Location: Middle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between Iran and Saudi Arabia

Map references: Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 11,000 sq km
land area: 11,000 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total 60 km, Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline: 563 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain

Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer

Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 5%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 95%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: limited freshwater resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

NOTE: The information regarding Qatar on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Qatar Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Qatar Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.