National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Constitution:
provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir
HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent
constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari
voters approved the new constitution
Legal system:
discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil
codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and
personal matters
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995
when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad
Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASIM bin Hamad bin
Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by
the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the
positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed
forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani,
brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime
Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch
(since 20 January 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed
at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election
for the CMC was held in March 1999
Legislative branch:
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members
appointed)
note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there
were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their
terms extended every four years since; the new constitution provides
for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public
would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would
appoint the remaining members
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer),
OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO