Economy - overview:
Qatar’s oil and natural gas resources are the country’s main economic engine and government revenue source, driving Qatar’s high economic growth and per capita income levels, robust state spending on public entitlements, and booming construction spending, particularly as Qatar prepares to host the World Cup in 2022. Although the government has maintained high capital spending levels for ongoing infrastructure projects, low oil and natural gas prices in recent years have led the Qatari Government to tighten some spending to help stem its budget deficit.

Qatar’s reliance on oil and natural gas is likely to persist for the foreseeable future. Proved natural gas reserves exceed 25 trillion cubic meters - 13% of the world total and, among countries, third largest in the world. Proved oil reserves exceed 25 billion barrels, allowing production to continue at current levels for about 56 years. Despite the dominance of oil and natural gas, Qatar has made significant gains in strengthening non-oil sectors, such as manufacturing, construction, and financial services, leading non-oil GDP to steadily rise in recent years to just over half the total.

Following trade restriction imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt in 2017, Qatar established new trade routes with other countries to maintain access to imports.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$339.5 billion (2017 est.)
$334.2 billion (2016 est.)
$327.3 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 52
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$166.9 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
1.6% (2017 est.)
2.1% (2016 est.)
3.7% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 169
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$124,100 (2017 est.)
$127,700 (2016 est.)
$134,200 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 2
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
50.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
42.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
47.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 1
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 24.6% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 17% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 43.1% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 1.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 51% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -37.3% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 0.2% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 50.3% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 49.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Industries:
liquefied natural gas, crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizer, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 105
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
1.953 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 126
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
8.9% (2017 est.)
11.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 128
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
NA
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 35.9% (2007)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.1 (2007)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 58
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: 44.1 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: 53.82 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
26.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 112
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 179
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
53.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
46.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 88
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.4% (2017 est.)
2.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 25
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
5% (16 March 2017)
4.5% (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 82
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
4.95% (31 December 2017 est.)
4.51% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 152
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$34.71 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$36.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 59
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$34.71 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$36.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 59
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$246.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$224.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 42
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$142.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$185.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$152.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 38
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
$6.426 billion (2017 est.)
-$8.27 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 27
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$67.5 billion (2017 est.)
$57.25 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 44
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - partners:
Japan 17.3%, South Korea 16%, India 12.6%, China 11.2%, Singapore 8.2%, UAE 6.4% (2017)

Exports - commodities:
liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Imports:
$30.77 billion (2017 est.)
$31.93 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 67
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
China 10.9%, US 8.9%, UAE 8.5%, Germany 8.1%, UK 5.5%, India 5.4%, Japan 5.3%, Italy 4.3% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$15.01 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$31.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 68
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$167.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$157.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 39
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$36.29 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$35.31 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 66
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$59.33 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$57.63 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 39
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar -
3.64 (2017 est.)
3.64 (2016 est.)
3.64 (2015 est.)
3.64 (2014 est.)
3.64 (2013 est.)