Qatar: Background & Geography
| Introduction | Qatar |
|
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. 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. |
| Geography | Qatar |
|
Location:
|
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
25 30 N, 51 15 E |
|
Map references:
|
Middle East |
|
Area:
|
total: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 11,437 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly smaller than Connecticut |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
|
Coastline:
|
563 km |
|
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
|
territorial sea: 12 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line |
|
Climate:
|
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
|
Terrain:
|
mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
petroleum, natural gas, fish |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 1.27%
permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.46% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
130 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
haze, dust storms, sandstorms common |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
|
Geography - note:
|
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits |