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 by 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 Doha’s hosting international sporting events. Qatar became the first country in the Arab world to host the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2022.
land: 11,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km
border countries (1): Saudi Arabia 87 km
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
mean elevation: 28 m
arable land: 1.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 4.3% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 94.4% (2018 est.)
2,532,104 (2023 est.)
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari
non-Qatari 88.4%, Qatari 11.6% (2015 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.
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.)
0-14 years: 13.08% (male 167,065/female 164,110)
15-64 years: 85.51% (male 1,757,982/female 407,120)
65 years and over: 1.41% (2023 est.) (male 23,544/female 12,283)
total dependency ratio: 20.7
youth dependency ratio: 16.1
elderly dependency ratio: 2
potential support ratio: 50.1 (2021 est.)
total: 34.2 years (2023 est.)
male: 35.5 years
female: 28.1 years
0.86% (2023 est.)
9.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
1.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula
urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
798,000 Ar-Rayyan, 658,000 DOHA (capital) (2023)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 4.32 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.92 male(s)/female
total population: 3.34 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
8 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
total: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.9 deaths/1,000 live births
total population: 80 years (2023 est.)
male: 77.9 years
female: 82.2 years
1.9 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.94 (2023 est.)
37.5% (2012)
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 99.6% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)
4.2% of GDP (2020)
2.49 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
35.1% (2016)
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: 11.8% (2020 est.)
male: 21.7% (2020 est.)
female: 1.9% (2020 est.)
NA
65.8% (2023 est.)
3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.5%
male: 92.4%
female: 94.7% (2017)
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 15 years (2021)
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
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
agricultural land: 5.6% (2018 est.)
arable land: 1.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 4.3% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 94.4% (2018 est.)
urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 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.)
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.)
Arabian Aquifer System
municipal: 530 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 400 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
high-income, oil-and-gas-based Middle Eastern economy; better regional integration after 2021 terrorism resolution; sports-led infrastructure investments; Islamic finance leader; citizenship-based labor force growth
$249.636 billion (2021 est.)
$245.727 billion (2020 est.)
$255.01 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
1.59% (2021 est.)
-3.64% (2020 est.)
0.77% (2019 est.)
$92,900 (2021 est.)
$89,000 (2020 est.)
$90,800 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
$191.29 billion (2018 est.)
2.3% (2021 est.)
-2.54% (2020 est.)
-0.67% (2019 est.)
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.
agriculture: 0.2% (2017 est.)
industry: 50.3% (2017 est.)
services: 49.5% (2017 est.)comparison rankings:
household consumption: 24.6% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 17% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 43.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.5% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 51% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -37.3% (2017 est.)
tomatoes, dates, camel milk, sheep milk, goat milk, pumpkins/gourds, mutton, poultry, milk, eggplants
liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizer, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair
0.66% (2021 est.)
1.977 million (2021 est.)
0.26% (2021 est.)
0.21% (2020 est.)
0.1% (2019 est.)
total: 1.1% (2021 est.)
male: 0.9%
female: 2.1%
NA
41.1 (2007 est.)
on food: 12.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 35.9% (2007)
revenues: $65.922 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $57.258 billion (2019 est.)
-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
53.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
46.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
26.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
1 April - 31 March
$26.319 billion (2021 est.)
-$2.986 billion (2020 est.)
$4.26 billion (2019 est.)
$105.549 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$70.933 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$92.046 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
China 13%, Japan 11%, India 11%, South Korea 10%, Singapore 6% (2021)
natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, ethylene polymers, fertilizers (2021)
$61.204 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$59.065 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$66.77 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
China 14%, United Arab Emirates 8%, United States 7%, United Kingdom 6%, India 6% (2021)
cars, gas turbines, jewelry, broadcasting equipment, gold (2021)
$42.213 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$40.973 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$39.718 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
$167.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$157.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
3.64 (2021 est.)
3.64 (2020 est.)
3.64 (2019 est.)
3.64 (2018 est.)
3.64 (2017 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
installed generating capacity: 10.633 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 44,116,984,000 kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 2.772 billion kWh (2019 est.)comparison rankings:
fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
total petroleum production: 1,815,100 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 293,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 1,264,400 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 25.244 billion barrels (2021 est.)
273,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
485,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
12,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
production: 167,460,996,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
consumption: 37,701,809,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 126,749,621,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 23,860,500,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
111.922 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 33.44 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 78.482 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
723.582 million Btu/person (2019 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
6 (2021)
4
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
2
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
1 (2021)
288 km condensate, 221 km condensate/gas, 2,383 km gas, 90 km liquid petroleum gas, 745 km oil, 103 km refined products (2013)
total: 7,039 km (2016)
total: 123 (2022)
by type: bulk carrier 6, container ship 4, general cargo 4, oil tanker 3, other 106
major seaport(s): Doha, Musay’id, Ra’s Laffan
LNG terminal(s) (export): Ras Laffan
manyapis