At the end of World War I, the Arab states of the gulf
were
weak, with faltering economies and with local rulers who
maintained their autonomy only with British assistance.
The
rulers controlled mainly the small port cities and some of
the
hinterland. The sultan in Oman claimed a somewhat larger
area,
but resistance to his rule made it difficult for him to
exert his
authority much beyond Muscat.
The discovery of oil in the region changed all this.
Oil was
first discovered in Iran, and by 1911 a British concern,
the
Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC), was producing oil in
Iran. The
British found oil in Iraq after World War I. In 1932
Standard Oil
Company of California (Socal) discovered oil in commercial
quantities in Bahrain. Socal then obtained a concession in
Saudi
Arabia in 1933 and discovered oil in commercial quantities
in
1938.
A flurry of oil exploration activity occurred in the
gulf in
the 1930s with the United States and Britain competing
with one
another for oil concessions. One reason for the increased
activity was that in 1932 the new Iranian government of
Reza Shah
Pahlavi revoked APOC's concession. Although the shah and
the
British later agreed on new terms, the threat of losing
Iranian
oil convinced the British in particular that they must
find other
sources. The small states of the Persian Gulf were a
natural
place to look. Geological conditions were similar to those
in
Iran, and, because of treaties signed between 1820 and
1920, the
British had substantial influence and could restrict
foreign
access.
Oil exploration did not mean immediate wealth for Arab
rulers
of the area. Although the oil companies struck large
deposits of
oil in Bahrain almost immediately, it took longer in other
countries to locate finds of commercial size. Oman, for
instance,
was unable to export oil until 1967. World War II delayed
development of whatever fields had been discovered in the
1930s;
so it was not until the 1950s that countries still
technically
dependent on Britain for their security began to earn
large
incomes. The oil fields in Kuwait were developed the
fastest, and
by 1953 that nation had become the largest oil producer in
the
gulf. Considerably smaller fields in Qatar came onstream
in
commercial quantities in the 1950s, and Abu Dhabi began to
export
offshore oil in 1962. Dubayy began to profit from offshore
oil
deposits in the late 1960s.
Until the 1970s, foreign companies owned and managed
the gulf
oil industry. In most cases, European- and United
States-based
concerns formed subsidiaries to work in specific
countries, and
these subsidiaries paid fees to the local rulers, first
for the
right to explore for oil and later for the right to export
the
oil. When the first arrangements were made, local rulers
had a
weak bargaining position because they had few other
sources of
income and were eager to get revenues from the oil
companies as
fast as possible. Moreover, in 1930 no one knew the size
of gulf
oil reserves.
As production increased and the extent of oil deposits
became
known, indigenous rulers improved their terms. In the
1950s,
rulers routinely demanded an equal share of oil company
profits
in addition to a royalty fee. By the 1970s, most of the
gulf
countries, which by then were independent of British
control,
bought major shares in the subsidiary companies that
worked
within their borders. By the early 1990s, many of these
subsidiaries had become completely state-owned concerns.
They
continued to employ Western experts at the highest
decisionmaking levels, but the local government had ultimate
responsibility and profits.
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Background | | 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 second-highest per capita income in the world.
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Location | | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
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Area(sq km) | | total: 11,586 sq km
land: 11,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Geographic coordinates | | 25 30 N, 51 15 E
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Land boundaries(km) | | total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km
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Coastline(km) | | 563 km
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Climate | | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
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Elevation extremes(m) | | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m
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Natural resources | | petroleum, natural gas, fish
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Land use(%) | | arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.27%
other: 98.09% (2005)
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Irrigated land(sq km) | | 130 sq km (2002)
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Total renewable water resources(cu km) | | 0.1 cu km (1997)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) | | total: 0.29 cu km/yr (24%/3%/72%)
per capita: 358 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards | | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
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Environment - current issues | | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
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Environment - international agreements | | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note | | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits
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Population | | 833,285 (July 2009 est.)
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Age structure(%) | | 0-14 years: 21.8% (male 93,805/female 88,040)
15-64 years: 76.8% (male 454,714/female 185,004)
65 years and over: 1.4% (male 6,792/female 4,930) (2009 est.)
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Median age(years) | | total: 30.8 years
male: 32.8 years
female: 25.4 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate(%) | | 0.957% (2009 est.)
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Birth rate(births/1,000 population) | | 15.61 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) | | 2.46 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
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Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population) | | -3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Urbanization(%) | | urban population: 96% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio(male(s)/female) | | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 2.46 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.38 male(s)/female
total population: 2 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) | | total: 12.66 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth(years) | | total population: 75.35 years
male: 73.66 years
female: 77.14 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate(children born/woman) | | 2.45 children born/woman (2009 est.)
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Nationality | | noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari
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Ethnic groups(%) | | Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
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Religions(%) | | Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)
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Languages(%) | | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
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Country name | | conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar
local long form: Dawlat Qatar
local short form: Qatar
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar
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Government type | | emirate
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Capital | | name: Doha
geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions | | 10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal
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Constitution | | ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the Amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005
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Legal system | | based on Islamic and civil law codes; discretionary system of law controlled by the Amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage | | 18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch | | chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as heir apparent, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Heir Apparent TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, fourth son of the amir (selected Heir Apparent by the amir on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
head of government: Prime Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani (since 3 April 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 3 April 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir
elections: the amir is hereditary
note: in April 2007, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has limited consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999
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Legislative branch | | unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every year since the new constitution came into force on 9 June 2005; the constitution provides for a new 45-member Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the Amir would appoint the remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to the Majlis al-Shura
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Judicial branch | | 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
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Political pressure groups and leaders | | none
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International organization participation | | ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, 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, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Flag description | | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side
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Economy - overview | | Qatar has experienced rapid economic growth over the last several years on the back of high oil prices, and in 2008 posted its eighth consecutive budget surplus. 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 have made Qatar the second highest per-capita income country - following Liechtenstein - and one of the world's fastest growing. Proved oil reserves of 15 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for 37 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas are nearly 26 trillion cubic meters, about 14% of the world total and third largest in the world. The drop in oil prices in late 2008 and the global financial crisis will reduce Qatar's budget surplus and may slow the pace of investment and development projects in 2009.
