Economy overview: The oil industry accounts for over 30% of GDP, generates approximately 80% of export revenues and 66% of government revenues. Explored oil reserves, estimated at 3.7 billion barrels, guarantee the maintenance of today’s oil production rates for 23 years. Thanks to oil, Qatar’s GDP per capita is comparable to that of the leading Western European industrial countries. The explored reserves of natural gas in Qatar exceed 7 billion cubic meters, which is more than 5% of the world’s gas reserves (third place in the world). Extraction and export of natural gas is becoming a very important industry. In long-term plans, special attention is paid to the development of oil fields in the open part of the bay and the development of other sectors of the economy. In 2000 GDP: at purchasing power parity – $15.1 billion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 4% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: at purchasing power parity – $20,300 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 1%; industry: 49%; services: 50% (1996 est.). Proportion of the population below the poverty line: no data available. Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: for the poorest 10% of households: n/a; by top 10% of households: no data. Inflation rate at consumer prices: 2.5% (2000). Labor force: 233,000 people (1993 est.). Employment structure: Unemployment rate: no data. Budget: revenues: $3.9 billion; expenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures – n/a (1999 est.). Spheres of economy: extraction and refining of crude oil, fertilizer production, petrochemical industry, reinforced steel production, cement production. Growth in industrial production: no data available. Electricity generation: 9 billion kWh (1999). Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 100%; hydropower: 0%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 0% (1999). Electricity consumption: 8.37 billion kWh (1999) Electricity export: 0 kWh (1999). Electricity import: 0 kWh (1999). Agricultural products: fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish. Exports: $9.8 billion (free on board, 2000 est.) Export items: petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel. Export partners: Japan 52%, Singapore 9%, South Korea 8%, USA, UAE (1998). Imports: $3.8 billion (free on board, 2000 est.) Imports: machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals. Import partners: UK 10%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, US 6%, Italy 6% (1998). External debt: $13.1 billion (2000 est.) Recipient of economic assistance: no data. Economic aid donor: Currency: Qatari rial. Currency code: QAR. Exchange rate: QAR/USD – 3.6400 (fixed rate). Fiscal year: April 1-March 31.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 142,000 (1997). Mobile Cell Phones: 43,476 (1997). Telephone system: modern system; internal: no data; international: troposcatter communication with Bahrain; microwave radio relay communication with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations -2 Intel-sat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat. Broadcast stations: AM – 6, FM – 5, shortwave -1 (1998). Radio receivers: 256,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 2 (and 3 repeaters) (1997). TVs: 230,000 (1997). Internet country code: qa Internet Service Providers: 1 (2000). Number of users: 45,000 (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: 0 km. Roads: total: 1,230 km; coated: 1,107 km; unpaved: 123 km (1996 est.). Pipelines: for crude oil – 235 km; for natural gas – 400 km. Ports and harbors: Doha, Umm Said, Halul island. Merchant fleet: total: 25 ships (of 1,000 tons displacement or more) with a total displacement of 677,992 gross register tons / 1,049,447 long tons of gross tonnage; vessels of different types: cargo ships – 10, combined ore and oil carriers – 2, container ships – 7, oil tankers – 6 (2000 est.). Airports: 4 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 2; over 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 2; from 914 to 1523 m:1; less than 914 m: 1 (2000 est.). Helipads: 1 (2000 est.).
Armed forces
Branches of the armed forces: army, navy, air force, public security forces. See militarynous.com to know more about Qatar Military. Enlistment age: 18 years old. Total military manpower: men aged 15 to 49: 312,116; note: including foreign nationals (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: males aged 15 to 49: 163,642 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: male: 6,797 (2001 est.). Military spending in dollar terms: $723 million (FY00-01) Military spending as part of GDP: 10% (FY00-01).
International Issues
International issues International disputes: in March 2001, the International Court of Justice ruled that the Hawar Islands belonged to Bahrain and established its maritime border with Qatar; in March 2001, the question of the border with Saudi Arabia was finally resolved.
