ts from the Dominican Republic
cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Qatar

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. His son, the current
Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him 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 one of the highest per capita incomes in the
world.

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
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline:
563 km

Maritime claims:
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: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.27%
other: 98.09% (2005)

Irrigated land:
130 sq km (2002)

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, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: