Qatar
Qatar occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia; otherwise it is surrounded by the Persian Gulf.
Qatar occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia; otherwise it is surrounded by the Persian Gulf. The state is an independent member of the United Nations, and Doha is listed as the capital in the World Bank country API. The profile below separates stable identifiers from figures that shift with each census, survey or market update. Use the primary sources cited here to verify current values rather than relying on any single snapshot.
Stable identifiers
These codes come from the United Nations M49 standard and the ISO 3166 standard maintained by the International Organization for Standardization. They are statistical and administrative labels, not political statements about borders or sovereignty. The UN M49 framework groups territories for data collection and reporting; a territory may appear in a statistical region without implying any position on its political status.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| UN M49 code | 634 |
| ISO alpha-2 | QA |
| ISO alpha-3 | QAT |
| UN region | Asia |
| UN subregion | Western Asia |
| UN member state | Yes |
| World Bank capital field | Doha |
The UN Statistics Division M49 overview is the authoritative reference for these codes and regional groupings. The World Bank country API returns the same country code and capital field, along with the current income grouping and regional classification used by the Bank.
Population and demographics
Population figures are estimates that change between censuses and update cycles. The World Bank publishes annual totals, but the most recent complete data may lag by several years. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) also publishes estimates and projections through World Population Prospects; the two sources can differ because they use different definitions of residency and follow different refresh schedules. For a stable comparative profile, cite the source and the reference year, and do not mix figures from different datasets.
A distinctive demographic structure
Qatar’s resident profile is unusual: non-Qatari migrant workers make up the large majority of people in the country. This affects every demographic indicator, including age structure, sex ratio, urban share and labour-force statistics. A figure that looks like a single national number is actually an aggregation of a small citizen group and a much larger expatriate workforce. Comparisons with other nations need that context to be meaningful.
Where to find current estimates
- World Bank API: Returns the latest annual estimate along with the reference year.
- UN World Population Prospects: The standard reference for national estimates and projections.
- National statistical office: Consult Qatar’s planning and statistics authority for census or survey-based data.
Always record the reference year and the data source. Do not assume that a figure from a news article matches the official estimate.
Language, currency and economy
Arabic is the official language. English is widely used in business, education and daily life. For current language distribution, consult the CIA World Factbook or UNESCO’s education statistics.
The currency is the Qatari riyal (QAR, symbol ﷼ or QR). Exchange rates move constantly. If you need a figure, use a named financial data provider and note the retrieval date.
The World Bank classifies Qatar as a high-income economy driven by natural gas and oil. For the current income grouping, query the World Bank country API.
Government and leadership
The CIA World Factbook describes Qatar as a hereditary emirate. The head of state is the Amir, and the head of government is the Prime Minister. For current leadership names, consult the official Amiri Diwan website or your own foreign ministry’s country profile, and note the date you checked. The World Bank capital field lists Doha; that is a database convention, and official designations may be defined differently by national sources.
Travel and practical notes
Visa rules change frequently. Before travelling, check your own government’s travel advisory and the IATA Travel Centre for entry requirements.
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