Country Analysis Qatar
Country Analysis – Qatar
Overview of Qatar
The state of Qatar, a small peninsula of 4,416 square miles, juts into the Persian Gulf from the Saudi Arabian mainland. For more than 150 years, Qatar has been ruled as a monarchy by the Al Thani family through patriarchal lineage1. Though 94% of Qatar’s landmass is uninhabitable desert, it is the 3rd largest holder of natural gas reserves – accounting for 60% of its total GDP.
In 2022, Qatar will be responsible for hosting the FIFA World Cup, the world’s largest sporting event. While it is an honor to host such a prestigious global event, the demands of building the necessary infrastructure is challenging for any country – especially Qatar.
Despite Qatar’s physical size, its 2013 per capita GDP of $USD 93,000 makes it one of the wealthiest countries in the world2. In comparison, the United States per capita GDP is around
$53,000 and recent FIFA World Cup Host Brazil is about $11,000. The annual GDP Growth for
Qatar is a healthy 5.6%3. The economy is based primarily on oil and gas. Due to a lack of potable standing fresh water, agriculture is significantly limited.4
Exhibit 1: Country Overview
GDP - $ Billion (2013)
Population
Labor Force
Per Capita GDP
GDP Growth
Language
Population ages 15-64
Import Value Index (2000 = 100)
Qatar
202
2,168,673*
1,541,663*
93,352*
5.6%
Arabic
85%
1,107
United States
16,800
316,100,000
158,666,072
53,143
1.9%
English
66%
185.5
Brazil
2,245
200,400,000
104,745,358
11,208
2.5%
Portuguese
68%
397.8
Source: The World Bank (data.worldbank.org)
1 "Qatar -‐ A Country Overview." Qatar: A Country Overview. AngloInfo, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http://qatar.angloinfo.com/moving/country-‐file/country-‐overview/>. 2
Overview of Qatar
The state of Qatar, a small peninsula of 4,416 square miles, juts into the Persian Gulf from the Saudi Arabian mainland. For more than 150 years, Qatar has been ruled as a monarchy by the Al Thani family through patriarchal lineage1. Though 94% of Qatar’s landmass is uninhabitable desert, it is the 3rd largest holder of natural gas reserves – accounting for 60% of its total GDP.
In 2022, Qatar will be responsible for hosting the FIFA World Cup, the world’s largest sporting event. While it is an honor to host such a prestigious global event, the demands of building the necessary infrastructure is challenging for any country – especially Qatar.
Despite Qatar’s physical size, its 2013 per capita GDP of $USD 93,000 makes it one of the wealthiest countries in the world2. In comparison, the United States per capita GDP is around
$53,000 and recent FIFA World Cup Host Brazil is about $11,000. The annual GDP Growth for
Qatar is a healthy 5.6%3. The economy is based primarily on oil and gas. Due to a lack of potable standing fresh water, agriculture is significantly limited.4
Exhibit 1: Country Overview
GDP - $ Billion (2013)
Population
Labor Force
Per Capita GDP
GDP Growth
Language
Population ages 15-64
Import Value Index (2000 = 100)
Qatar
202
2,168,673*
1,541,663*
93,352*
5.6%
Arabic
85%
1,107
United States
16,800
316,100,000
158,666,072
53,143
1.9%
English
66%
185.5
Brazil
2,245
200,400,000
104,745,358
11,208
2.5%
Portuguese
68%
397.8
Source: The World Bank (data.worldbank.org)
1 "Qatar -‐ A Country Overview." Qatar: A Country Overview. AngloInfo, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http://qatar.angloinfo.com/moving/country-‐file/country-‐overview/>. 2