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Middle East and North Africa
Qatar |
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Last reviewed: 02 November 2009 |
Country information
Area: 11,435 sq km
Population: 1.4m (Planning Council, Annual Abstract 2008)
Capital City: Doha
People: Arab, Muslim majority
Languages: Arabic (official), English (also widely-used)
Religion(s): Islam
Currency: Qatari Riyal (QR); 1 QR = 100 Dirhams
Major political parties: None
Government: Monarchy
Head of State: Emir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
Heir Apparent: His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister: His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry: His Excellency Abdallah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah
Membership of international groups/organisations: Arab League, Gulf Co-operation Council, Organisation of the Islamic Conference, OPEC, United Nations
ECONOMY
Basic Economic Facts
GDP: US$71.2 billion (2007 est, Qatar Statistic Authority)
GDP per capita: US$74,000
Annual Growth: 14.2%
Inflation: 13.73%
Major Industries: Petrochemicals, Financial Services, Construction
Major trading partners: Japan, US, UK, Singapore, South Korea, Italy, Germany, UAE, France, Saudi Arabia
Exchange rate: £1 = QR 5.97 (October 2009) US$1 = QR 3.64 (fixed)
While income from oil, currently produced at around 800,000 barrels per day, accounts for most of the government's revenue, Qatar's future economy will depend increasingly on gas. Qatar has invested heavily in world class Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities including a deep-water port at Ras Laffan to exploit the North Dome gas field. This field is the world’s largest non-associated gas field, holding 14-16% of world reserves. At current planned rates of extraction the field will last for over two hundred years. Qatar is already the leading global supplier of LNG and output is expected to increase to 77 million tonnes per year by 2012. There are two national gas companies, Qatargas and RasGas. Through the South Hook LNG terminal in Wales, Qatar is capable of supplying up to 20% of the UK’s gas needs. Government efforts to diversify the economy have led to the establishment of petrochemical, oil-refining, and fertiliser industries, as well as the establishment of Qatar Airways, the Qatar Science and Technology Park and the growth of Doha as a regional conference centre.
HISTORY
Recent History
Qatar’s political system is modernising from a traditional tribal system. Political reform, along with wider economic and social development, has accelerated since the present Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani came to power in 1995, replacing his father in a bloodless coup. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was appointed Heir Apparent in 2003. The Rulers of Qatar are Sunni Muslim.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Qatar's relations with its neighbours
Qatar is a member of the Gulf Co-operation Council alongside its neighbours Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It hosted the 2007 GCC Summit in Doha.
Coverage of regional events by the Al Jazeera TV Channel, which is based in Doha, has strained bilateral relations with some of Qatar’s neighbours at times.
On 16 March 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced its judgement on the long-standing maritime delimitation and territorial dispute between Bahrain and Qatar. This peaceful settlement has provided the impetus for renewed co-operation, including plans for a causeway to link the two countries by road and rail.
Qatar's relations with the international community
Qatar is active in both regional and international diplomacy.
In 2009 Qatar assumed the rotating Chair of the Arab League. In March 2009 Doha hosted the Arab League Summit.
Qatar is a member of the United Nations Committee on Human Rights and was a member of the UN Security Council from 2005 to 2007. It hosted the UN Financing for Development Conference in Doha in 2008.
Qatar held the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2001, launching the Doha Development Round.
In 2006 Qatar hosted the 15th Asian Games. It will hold the World Indoor Athletics Championship in 2010 and football’s 2011 Asian Cup. Doha was an applicant city for the 2016 Olympic games and in 2009 Qatar launched a bid for the 2022 Football World Cup.
Doha will be Arab Capital of Culture in 2010.
Qatar's relations with the UK
Bilateral relations are good and there is strong co-operation in a number of areas; see Working with Qatar (http://ukinqatar.fco.gov.uk/en) for more information
Cultural Relations with the UK
Qatar is investing heavily in culture and education, with assistance from prominent British institutions. Many Qataris come to the UK to study English and for higher education.
The Emir’s wife HH Sheikha Mozah chairs the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, which was founded in 1995 to provide specialised education to develop a future leadership cadre for Qatar and to develop Qatar as a research hub. A number of British institutions have formed partnerships with the Qatar Foundation.
