Bahrain In Pearling
US Department Of State Post Report
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Background Notes Archive - Near East and North Africa
U.S. Department of StateBackground Notes: Qatar, November 1997Released by the Bureau of Near Eastern AffairsOfficial Name: State of QatarPROFILEGeographyArea: 11,437 sq. km. (4,427 sq. mi.); about the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. Cities: Capital--Doha 313,600 (1992). Other Cities--Umm Said, Al-Khor, Dukhan, Ruwais.Terrain: Mostly desert, flat, barren.Climate: Hot and dry, sultry in summer.PeopleNationality: Noun and adjective--Qatari(s).Population: 550,000 (est.) 80% foreign workers.Population Growth Rate (1996 est): 2.39%.Ethnic Groups: Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%.Religion: Islam (state religion, claimed by virtually all of the indigenous population).Languages: Arabic (official); English (widely spoken).Literacy: 79.4%--total population, 79.2%--male, 79.9%--female.Education: Compulsory--ages 6-16. Attendance--98%.Health: Infant Mortality Rate--20.4 deaths/1,000 live births. Life Expectancy At Birth--73.03 y ... [Read More]
Qatar (11/04)
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Background Notes Archive - Near East and North Africa
US DEPARTMENT OF STATE BACKGROUND NOTES: QatarApril 1992Official Name: State of QatarPROFILEGeographyArea: 11,437 sq. km. (4,427 sq. mi.); about the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. Cities: Capital--Doha (pop. 300,000). Other cities--Umm Said, Al-Khor, Dukhan, Ruwais. Terrain: Mostly desert, flat, and barren. Climate: Hot and dry.PeopleNationality: Noun and adjective--Qatari(s). Population: 400,000. Ethnic groups: Arab 55%, South Asian 33%, Iranian 6%. Religion: Islam 95%. Languages: Arabic (official), English. Education: Years compulsory--ages 6-16. Attendance--98%. Literacy--65%. Life expectancy--58 yrs. Work force (primarily foreign): Industry, services, and commerce--70%, Government--20%, Agriculture--10%.GovernmentType: Traditional emirate. Independence: September 3, 1971. Constitution: None; the 1970 Basic Law serves as a constitution.Branches: Executive--Council of Ministers (cabinet). Legislative--Advisory Council (has assumed only ... [Read More]
Bahrain (11/04)
The first Gulf state to discover oil, Bahrain has worked to diversify its economy over the past decade. Bahrain has stabilized its oil production at about 40,000 barrels per day (b/d), and reserves are expected to last 10-15 years. Revenues from oil and natural gas currently account for 16.5% of GDP and provide about 60% of government income. The Bahrain Oil Company refinery built in 1935, the first in the Gulf, has a capacity of about 250,000 b/d. Since 1980, 60% of the refinery has been owned by the Bahrain National Oil Company and 40% by the U.S. company Caltex. Saudi Arabia provides most of the crude for refinery operation via pipeline. Through an agreement with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain also receives a large portion of the net output and revenues from Saudi Arabia's Abu Saafa offshore oilfield. The Bahrain National Gas Company operates a gas liquefaction plant that utilizes gas piped directly from Bahrain's oilfields. Gas reserves should last about 50 years at present rates of c ... [Read More]
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