Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the Amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. As of 2007, oil and natural gas revenues had enabled Qatar to attain the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar has not experienced the level of unrest or violence seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2010-11, due in part to its immense wealth. Qatar's international image is bolstered in part by the Doha-based Al Jazirah news network, which has provided comprehensive coverage of the Near East and North African Arab revolutions. Additionally, Qatar played a significant role in the Libyan revolution by pressing the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League to assist the Libyan rebel movement.

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

slightly smaller than Connecticut

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

petroleum, natural gas, fish

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

limited natural freshwater resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)

1,951,591 (July 2012 est.)

10.23 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

1.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

40.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

DOHA (capital) 427,000 (2009)

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

1.93 children born/woman (2012 est.)

2.757 physicians/1,000 population (2006)

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2008)

less than 0.1% (2009 est.)

fewer than 200 (2009 est.)

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)

7 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Az Za'ayin, Umm Salal

3 September 1971 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 3 September (1971); also observed is National Day, 18 December (1878) (anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne)

ratified by public referendum 29 April 2003; endorsed by the Amir 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005

mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic law (in family and personal matters)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

18 years of age; universal

unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (45 seats; 15 members appointed; 30 members elected by popular vote)

Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; an Administrative Court and a Constitutional Court were established in 2007; note - all judges are appointed by Amiri Decree based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council for renewable three-year terms

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CICA (observer), FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side; maroon represents the blood shed in Qatari wars, white stands for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge signifies Qatar as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916

Qatar has prospered in the last several years with continued high real GDP growth in 2011. Qatari authorities throughout the financial crisis sought to protect the local banking sector with direct investments into domestic banks. GDP rebounded in 2010 largely due to the increase in oil prices and 2011's growth was supported by Qatar's investment in expanding its gas sector. Economic policy is focused on developing Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors, but oil and gas still account for more than 50% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas likely have made Qatar the second highest per-capita income country - behind Liechtenstein - and the country with the lowest unemployment. Proved oil reserves in excess of 25 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for 57 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, more than 13% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar's successful 2022 world cup bid will likely accelerate large-scale infrastructure projects such as Qatar's metro system and the Qatar-Bahrain causeway.

$184.3 billion (2011 est.)

$155.1 billion (2010 est.)

$133 billion (2009 est.)

$173.8 billion (2011 est.)

$104,300 (2011 est.)

1.241 million (2011 est.)

27.8% of GDP (2011 est.)

42.7% of GDP (2011 est.)

13.3% of GDP (2011 est.)

33.1% of GDP (2011 est.)

29% of GDP (2010 est.)

3.5% (31 December 2010 est.)

5.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

5.49% (31 December 2011 est.)

7.34% (31 December 2010 est.)

$31.13 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$18.77 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$85.16 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$72.72 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$121.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$89.61 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$125.4 billion (31 December 2011)

$123.6 billion (31 December 2010)

$87.86 billion (31 December 2009)

fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair

$53.57 billion (2011 est.)

$21.03 billion (2010 est.)

$107 billion (2011 est.)

$72.04 billion (2010 est.)

liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Japan 26.6%, South Korea 18.3%, India 8.1%, Singapore 6.6%, UK 6.5%, China 4.1% (2011)

$23.08 billion (2011 est.)

$20.94 billion (2010 est.)

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

US 12.9%, UAE 12.5%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UK 6.2%, China 5.5%, Germany 5.2%, Japan 4.7%, France 4.6%, Italy 4.5% (2011)

$16.82 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$31.19 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$125.3 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$108.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$38.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$32.79 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$30.54 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$25.54 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar -

22.28 billion kWh (2010 est.)

17.33 billion kWh (2009 est.)

3.893 million kW (2009 est.)

100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

1.631 million bbl/day (2011 est.)

704,300 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

25.38 billion bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

153,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

169,900 bbl/day (2011 est.)

53,230 bbl/day (2008 est.)

11,940 bbl/day (2008 est.)

116.7 billion cu m (2010 est.)

21.8 billion cu m (2010 est.)

94.9 billion cu m (2010 est.)

25.2 trillion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

64.68 million Mt (2010 est.)

2.302 million (2011)

TV and radio broadcast media are state controlled; home of the satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera, which was originally owned and financed by the Qatari Government; Al-Jazeera claims editorial independence in broadcasting; transmissions of several international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Doha (2007)

condensate 145 km; condensate/gas 132 km; gas 980 km; liquid petroleum gas 90 km; oil 382 km (2010)

Doha, Mesaieed (Umaieed), Ra's Laffan

Qatari Emiri Land Force (QELF), Qatari Emiri Navy (QEN), Qatari Emiri Air Force (QEAF) (2012)

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)

10% of GDP (2005 est.)