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Official Name: Known as the State of Qatar or more commonly as Qatar.
Capital: The capital city of Qatar is Doha, which is situated on the central eastern coast of the Qatar peninsula. It is found in the Ad Dawhah municipality of the country.
Location: Qatar occupies a small peninsula that extends out of the larger Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia borders the nation in the south, while the rest of the nation is surrounded completely by the Persian Gulf.
Size: The total land area of Qatar is 11,437 square kilometers, and this ranks 172nd worldwide. The country is comparatively slight smaller than the size to the U.S. state of Connecticut.
Climate: Qatar’s climate can be described as arid. The winters are typically mild and pleasant, while the summer can be very hot and humid, with temperatures climbing to over 40 degrees Celsius or higher.
Population: The population of Qatar is 833,285, and this ranks 159th in the world. It is important to note that the majority of the nation’s population lives in the capital city, Doha. There has been a great amount of immigration to the nation, and the population is expected to surpass one million very soon.
Life expectancy at birth: The average life expectancy at birth in Qatar is 75.35, placing 80th globally. There is a three and a half year gap between the averages of males to females, with males averaging 73.66 years, versus females at 77.14 years.
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Qatar is very low at 0.09%, and this ranks 166th globally. The number of people living with the disease, or those who die from it, is so low that in terms of record keeping it is not applicable.
Major illnesses: The risk of major infectious diseases in Qatar is low. There have been a small number of reported cases of meningitis in the capital, Doha.
Ethnic Groups: Qatar is composed of a diverse set of ethnic groups. The predominant ethnicity is Arab, which composes 40% of the country. The other ethnicities represented include Indian (18%), Pakistani (18%), Iranian (10%), and other (14%). It is important to note that of Qatar’s inhabitants only 300,000 represent citizens, with the majority of the population being expatriate workers from other nations.
Languages: In Qatar, Arabic is the official language of the country, although English is commonly used as a second language for business interactions and in the service industries (hotels, restaurants and service companies).
Religion: Qatar is predominantly Muslim, with 77.5% of people practicing the religion. Of this group, 98% of Muslims in Qatar are Sunni. While this majority has existed since the establishment of the nation, Christianity is emergent and increasing with 8.2% of people practicing some form, including Roman Catholicism. Other religions comprise the remaining 14% of the population.
Government: Qatar is an emirate. This means that the country is ruled by way of an absolute monarchy, or the Emir who is both the head of state and of government. There is a prime minister, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, who is also a member of the royal family and the cousin of the current Emir. The cabinet is composed of ministers who are all appointed by the Monarch. There are no direct elections in the country, as the monarchy is hereditary.
Head of State: The Head of State in Qatar is Amir Hamad bin Khalifa, who has reigned as the Emir of Qutar since ousting his father Amir Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani in a bloodless coup on June 27th 1995.
Head of Government: The Head of Government is Amir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. The Prime Minister, Hamad bin Jassmim bin Jaber Al Thani, is also a quasi head of government, although he reports to and is advised by the Emir on matters of national importance.
Military: Qatar’s military forces are divided up into three separate branches, the Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN) and Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF). There is no conscription in the country, and voluntary service is permitted at 18 years of age. The manpower available for military service is numbered at 320,383. The country spends about 10% of its GDP on its military, and this ranks 2nd in the world in terms of overall military expenditures.
Economy: Qatar has enjoyed strong economic expansion over the last decade, thanks to its large oil and natural gas exports and the rising price of oil worldwide. In 2008, the country posted its 8th consecutive year of a budget surplus. The economy is focused on developing the nation’s non-associated natural reserves of oil and gas, as well as strengthening private and international investment in other sectors other than oil. That said, oil still accounts for 50% of the country’s GDP, 85% of its exports as well as 70% of government revenues. This has allowed the country to have the second highest per capita income in the world, trailing only Liechtenstein. Qatar’s oil reserves constitute 14% of the world total, and the third largest in the world. These reserves, amounting 15 billion barrels, should allow the country to continue its present output for another 4 decades.
GDP: Qatar has purchasing power parity GDP of US$ 85.35 billion, and this ranks 72nd worldwide. Its official growth rate is 11.2%, which ranks 5th globally. The per capita GDP stands at US$103,500, and is the second highest per-capita GDP in the world.
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