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Qatar
Qatar
Population
2.9M
Rank #139Source: World Bank
Capital
Doha
Source: REST Countries
Region
Africa
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Source: REST Countries
GDP (Nominal)
$219.16B
Rank #56Source: World Bank
Land Area
11.6K km²
Rank #160Source: REST Countries
Life Expectancy
82.368 yrs
Source: World Bank
Historical Trends
Population Trend (5-Year)
Source: World Bank
GDP Trend (5-Year, Nominal USD)
Source: World Bank
Geography
Area: 11,586 km²
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert
Elevation: mean elevation: 28 m lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Tuwayyir al Hamir 103 m
Natural Hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
Environmental Issues: air, land, and water pollution are significant environmental issues; limited natural freshwater resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities; other issues include...
Land Use: agricultural land: 5.6% (2011 est.) forest: 0% (2011 est.) other: 94.4% (2011 est.)
Geography Note: the peninsula occupies a strategic location in the central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits
Natural Resources
petroleumfishnatural gas
People & Society
Fertility Rate
1.73
Population
2.9M
Ethnic Groups
non-Qatari (88.4%)Qatari (11.6%)
Religions
Muslim (67.7%)Christian (13.8%)Hindu (13.8%)Buddhist (3.1%)other (0.7%)unaffiliated (0.9%)
Economy
GDP per Capita
$76,688.694
GDP per Capita PPP
126,046.355
(2024)
(2024)
GNI per Capita
77,290
(2024)
(2024)
Gini Index
35.1
(2017)
(2017)
Unemployment
0.13%
(2024)
(2024)
Inflation
1.267%
(2024)
(2024)
Public Debt
Not Available
Energy
Electricity Access
100%
(2023)
(2023)
Renewable Energy
Not Available
CO₂ Emissions
135.267 Mt
(2024)
(2024)
Energy Intensity
7.2 MJ/$
(2021)
(2021)
Renewable Electricity
0.276%
(2021)
(2021)
Environment
Forest Coverage
Not Available
Communications
Internet Users
99.653%
(2023)
(2023)
Mobile Penetration
157.821%
(2023)
(2023)
Broadband Subscribers
11.641%
(2023)
(2023)
Transportation
Air Transport Freight
13,926.597 M ton-km
(2023)
(2023)
Container Port Traffic
1,543,591 TEU
(2021)
(2021)
Airports
207,019.636
Rail Lines
N/A
Roads Total
20,760 km(©IRF)
Military
Military Forces
Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF, includes Emiri Guard), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN, includes Coast Guard), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF); Internal Security Forces: Mobile Gendarmerie
Personnel Strength
size assessments for the Qatari Amiri military vary; approximately 14,000 active personnel (10,000 Land Force, including Emiri Guard; 2,000 Navy, including Coast Guard; 2,000 Air Force); est. 5,000...
Military Expenditure (USD)
$15.41B
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)
6.50%
Equipment & Inventories
the Qatari military's inventory includes a mix of older and modern weapons systems, mostly from the US and Europe, particularly France, Germany, and the UK; the leading providers of armaments to...
Service Age & Obligation
conscription for males aged 18-35; compulsory service times range from 4 months to up to a year, depending on the cadets educational and professional circumstances; women are permitted to serve in...
