The Arabian Peninsula Partnership
The Gospel for every person and a church for every people in the Arabian Peninsula amongst indigenous peoples
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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 |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Qatar Government information, in English and Arabic.