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. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe.

petroleum, natural gas, fish

arable land: 1.27%
permanent crops: 0.27%
other: 98.46% (1998 est.)

817,052 (July 2003 est.)

Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Muslim 95%

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.5%
male: 81.4%
female: 85% (2003 est.)

Doha

traditional monarchy

3 September 1971 (from UK)

Independence Day, 3 September (1971)