British Council, Qatar
Recent Visits from Qatar
- September 2009: HE Ali bin Fatais Al Marri, Attorney-General of the State of Qatar
- July 2009: HE Yousuf Kamal, Minister of Finance
- May 2009: HH The Emir and HH Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Misnad; and HE Abdullah bin Hamad al Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy and Industry
- February 2009: HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
- January 2009: HE Ahmed Abdullah Al Mahmoud, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Recent visits to Qatar
- October 2009: HRH The Duke of York, UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment
- October 2009: Bill Rammell, Minister for the Armed Forces
- June 2009: Bob Ainsworth, Secretary of State for Defence
- May 2009: Sir Paul Stephenson, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
- April 2009: HRH The Duke of York and Mike O’Brien, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change
- February 2009: The Lord Mayor of the City of London
- November 2008: Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, and Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
- 2007: TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall;
GEOGRAPHY
Qatar is located on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Saudi Arabia. It is approximately 160km long and 50-80km wide with a total land area of 11,435 sq km. The south is dominated by sand dunes.
TRADE AND INVESTMENT WITH THE UK
Trade exports between the UK and Qatar are rapidly increasing. In 2008 UK exports of goods reached £691 million, up from £624 million in 2007. The value of the UK’s invisible exports such as legal, financial and consultancy services was estimated at £355 million in 2007 (up from £248 million in 2006). Imports of goods from Qatar in the first six months of 2009 totalled £244 million, in comparison with £60 million in the first six months of 2008 (a rise due mainly to the UK’s imports of LNG from Qatar).
The UK has a number of major investors in the market, notably Shell, which is constructing a major Gas to Liquids (GtL) plant in Qatar, creating some 50,000 jobs during the construction period. Vodafone also launched its services in July 2009, having won the second mobile operator licence. The UK’s major competitors in the market are the US, Japan and France. Although Qatar is willing to pay for quality, the strengthening of the pound and the weakening value of the US dollar does affect the price competitiveness of UK firms.
Qatar is pressing ahead with ambitious infrastructure development plans (together with the expansion of LNG production), funded predominantly by revenue from gas and associated products.. The next few years will see the completion of new oil and gas facilities, ports, New Doha International Airport, many new roads, hotels, and residential compounds. The Qatar National Vision 2030 http://www.gsdp.gov.qa, published in 2008 sets out Qatar’s strategy and priorities in terms of change and development.
UK Trade & Investment Country Profile: Qatar
POLITICS
Recent Political Developments
The Emir has begun a programme of reform aimed at increasing modernisation, openness and freedom. Qatar's first elections, to the Central Municipal Council, were in March 1999; subsequent elections were held in 2003 and 2007. The Council consists of 29 seats divided into constituencies across the country. All Qatari citizens (men and women) over the age of 18, with at least 15 years' citizenship, excluding members of the police and armed forces, are eligible to vote. In 1999, 21,992 people registered to vote, 44% of whom were women. 227 candidates stood, including six women. In 2003 88 candidates competed and one woman was elected. She retained her seat in 2007 with the highest majority of any candidate.
In 2003, some 97% of Qataris supported a new constitution in a referendum. This new constitution, which came into force in June 2005, provides for elections to a 45-member Legislative Council (Majlis al-Shura). Two-thirds of the Council will be elected, with the Emir appointing the remainder. He will also have the authority to dissolve the Council at any time. All Qataris over the age of 18 will be able to vote and stand as candidates. No date has yet been set for elections to the Majlis al-Shura.
The constitution also contains provisions for the establishment of an independent judiciary, equal rights for men and women and freedom of expression for the press, freedom of assembly and freedom of worship. Some elements of the constitution have yet to be fully implemented.
The Emir’s sister Sheikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Thani became the first woman to hold Ministerial rank in Qatar in 1999. Sheikh Two further female Ministers have since held the Education and Health portfolios.
The Qatari Government owns Al Jazeera, the satellite television station, which broadcasts in both Arabic and English from Qatar. Al Jazeera offers a popular platform for opinion in the region, despite attracting criticism from some other Governments. In 2006 Al Jazeera launched an English language TV channel with one of its four broadcast centres in London.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Qatar ratified the human rights conventions on racial discrimination (ICERD) in 1976 and child rights (CRD) in 1995. In 2009 Qatar became the 186th State Party to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).Qatar released its last political prisoner in 2001.
The National Human Rights Committee was set up by Emiri Decree in 2002 with the aim of protecting human rights and freedoms. Representatives from a number of Ministries sit on the committee. The Committee produces an annual report that documents its activities and the support it has offered, and makes recommendations.
In 2009 the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) officially opened the UN Training and Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region in Doha.In 2008 the Doha Media Freedom Centre was opened with the aim of securing and defending media persons and the freedom of the press.
Established in 2008, the Qatar Foundation for Combating Human Trafficking aims to combating human trafficking in all its forms.
