatar was passed, and in 1977 faculties of humanities, social studies, Islamic studies, and science joined the education faculty of the teacher-training colleges. In the 1985-86 academic year, about 1,000 Qataris received government scholarships to pursue higher education abroad, mostly in other Arab countries and in the United States, Britain, and France.
| Qatar | Government | Back to Top |
Government: Ruler is Shaykh Khalifa ibn Hamad Al Thani, amir since 1972. heir apparent, Shaykh Hamad ibn Khalifa Al Thani, has taken over much day-to-day decision making. Government structure based on 1970 provisional constitution with Council of Ministers and Advisory Council.
Politics: Power held by amir and royal family. Political parties banned, and no open opposition tolerated.
Foreign Relations: Closely allied with Saudi Arabia on regional and global issues. Foreign policy efforts channeled through Gulf Cooperation Council and other organizations, such as Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and Organization of the Islamic Conference. Member of United Nations and League of Arab States.
| Qatar | History | Back to Top |
Qatar is a small nation controlled by the Persian Gulf's largest ruling family, the Al Thani. The amir, Shaykh Khalifa ibn Hamad Al Thani, is the nation's ruler, but his son, Shaykh Hamad ibn Khalifa Al Thani, in addition to being the heir apparent and minister of defense, wields considerable power in the day-to-day running of the nation. The Al Thani regime tolerates no political opposition. The social mores of the nation are shaped by a somewhat milder version of Wahhabi Islam than is found in neighboring Saudi Arabia. Women are permitted to drive if they obtain permits, for example, and non-Qatari women need not veil in public.
The early 1990s also constituted a watershed time in foreign relations because the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq on August 2, 1990, changed regional and world alignments. Qatar sent troops to fight for Kuwait's liberation and, reversing its previous opposition to the presence of foreign forces in the region, permitted United States, Canadian, and French air force fighter aircraft to operate from Doha. This placed Qatar firmly on the anti-Iraq side of the great rift that split the Arab world after the invasion and weakened the full support for the Palestine Liberation Organization that the nation had previously shown.
| Qatar | Introduction | Back to Top |
Qatar, independent state in the Middle East, one of the Persian Gulf States, occupying the Qatar Peninsula, jutting into the Persian Gulf from the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. On its southern side it is bordered by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; these boundaries are not demarcated. Qatar has an area of about 11,437 sq km (4,416 sq mi). The capital and leading port is Doha.
Official Name- State of Qatar| Qatar | Land | Back to Top |
N/A
| Qatar | Legal | Back to Top |
Legal system: discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is remarkable in personal matters vote: vote is limited to municipal elections administrator 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 JASSIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); 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) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in March 1999 Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council, which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed) note: the constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held since 1970, when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have their terms extended every four years since Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
| Qatar | organization | Back to Top |
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
| Qatar | People | Back to Top |
The population of Qatar before freedom must be around because, until oil revenues created a reason to stay on the peninsula, individuals and whole tribes migrated when the economic or security situation became intolerable. Some sought work elsewhere; others joined neighboring branches of their tribe. In 1908 a British observer around there were 27,000 inhabitants; 6,000 were described as foreign slaves and 425 as Iranian boatbuilders. The population likely remained fairly stable until the 1930s and 1940s, when economic hardship and regional insecurity caused people to migrate to other areas, leaving Qatar with a population of only 16,000 in 1949, according to one estimate.
Qatar was originally settled by nomads from the central part of the Arabian Peninsula. Immigrant workers, now form the majority of the Qatari population, and most of the population is urban. The ethnic divisions include: 20 % native Qatari, 25 % other Arab, 34 % South Asian, 16 % Iranian, and 5 % other. The ratio of men to women stands at around 2 to 1. Arabic is spoken by the majority of the population, while English is commonly used as a second language. Though most Qataris, indigenous and migrant alike, follow the dictates of the Wahhabi interpretation of Sunnite Islam, Qatar is not as strict as neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Economic necessity and the comparatively small number of native Qatari workers has resulted in relative freedom for women.
