The Arabian Peninsula Partnership

The Gospel for every person and a church for every people in the Arabian Peninsula amongst indigenous peoples

map of Qatar

Information about Qatar

(source: Operation World)

GEOGRAPHY
Area: 11,400 sq.km.

Arabian peninsular state that is almost entirely desert.

Population Annual Growth Density
2000: 599,065 +1.8% 53 per sq. km.
2010: 692,178 +1.37% 61 per sq. km.
2025: 778,537 +0.47% 68 per sq. km.

Capital: Doha pop.: 340,000 Urbanites: 91%

PEOPLES

The expatriate community makes up the majority of the population and is very difficult to accurately enumerate. Many Qatari citizens are of foreign extraction.

Arabs: 50%. Qatari 120,000; Other Arab (Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, etc.) 180,000.

South Asian: 23%. Indian (esp. from Kerala) 108,000; Pakistani 100,000, Sri Lankan 18,000.

Persian : 16%.

East Asian: 7%. Filipino 36,000.

Other: 4%. Caucasian 18,000.

Literacy: 79%. Official language: Arabic All languages: 3

ECONOMY

Petroleum products are 81% of exports. Qatar has some of the world's largest gas reserves. Oil wealth is used to diversify the economy. Qataris live in great wealth, but the Asians constitute an economic lower class. Income/person $16,160 (51% of USA).

POLITICS

Part of Turkish-Ottoman Empire until 1918. Under British protection until independence in 1971. The current Emir ousted his father in a bloodless coup in 1995. His foreign and domestic policies reflect a remarkably open and progressive attitude.

RELIGION

The strict Wahhabi form of Sunni Islam is the state religion. Proselytism of Muslims is forbidden, but expatriate Christians are allowed to practice their faith.

Religions Population % Adherents
Muslim 79.43 475,837
Christian 10.47 62,722
Hindu 7.20 43,133
Buddhist 1.80 10,783
non-Religious 0.90 5,391
Baha'i 0.20 1,198
Christians Denom. Affiliation ,000
Protestant 18 2.88 17
Independent 5 0.43 3
Anglican 1 0.87 5
Catholic 1 1.22 31
Orthodox 1 5.01 30
Churches Congregations Members Affiliates
Catholic 14 16,667 30,000
Prostentant groups (12) 30 5,500 11,000
Anglican 4 1,200 5,200
Pentecostal groups (3) 18 2,500 5,000
Orthodox 8 2,500 4200
Independent (5) 5 1,600 2,600
Prostetant church in Oman 4 350 875
Other denominations (3) 20 619 1,250
Total Christians 104 32,814 62,750
Links

Operation World

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Qatar Government information, in English and Arabic.

General & practical information