Education
Pre-Primary Enrollment
53.997%
(2021)
(2021)
Primary Enrollment
94.197%
(2022)
(2022)
Secondary Enrollment
102.968%
(2022)
(2022)
Tertiary Enrollment
35.085%
(2022)
(2022)
Education Spending
3.234% of GDP
(2020)
(2020)
Adult Literacy Rate
97.75%
(2014)
(2014)
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
12.168:1
(2018)
(2018)
Health
Physicians per 1,000
3.022
(2023)
(2023)
Safe Water Access
99.989%
(2024)
(2024)
Safe Drinking Water
95.345%
(2024)
(2024)
Under-5 Mortality
6 per 1,000
(2023)
(2023)
Maternal Mortality (World Bank)
19.964 per 100,000
(2021)
(2021)
Hospital Beds per 1,000
77.98
(2021)
(2021)
UHC Coverage Index
84
(2023)
(2023)
Measles Immunization
96%
(2024)
(2024)
Social Indicators
Extreme Poverty Rate
Not Available
Food Insecurity
Not Available
Youth NEET Rate
0.54%
(2022)
(2022)
Governance
Women in Government
4.444%
(2024)
(2024)
Voice & Accountability
-0.97
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Political Stability
0.99
(Above Average)
(2023)
(Above Average)
(2023)
Government Effectiveness
1.20
(Strong)
(2023)
(Strong)
(2023)
Regulatory Quality
0.98
(Above Average)
(2023)
(Above Average)
(2023)
Rule of Law
0.93
(Above Average)
(2023)
(Above Average)
(2023)
Control of Corruption
0.70
(Above Average)
(2023)
(Above Average)
(2023)
Government
Government Type
absolute monarchy
Legal System
mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic (sharia) law (in family and personal matters)
Executive Branch
chief of state: Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013) head of government: Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh KHALID ibn Khalifa ibn Abdul Aziz Al Thani (since 28 January...
Legislative Branch
description: unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (45 seats; 30 members directly elected by popular vote for 4-year re-electable terms; 15 members appointed by the monarch to serve until...
Judicial Branch
highest courts: 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...
National Symbols
Flag Description
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...
National Symbols
a maroon field surmounted by a white serrated band with nine white points; national colors: maroon, white
National Anthem
name: "Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (The Amiri Salute) lyrics/music: Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN note: adopted 1996; anthem first performed that year at a meeting of the Gulf...
Safety
Homicide Rate
0.069 per 100,000
(2022)
(2022)
Travel Information
Language(s): Arabic
Currency: QAR (ر.ق)
Timezone(s): UTC+03:00
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
Driving Side: Right
Calling Code: +974
Car Sign: Q
Week Starts: Sunday
Photos
The old and new zones of Doha, the capital city of Qatar, are clearly visible from the International Space Station. The old city comprises the ancient bazaar, or Souq, near the dhow harbor, which is still used today for traditional Arab sailing vessels. Modern port facilities have sprung up to the east of the Souq. Subsequent developments have sprouted progressively further from the ancient center, with ring roads concentrically arranged around it. The diplomatic quarter is reached via the waterfront Corniche promenade, north of the old city. Further away, an extensive marina known as West Bay Lagoon, with boating access to the Persian Gulf, stands out (image top). Qatar's new artificial island, known as the Pearl-Qatar, is under construction with 32 km of new coastline just offshore of West Bay Lagoon. This development is intended mainly as a residential zone, with themes based on Arabic, Mediterranean, and European cultures. The Pearl-Qatar is so named because it is being built on one of Qatar's historical pearl diving sites. A string of small islands built along the outer margin is intended to recall the pearl-diving culture of the nation's past. Image courtesy of NASA.
The old and new zones of Doha, the capital city of Qatar, are clearly visible from the International Space Station. The old city comprises the ancient bazaar, or Souq, near the dhow harbor, which is still used today for traditional Arab sailing vessels. Modern port facilities have sprung up to the east of the Souq.
Subsequent developments have sprouted progressively further from the ancient center, with ring roads concentrically arranged around it. The diplomatic quarter is reached via the waterfront Corniche promenade, north of the old city. Further away, an extensive marina known as West Bay Lagoon, with boating access to the Persian Gulf, stands out (image top).
Qatar's new artificial island, known as the Pearl-Qatar, is under construction with 32 km of new coastline just offshore of West Bay Lagoon. This development is intended mainly as a residential zone, with themes based on Arabic, Mediterranean, and European cultures. The Pearl-Qatar is so named because it is being built on one of Qatar's historical pearl diving sites. A string of small islands built along the outer margin is intended to recall the pearl-diving culture of the nation's past. Image courtesy of NASA. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
A massive sandstorm over the Persian Gulf state of Qatar blows southward (to the right) toward southeastern Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in this image photographed from the International Space Station. Image courtesy of NASA.
A massive sandstorm over the Persian Gulf state of Qatar blows southward (to the right) toward southeastern Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in this image photographed from the International Space Station. Image courtesy of NASA. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
Area comparison map
Area comparison map • CIA World Factbook • 2020
3 photos available
Data sources: World Bank, UN Data • Updated daily •Learn about our data