| Qatar | Politics | Back to Top |
None
| Qatar | Provinces | Back to Top |
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
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| Qatar | Time | Back to Top |
| Qatar | Currency and General Information | Back to Top |
| Qatar Riyals | United States Dollars |
| 1.00 QAR | 0.274681 USD |
| 3.64059 QAR | 1 USD |
| Countries Currency Unit | USD/Unit | Units/USD | |
| DZD | Algeria Dinars | 0.0129554 | 77.1877 |
| USD | United States Dollars | 1.00000 | 1.00000 |
| ARS | Argentina Pesos | 0.341293 | 2.93004 |
| AUD | Australia Dollars | 0.533413 | 1.87472 |
| ATS | Austria Schillings ** | 0.0632609 | 15.8076 |
| BSD | Bahamas Dollars | 1.00000 | 1.00000 |
| BBD | Barbados Dollars | 0.502513 | 1.99000 |
| BEF | Belgium Francs ** | 0.0215788 | 46.3417 |
| BMD | Bermuda Dollars | 1.00000 | 1.00000 |
| BRL | Brazil Reals | 0.430318 | 2.32386 |
| GBP | United Kingdom Pounds | 1.42399 | 0.702251 |
| BGL | Bulgaria Leva | 0.447293 | 2.23567 |
| CAD | Canada Dollars | 0.627606 | 1.59336 |
| CLP | Chile Pesos | 0.00152392 | 656.202 |
| CNY | China Yuan Renminbi | 0.120813 | 8.27726 |
| CYP | Cyprus Pounds | 1.49883 | 0.667186 |
| CZK | Czech Republic Koruny | 0.0281883 | 35.4758 |
| DKK | Denmark Kroner | 0.117155 | 8.53568 |
| XCD | East Caribbean Dollars | 0.370370 | 2.70000 |
| EGP | Egypt Pounds | 0.217271 | 4.60255 |
| EUR | Euro | 0.870489 | 1.14878 |
| FJD | Fiji Dollars | 0.447227 | 2.23600 |
| FIM | Finland Markkaa ** | 0.146406 | 6.83034 |
| FRF | France Francs ** | 0.132705 | 7.53550 |
| DEM | Germany Deutsche Marks ** | 0.445074 | 2.24682 |
| XAU | Gold Ounces | 301.977 | 0.00331151 |
| GRD | Greece Drachmae ** | 0.00255463 | 391.447 |
| HKD | Hong Kong Dollars | 0.128215 | 7.79939 |
| HUF | Hungary Forint | 0.00358416 | 279.006 |
| ISK | Iceland Kronur | 0.00999868 | 100.013 |
| INR | India Rupees | 0.0205205 | 48.7319 |
| IDR | Indonesia Rupiahs | 0.000102055 | 9,798.61 |
| IEP | Ireland Pounds ** | 1.10529 | 0.904738 |
| ILS | Israel New Shekels | 0.212386 | 4.70841 |
| ITL | Italy Lire ** | 0.000449570 | 2,224.35 |
| JMD | Jamaica Dollars | 0.0210041 | 47.6099 |
| JPY | Japan Yen | 0.00754183 | 132.594 |
| JOD | Jordan Dinars | 1.41057 | 0.708931 |
| LBP | Lebanon Pounds | 0.000660937 | 1,513.00 |
| LUF | Luxembourg Francs ** | 0.0215788 | 46.3417 |
| MYR | Malaysia Ringgits | 0.263330 | 3.79751 |
| MXN | Mexico Pesos | 0.111007 | 9.00848 |
| NZD | New Zealand Dollars | 0.440474 | 2.27028 |
| NOK | Norway Kroner | 0.113022 | 8.84780 |
| NLG | Netherlands Guilders ** | 0.395011 | 2.53158 |
| PKR | Pakistan Rupees | 0.0166945 | 59.9000 |
| PHP | Philippines Pesos | 0.0196386 | 50.9202 |
| XPT | Platinum Ounces | 510.962 | 0.00195709 |
| PLN | Poland Zlotych | 0.243488 | 4.10699 |
| PTE | Portugal Escudos ** | 0.00434198 | 230.310 |
| ROL | Romania Lei | 0.0000303433 | 32,956.21 |
| RUR | Russia Rubles | 0.0321342 | 31.1195 |
| SAR | Saudi Arabia Riyals | 0.266668 | 3.74998 |
| XAG | Silver Ounces | 4.65692 | 0.214734 |
| SGD | Singapore Dollars | 0.542540 | 1.84318 |
| SKK | Slovakia Koruny | 0.0208441 | 47.9751 |
| ZAR | South Africa Rand | 0.0883340 | 11.3207 |
| KRW | South Korea Won | 0.000759354 | 1,316.91 |
| ESP | Spain Pesetas ** | 0.00523174 | 191.141 |
| XDR | IMF Special Drawing Rights | 1.24862 | 0.800882 |
| SDD | Sudan Dinars | 0.00384615 | 260.000 |
| SEK | Sweden Kronor | 0.0964189 | 10.3714 |
| CHF | Switzerland Francs | 0.593789 | 1.68410 |
| TWD | Taiwan New Dollars | 0.0286531 | 34.9002 |
| THB | Thailand Baht | 0.0230087 | 43.4619 |
| TTD | Trinidad and Tobago Dollars | 0.163399 | 6.12000 |
| TRL | Turkey Liras | 0.000000763622 | 1,309,549.07 |
| VEB | Venezuela Bolivares | 0.00108696 | 920.000 |
| ZMK | Zambia Kwacha | 0.000239866 | 4,169.00 |
| Qatar : Geographic coordinates | 25 30 N, 51 15 E |
| Qatar : Population growth rate | 3.18% |
| Qatar : Birth rate | 15.91 births/1,000 population |
| Qatar : Death rate | 4.26 deaths/1,000 population |
| Qatar : People living with HIV/AIDS | N/A |
| Qatar : Independence | 3 September 1971 |
| Qatar : National holiday | Independence Day, 3 September |
| Qatar : Constitution | 19 April 1972 |
| Qatar : GDP | purchasing power parity - $15.1 billion |
| Qatar : GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $20,300 |
| Qatar : Electricity - consumption | 8.37 billion kWh |
| Qatar : Exports | $9.8 billion petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel |
| Qatar : Imports | $3.8 billion machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals |
| Qatar : Telephones | 142,000 |
| Qatar : Mobile cellular | 43,476 |
| Qatar : Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 |
| Qatar : Radios | 256,000 |
| Qatar : Television broadcast stations | 2 |
| Qatar : Televisions | 230,000 |
| Qatar : Internet country code | .qa |
| Qatar : Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 |
| Qatar : Internet users | 45,000 |
| Qatar : Railways | N/A |
| Qatar : Highways | 1,230 km |
| Qatar : Waterways | N/A |
| Qatar : Pipelines | crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km |
| Qatar : Ports and harbors | Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) |
| Qatar : Merchant marine | 25 ships |
| Qatar : Airports | 4 |
| Qatar : Heliports | 1 |
| Qatar : Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security |
| Qatar : Military expenditures | $723 million |