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GDP (purchasing power parity) | | $91.55 billion (2008 est.)
$80.73 billion (2007 est.)
$68.82 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP (official exchange rate) | | $102.3 billion (2008 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate(%) | | 13.4% (2008 est.)
17.3% (2007 est.)
12.2% (2006 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP) | | $111,000 (2008 est.)
$99,100 (2007 est.)
$85,800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP - composition by sector(%) | | agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 74.9%
services: 25.1% (2008 est.)
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Labor force | | 1.119 million (2008 est.)
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Unemployment rate(%) | | 0.4% (2008 est.)
0.7% (2007 est.)
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Population below poverty line(%) | | NA%
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Household income or consumption by percentage share(%) | | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) | | 32.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
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Budget | | revenues: $36.59 billion
expenditures: $27.14 billion (2008 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) | | 15.2% (2008 est.)
13.7% (2007 est.)
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Stock of money | | $13.98 billion (31 December 2008)
$9.718 billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of quasi money | | $36.58 billion (31 December 2008)
$22.6 billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of domestic credit | | $59.43 billion (31 December 2008)
$30.52 billion (31 December 2007)
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Market value of publicly traded shares | | $76.31 billion (31 December 2008)
$95.49 billion (31 December 2007)
$61.56 billion (31 December 2006)
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Economic aid - recipient | | $2.18 million (2004)
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Public debt(% of GDP) | | 5.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
11% of GDP (2007 est.)
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Agriculture - products | | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish
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Industries | | crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair
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Industrial production growth rate(%) | | 13% (2008 est.)
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Current account balance | | $15.07 billion (2008 est.)
$10.45 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports | | $55.73 billion (2008 est.)
$42.02 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports - commodities(%) | | liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel
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Exports - partners(%) | | Japan 38.5%, South Korea 20.9%, Singapore 11.1%, India 4.5%, Thailand 4.4% (2008)
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Imports | | $25.11 billion (2008 est.)
$19.82 billion (2007 est.)
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Imports - commodities(%) | | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals
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Imports - partners(%) | | US 12.1%, Germany 9%, Italy 8.9%, Japan 8%, South Korea 7.5%, France 6.2%, UAE 5.5%, UK 4.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.6%, Turkey 4.2%, China 4.2% (2008)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | | $9.998 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$9.752 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Debt - external | | $57.37 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$33.09 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | | $3.627 billion (2008 est.)
$2.601 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | | $5.363 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$6.993 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Exchange rates | | Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar - 3.64 (2008 est.), 3.64 (2007), 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004)
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Currency (code) | | Qatari rial (QAR)
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Telephones - main lines in use | | 263,400 (2008)
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Telephones - mobile cellular | | 1.683 million (2008)
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Telephone system | | general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 200 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 974; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the US; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and the UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2008)
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Internet country code | | .qa
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Internet users | | 436,000 (2008)
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Airports | | 5 (2009)
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Pipelines(km) | | condensate 145 km; condensate/gas 132 km; gas 978 km; liquid petroleum gas 90 km; oil 382 km (2008)
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Roadways(km) | | total: 7,790 km (2006)
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Ports and terminals | | Doha, Ra's Laffan
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Military branches | | Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) (2009)
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Military service age and obligation(years of age) | | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
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Manpower available for military service | | males age 16-49: 320,383
females age 16-49: 167,475 (2008 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service | | males age 16-49: 318,388
females age 16-49: 136,841 (2009 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually | | male: 6,337
female: 5,059 (2009 est.)
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Military expenditures(% of GDP) | | 10% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Disputes - international | | none
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Trafficking in persons | | current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers, and, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual exploitation; the most common offense was forcing workers to accept worse contract terms than those under which they were recruited; other conditions include bonded labor, withholding of pay, restrictions on movement, arbitrary detention, and physical, mental, and sexual abuse
tier rating: Tier 3 - Qatar failed, for the second consecutive year, to enforce criminal laws against traffickers, or to provide an effective mechanism to identify and protect victims; it continues to detain and deport victims rather than providing them protection; the government made little progress to increase prosecutions for trafficking in a meaningful way in 2007; workers complaining of working conditions or non-payment of wages were sometimes penalized (2008)
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Electricity - production(kWh) | | 15.11 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - production by source(%) | | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption(kWh) | | 13.73 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - exports(kWh) | | 0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity - imports(kWh) | | 0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Oil - production(bbl/day) | | 1.208 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil - consumption(bbl/day) | | 129,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil - exports(bbl/day) | | 1.043 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil - imports(bbl/day) | | 0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves(bbl) | | 15.21 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural gas - production(cu m) | | 76.98 billion cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption(cu m) | | 20.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - exports(cu m) | | 56.78 billion cu m (2008)
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Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) | | 25.26 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) | | 0.09% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | | NA
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HIV/AIDS - deaths | | NA
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Literacy(%) | | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 89.1%
female: 88.6% (2004 census)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years) | | total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
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Education expenditures(% of GDP) | | 3.3% of GDP (2005)
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