Qatar

State of Qatar

LOCATION

Background: 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.

Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N, 51 15 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 11,586 sq km
land: 11,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: almost twice the size of Delaware; slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 87 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 87 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
Elevation: highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir 103 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
mean elevation: 28 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas
Land use: agricultural land: 6.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 1.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 0.1% (2023 est.)
other: 93.4% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 130 sq km (2022)
Major aquifers: Arabian Aquifer System
Population distribution: most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula
Natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
Geography - note: the peninsula occupies a strategic location in the central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Population: total: 2,568,426 (2025 est.)
male: 1,970,605
female: 597,821
Nationality: noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari
Ethnic groups: non-Qatari 88.4%, Qatari 11.6% (2015 est.)
Languages: Languages: 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.
Religions: 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.)
Age structure: 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)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 17.3 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 15.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 1.8 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 54.4 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 34.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 35.7 years
female: 28.1 years
Population growth rate: 0.57% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 9.19 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 1.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula
Urbanization: urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 798,000 Ar-Rayyan, 658,000 DOHA (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio: 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.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 78.2 years
female: 82.4 years
Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.94 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 2.9% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 7.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 3.02 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density: 1.1 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: total: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 35.1% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: 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.)
Tobacco use: total: 19.2% (2025 est.)
male: 24.6% (2025 est.)
female: 2.3% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.3% (2023 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 64.6% (2020 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 9.3% national budget (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years (2022 est.)
male: 12 years (2022 est.)
female: 15 years (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: air, land, and water pollution; limited natural freshwater resources; limited conservation of oil and wildlife
International environmental agreements: 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
Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Land use: agricultural land: 6.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 1.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 4.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 0.1% (2023 est.)
other: 93.4% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 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.)
Particulate matter emissions: 59 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 1,040.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 9.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 64.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 5.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.001 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 582.862 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 40.18 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 311.156 million cubic meters (2022)
Total renewable water resources: 58 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: 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
Government type: absolute monarchy
Capital: name: Doha
geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name is derived from the Arabic ad-dawha, meaning "the big tree," and probably referred to a large tree at the site of the original fishing village
Administrative divisions: 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
Legal system: mixed system of civil law and Islamic (sharia) law (in family and personal matters)
Constitution: 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
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: 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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: 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
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the amir
Legislative branch: legislature name: Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 49 (all appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/9/2025
percentage of women in chamber: 6.1%
expected date of next election: September 2029
Judicial branch: 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
Political parties: political parties are banned
Diplomatic representation in the US: 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.qahttps://washington.embassy.qa/en/home
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Stefanie ALTMAN-WINANS (since June 2025)
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.govhttps://qa.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: 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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 3 September 1971 (from the UK)
National holiday: National Day, 18 December (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Flag: description: maroon with a broad, serrated white band on the left sidemeaning: maroon stands for the blood shed in Qatari wars, and white for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge is a reference to Qatar's status as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" after the Qatari-British treaty of 1916 -- the other eight members are Bahrain and the seven that make up the UAE
National symbol(s): a white serrated band with nine white points on top of a maroon field
National color(s): maroon, white
National anthem(s): title: "Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (Peace be to the Emir)
lyrics/music: Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN
history: adopted 1996
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Al Zubarah Archaeological Site

Economic overview: high-income, oil-and-gas-based Middle Eastern economy; implementing “National Vision 2030” government strategy for economic development, diversification, and favorable business conditions to boost investment and employment; expansion of LNG sector expected to boost growth; Islamic finance leader
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $317.064 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $308.522 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $304.903 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 2.8% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 4.2% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $110,900 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $116,200 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $114,700 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $217.983 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 1.3% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 3% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 5% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 0.3% (2024 est.)
industry: 58.5% (2024 est.)
services: 45.9% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: 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.)
Agricultural products: dates, chicken, tomatoes, camel milk, vegetables, cucumbers/gherkins, pumpkins/squash, eggs, sheep milk, eggplants (2023)
Industries: liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizer, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate: 1.6% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 2.123 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 0.2% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 0.2% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 0.4% (2024 est.)
male: 0.1% (2024 est.)
female: 1.2% (2024 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017: 35.1 (2017 est.)
Average household expenditures: on food: 14.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% (2017 est.)
highest 10%: 25.8% (2017 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $65.922 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $57.258 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 46.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: $38.117 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $36.453 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $63.118 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $125.216 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $128.709 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $161.693 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: China 18%, India 11%, S. Korea 10%, Japan 7%, Pakistan 6% (2023)
Exports - commodities: natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, fertilizers (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $69.692 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $72.174 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $74.52 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: USA 12%, China 12%, UAE 9%, UK 7%, India 5% (2023)
Imports - commodities: gas turbines, cars, aircraft, iron pipes, ships (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $53.987 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $51.539 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $47.389 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 3.64 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 3.64 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 3.64 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 3.64 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 3.64 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: 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.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 99.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: exports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: 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.)
Natural gas: 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.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 814.308 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 526,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 4.68 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 154 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: state-controlled TV and radio licensing and access to local media markets; home of satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera, which was originally state-owned but is now independent; local radio includes state, private, and international broadcasters on FM frequencies; satellite TV available (2019)
Internet country code: .qa
Internet users: percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 347,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: A7
Airports: 8 (2025)
Heliports: 12 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 123 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 4, general cargo 4, oil tanker 2, other 108
Ports: 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

Military and security forces: 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 Force (ISF or Lekhwiya) (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023: 5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 4% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2019: 3.4% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 15,000 active-duty Qatar Armed Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Qatari military's inventory is a mix of older and modern weapons systems, mostly from Türkiye, the US, and various European countries, including France, Germany, and Italy (2025)
Military service age and obligation: typically 18-30 for voluntary service for men and women; compulsory military service for men 18-35; compulsory service is from 4-12 months, depending on educational and professional circumstances (2025)
Military - note: Qatar's military is responsible for territorial defense and maritime security; the military is in the midst of a large equipment acquisition program designed to enhance its capabilities and Qatar's regional standing; Qatar has military ties with a variety of countries, including France, the UK, the US, Turkey, and member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); it 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; Qatar 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 hosts Turkish military forces at two bases established in 2014 and 2019; the Qatari military is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 349 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 1,200 (2024 est.)