Qatar Country Overview
Where is Qatar located? The State of Qatar is an Arab Emirate and is located in the north of the Arabian Peninsula, which can be found on the Persian Gulf. The time zone in which Qatar is located can be found on the time zone map. It is called “Arabia Standard Time” and is a standard time offset of 3 hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+3). This standard difference stays the same throughout the year as it is not common in Qatar to switch to Daylight Saving Time.
Bordering Countries of Qatar
According to abbreviationfinder, Qatar is a small country located in the Middle East on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It has an area of 11,571 km2 (4,473 sq mi) and a population of 2.6 million.
To the north and east, Qatar shares a 645 km (401 mi) border with Saudi Arabia that begins in Qatar’s northwest corner at latitude 28°N before turning eastward along longitude 51°E until it reaches its terminus at latitude 26°N in Qatar’s northeast corner.
To the south lies a 55 km (34 mi) maritime boundary with Bahrain that begins at longitude 50°E before turning southward along parallel 25°N until it reaches its terminus at longitude 50°E.
To the west lies another maritime boundary with the United Arab Emirates that spans 237 km (147 mi). This boundary begins in Qatar’s northwest corner at latitude 28°N before turning westward along longitude 51°E until it reaches its terminus at latitude 24°N.
In addition to its land and maritime boundaries, Qatar also shares two small exclaves with Bahrain – Halul Island and Hawar Islands – that have a combined area of 1,972 sq km (761 sq mi).
Population Distribution
As of 2023, the latest population of Qatar is 2,444,174, based on our calculation of the current data from UN (United Nations).
| Total population | 2,444,174 |
| Population growth rate | 1.55% |
| Birth rate | 9.60 births per 1,000 people |
| Life expectancy | |
| Overall | 78.24 years |
| Men | 76.27 years |
| Women | 80.25 years |
| Age structure | |
| 0-14 years | 12.70% |
| 15-64 years | 86.23% |
| 65 years and above | 1.06% |
| Median age | 32.80 years |
| Gender ratio (Male to Female) | 3.29 |
| Population density | 210.96 residents per km² |
| Urbanization | 92.00% |
| Ethnicities | |
| approx. 45% Arabs (including 20% Qatar), 34% Indians and Pakistanis, 16% Iranians, 5% others | |
| Religions | |
| Muslim 95% | |
| Human Development Index (HDI) | 0.848 |
| HDI ranking | 41st out of 194 |
People in Qatar
The population of Qatar is around two million. But only one in seven of them is a Qatari citizen. A large part of the population is one of the numerous guest workers from India, Pakistan or Nepal. Many people in Qatar are still very young: 22 out of 100 people are under 15 years of age. In Qatar, people live on average around 74 years old, which is quite an old age compared to many other countries. This is mainly due to the good and free medical care. Qatar also has a very good social system and compulsory schooling for children, so an average of 90 people out of 100 can read and write.
Languages in Qatar
The official language in Qatar is Arabic. After trade with other countries increased and many tourists came to Qatar, both English and Persian are now considered commercial languages. The large number of migrant workers from India have introduced Indo-Aryan languages like Urdu into Qatar.
Religions in Qatar
The state religion in Qatar is Sunni Islam, to which most Qataris profess. Many of them belong to strictly Islamic Wahhabism. Although women are mostly veiled in black on the streets, everyday life in Qatar is not as strictly Islamic as in Saudi Arabia, for example. Many people who live in Qatar also have a different belief. For example, there are many Muslims who profess the Shiite faith. Due to the many guest workers from India, many Hindus live in the country and Judaism and Christianity are also represented in Qatar.