Government

Country name:

Conventional long form: State of Qatar

Conventional short form: Qatar

Local long form: Dawlat Qatar

Local short form: Qatar

Note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Government type:

Emirate

Capital:

Name: Doha

Geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E

Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Az Za'ayin, Umm Salal

Independence:

3 September 1971 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 3 September (1971); also observed is National Day, 18 December (anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne)

Constitution:

Ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the Amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

Legal system:

Based on Islamic and civil law codes; discretionary system of law controlled by the Amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

Chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as heir apparent, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Heir Apparent TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, fourth son of the amir (selected Heir Apparent by the amir on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces

Head of government: Prime Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir Al Thani (since 3 April 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 3 April 2007)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir

Note: in April 2007, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has limited consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999

Legislative branch:

Unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)

note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every year since the new constitution came into force on 9 June 2005; the constitution provides for a new 45-member Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect 30 members and the Amir would appoint 15; elections to the Majlis al-Shura are tentatively scheduled for June 2010

Judicial branch:

Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; an Administrative Court and a Constitutional Court were established in 2007; note - all judges are appointed by Amiri Decree based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council for renewable three-year terms

Political parties and leaders:

None

Political pressure groups and leaders:

None

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CICA (observer), FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Chief of mission: Ambassador Ali Fahad al-Shahwany al-HAJRI

Chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

Telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603

FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061

Consulate(s) general: Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

Chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON

Embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha

Mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha

Telephone: [974] 488 4161

FAX: [974] 488 4150

Flag description:

Maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side; maroon represents the blood shed in Qatari wars, white stands for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge signifies Qatar as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916

note: the other eight emirates are the seven that compose the UAE and Bahrain; according to some sources, the dominant color was formerly red, but this darkened to maroon upon exposure to the sun and the new shade was eventually adopted

National anthem:

Name: "Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (The Peace for the Anthem)

Lyrics/music: Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN

Note: adopted 1996; the anthem was first performed that year at a meeting of the Gulf Cooperative Council hosted by Qatar