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, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum
deposits
People Qatar
Population:
817,052 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.7% (male 102,938; female 98,934)
15-64 years: 72.4% (male 415,302; female 176,183)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,199; female 6,496) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.2 years
male: 36.4 years
female: 21.6 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
2.87% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
15.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)