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Qatar in brief
(Dec. 5, 2004) The Emirate of Qatar is situated on a flat peninsula on the western shore of the Persian Gulf. It has borders with Saudi Arabia.
Qatar was a British protectorate from 1916 to 1971, when the country gained independence. Oil and gas production was nationalized in 1977. In 1995 Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani succeeded his father as head of state and initiated a process of reform in the country. Since October 1996 the Prime Minister has been Sheikh Abdulla Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
Oil and gas production and allied activities represent the most important industrial sector in Qatar. Hydro has enjoyed a 35-year old cooperation with the country, involving fertilizer production and petrochemical operations. Three-quarters of the country's population consists of foreign workers.
 The Qatar national coat of arms |
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Form of government: Emirate
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Area: 11,437 sq. kilometers
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Capital: Doha
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Population: Approx. 817,000 inhabitants (2003)
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Population: 71.4 inhabitants per sq. kilometer
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Average life-span: 73.1 years
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Infant mortality: 20.0 per 1000
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Religion: Islam (95 percent of population)
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Language: Arabic
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Currency: Qatar riyal
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GDP per inhabitant: USD 20,100 (2002)
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Export articles: Oil, gas, fertilizer
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National day: 3 September
(Source: CapLex)
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