:Qatar Economy
Overview:
Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 85% of export
earnings and roughly 75% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.3
billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for about
25 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP of about $15,000, comparable
to the leading industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas is
becoming increasingly important.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $7.4 billion, per capita $15,000; real growth
rate NA (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.9% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $2.1 billion; expenditures $3.2 billion, including capital
expenditures of $490 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
$3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
commodities:
petroleum products 85%, steel, fertilizers
partners:
Japan 61%, Brazil 9%, UAE 3%, Singapore 3%
Imports:
$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
commodities:
foodstuffs, beverages, animal and vegetable oils, chemicals, machinery and
equipment
partners:
UK 13%, Japan 11%, US 8%, Italy 8%
External debt:
$1.1 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 0.6% (1987); accounts for 64% of GDP, including oil
Electricity:
1,520,000 kW capacity; 4,200 million kWh produced, 8,080 kWh per capita
(1991)
Industries:
crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel,
cement
Agriculture:
farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP; commercial fishing
increasing in importance; most food imported
Economic aid:
donor - pledged $2.7 billion in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88)
Currency:
Qatari riyal (plural - riyals); 1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Exchange rates:
Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
:Qatar Communications
Highways:
1,500 km total; 1,000 km paved, 500 km gravel or natural surface (est.)
Pipelines:
crude oil 235 km, natural gas 400 km
Ports:
Doha, Umm Sa'id, Halul Island
Merchant marine:
23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 473,042 GRT/716,039 DWT; includes 14
cargo, 5 container, 3 petroleum tanker, 1 refrigerated cargo
Civil air:
3 major transport aircraft
Airports:
4 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over
3,659 m; none with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
modern system centered in Doha; 110,000 telephones; tropospheric scatter to
Bahrain; radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and
UAE; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV; satellite earth stations - 1
Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT
:Qatar Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 211,812; 112,250 fit for military service; 3,414 reach military
age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA%, of GDP
:Reunion Geography
Total area:
2,510 km2
Land area:
2,500 km2
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
201 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical, but moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November,
hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain:
mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Natural resources:
fish, arable land
Land use:
arable land 20%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and
woodland 35%; other 39%; includes irrigated 2%
Environment:
periodic devastating cyclones
Note:
located 750 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean
:Reunion People
Population:
626,414 (July 1992), growth rate 2.1% (1992)
Birth rate:
26 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
8 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
70 years male, 77 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.8 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Reunionese (singular and plural); adjective - Reunionese
Ethnic divisions:
most of the population is of intermixed French, African, Malagasy, Chinese,
Pakistani, and Indian ancestry
Religions:
Roman Catholic 94%
Languages:
French (official); Creole widely used
Literacy:
69% (male 67%, female 74%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
Labor force:
NA; agriculture 30%, industry 21%, services 49% (1981); 63% of population of
working age (1983)
Organized labor:
General Confederation of Workers of Reunion (CGTR)