Qatar 2016 Country Review http://www.countrywatch.com Table of Contents Chapter 1 1 Country Overview 1 Country Overview 2 Key Data 4 Qatar 5 Middle East 6 Chapter 2 8 Political Overview 8 History 9 Political Conditions 12 Political Risk Index 20 Political Stability 34 Freedom Rankings 50 Human Rights 62 Government Functions 63 Government Structure 66 Principal Government Officials 69 Leader Biography 70 Leader Biography 70 Foreign Relations 72 National Security 86 Defense Forces 87 Chapter 3 90 Economic Overview 90 Economic Overview 91 Nominal GDP and Components 93 Population and GDP Per Capita 95 Real GDP and Inflation 96 Government Spending and Taxation 97 Money Supply, Interest Rates and Unemployment 98 Foreign Trade and the Exchange Rate 99 Data in US Dollars 100 Energy Consumption and Production Standard Units 101 Energy Consumption and Production QUADS 103 World Energy Price Summary 104 CO2 Emissions 105 Agriculture Consumption and Production 106 World Agriculture Pricing Summary 108 Metals Consumption and Production 109 World Metals Pricing Summary 112 Economic Performance Index 113 Chapter 4 125 Investment Overview 125 Foreign Investment Climate 126 Foreign Investment Index 128 Corruption Perceptions Index 141 Competitiveness Ranking 153 Taxation 162 Stock Market 163 Partner Links 163 Chapter 5 165 Social Overview 165 People 166 Human Development Index 167 Life Satisfaction Index 171 Happy Planet Index 182 Status of Women 191 Global Gender Gap Index 193 Culture and Arts 203 Etiquette 204 Travel Information 206 Diseases/Health Data 215 Chapter 6 221 Environmental Overview 221 Environmental Issues 222 Environmental Policy 223 Greenhouse Gas Ranking 224 Global Environmental Snapshot 235 Global Environmental Concepts 246 International Environmental Agreements and Associations 260 Appendices 285 Bibliography 286 Qatar Chapter 1 Country Overview Qatar Review 2016 Page 1 of 298 pages Qatar Country Overview QATAR Qatar is an absolute monarchy, controlled by the ruling Al-Thani family, with a discretionary system of law. With a population of about two million, Qatar is a small, very affluent country that is developing rapidly. On the back of its rich endowment of oil and natural gas reserves, Qatar has transformed from being one of the poorest countries in the Middle East to one of the richest in the region with a per capita income among the highest in the world. Ottoman Turks occupied the region from 1872 until 1916 when Qatar became a British protectorate. Qatar became independent in 1971. In 1995 Crown Prince Hamad bin Khalifa deposed his father to become emir, and he has advocated greater political openness. A new constitution providing for democratic reforms came into force in the 2000s. There are plans in the works to transform the country into a constitutional monarchy, however, there are not yet provisions for political parties to operate freely, and there are no national elections. At the legislative level, there is a Consultative Assembly (Majlis as-Shura). The 2003 Constitution of Qatar has authorized a 45-member elected legislature, composed of 30 elected representatives and 15 members appointed by the Emir. In 2006, plans were afoot for elections to be held in 2007; however, that date was postponed repeatedly with the most recent date set for June 2010. That date passed without elections taking place and a new date was set for 2013; however, those elections are yet to be held. Meanwhile, in June 2013, the Emir of Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, announced his imminent intention to turn power over to his son, the 33-year old and British-educated Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. It should be noted that the notion of a peaceful handover of power was a rarity on the Qatari political scene. In Qatar, rulers tend to hold onto power for most of their lifetime. Second, there has been a history of incumbent rulers being deposed by members of the royal family and seizing power themselves. Thus, the decision by Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al- Thani to turn over power at this time and in this manner was noteworthy. In Emir Hamad's final act of power before turning power over to his successor, Emir Tamin, the elections set for 2013 were postponed. Meanwhile, it was to be seen if the political unrest sweeping the Middle East since 2011 to the present, manifest by the discontent on Arab street and passionate demands for democratic reform, would have an effect in Qatar. Qatar Review 2016 Page 2 of 298 pages Qatar Qatar Review 2016 Page 3 of 298 pages Qatar Key Data Key Data Region: Middle East Population: 2194817 Climate: Desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer Arabic (official) Languages: English commonly used as a second language Currency: 1 Qatari riyal (QR$) = 100 dirhams Holiday: Independence Day, 3 September (1971) Area Total: 11000 Area Land: 11000 Coast Line: 563 Qatar Review 2016 Page 4 of 298 pages Qatar Qatar Country Map Qatar Review 2016 Page 5 of 298 pages Qatar Middle East Regional Map Qatar Review 2016 Page 6 of 298 pages Qatar Qatar Review 2016 Page 7 of 298 pages Qatar Chapter 2 Political Overview Qatar Review 2016 Page 8 of 298 pages Qatar History The early history of the Qatar and the Gulf region was dominated by that of its powerful neighbors. The interests of the Assyrian Empire in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) and the various dynasties that ruled the Persian Empire lay in keeping the waters of the Gulf open and accessible for trade and military purposes, ensuring free passage for its armies and supplies. The varying prosperity of these empires guaranteed that the communities along the Western Gulf coast survived and benefited from their influences. The livelihood of the early inhabitants of Qatar was almost totally dependent on seafaring activities, such as pearling, fishing and trading, while agriculture was limited to Bedouin animal husbandry and the cultivation of date palms. This way of life would not change significantly until the discovery of oil in the 1930s. There is evidence that Alexander the Great sent an expeditionary force along the Gulf waters in 325 B.C.E., although Greek influence eventually gave way to domination by the Persian Parthians. The Persian Parthians fortified the Gulf coast and dominated the region until the third century, when the Sassanians, another Persian dynasty, rose to power and ruled the area until the advent of Islam in the seventh century. The people of the Gulf region were, therefore, exposed to a variety of cultures and religions, and evidence exists of early Christian and Jewish settlement in the area, along with Zoroastrians. While these influences dissipated rapidly with the conversion of the Arabs to Islam, the co-mingling of peoples of Arab and Persian origin in the Gulf region continues to be a feature of the modern Gulf States. Islam first proliferated in the region when Prophet Mohammed came to prominence as a preacher around 610 B.C.E in Mecca, on the western side of the Arabian Peninsula. The faith of Islam spread rapidly after the death of Mohammed and the region's population, including Qatar, converted peacefully in the late seventh century. From that time, until the arrival of the Portuguese in the 15th century, the region prospered, benefiting from the control both Persia and Mesopotamia exercised over East-West trade routes. Various tribes in the Qatar area rose to ascendancy and the territory was strongly linked to Bahrain, Qatar Review 2016 Page 9 of 298 pages Qatar often falling under its rule. The main town in Qatar during this period was Zubara, on the Northwest coast. Zubara and the Hawar islands were until March 2001 areas of dispute between the two countries. With the arrival of the Portuguese in East Africa and India in the 15th century, the pattern of dominance in the Gulf region changed dramatically. These conquerors established forts in the Gulf, thereby enabling them to control trade and levy duties on all ships using the sea route. This situation continued until the early 17th century, when the British arrived on the scene, invited by a disgruntled Persian Shah, who no longer wished to pay revenues to the Portuguese. A period of on-off warfare ensued for a couple of centuries, until the British established their dominance in the 19th century, motivated by the desire to protect and enhance their trade routes to India. During this period of shifting colonial influences, various tribes controlled the area of present-day Qatar and Bahrain. These tribes included the al-Musallam, the Maahid, the Bani Ali, and the Al Bu Kawara, in addition to various nomadic Bedouin tribes. It was during the later part of this period that the urban center of Doha became prominent. The leader of each group, who held judicial authority over his people, ruled tribal society. Alliances consolidated support for neighbors based on political expediency, but in general, these tribes co- existed peacefully. In the late 18th century, a new force within Islam rose to prominence in the Arabian Peninsula. This was known as Wahhabism, after its founder Mohammed Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, and it sought to return Islam to its purest and strictest form. The leader of the Ibn Saud tribes from the Riyadh area joined forces with al-Wahhab and these tribes embarked upon an aggressive mission of conquest on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula, inspired by their desire to spread the true word of Islam. The tenets of Wahhabism proved appealing to various local tribes in the Qatar region, most notably the al-Thani. The al-Khalifas of Bahrain, however, who at the time ruled in the region, did not embrace the new religious principles and moved to invade the peninsula of Qatar as a result.