MACROECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Qatar’s Economy in a Nutshell

Surging gas sales coupled with sharp increases in oil prices helped push Qatar’s economy to its highest levels ever- Upgraded to Aa2 by Moody’s in July 2007.
Qatar’s annual budget for 2006 recorded a surplus for the sixth successive year, making it the only country in the region to report budget surpluses for an extended period of time. The country’s real GDP grew at a cumulative average growth rate (CAGR) of 10% during the past ten years, driven primarily by rapid growth in the country’s gas exports. Nominal GDP grew by 24% in 2006, reaching QR 191bn (US$ 52bn).

-During 2004-2006, the CAGR was more than 37% in the oil and gas sector. Non-oil-and-gas sector also grew at a CAGR of around 29%.

-Building and construction sector, which contributed more than 5% to Qatari GDP in 2006, grew by around 27%, followed by finance, insurance, and business services.

Moreover, Qatar was ranked third among GCC states in terms of inward FDI by attracting nearly US$ 1.5bn (Source: World Investment Report 2006 released by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Estimated population around 910,000 (around 2.4% average yearly growth). A long way from the 70,000 people who inhabited the country in 1960

• Age structure:	0-14years: 15-64years: 65+years:	23.1%  72.9%  4%
• Ethnic groups:	Arab Indian Pakistani Iranian Other	40% 18% 18% 10% 14%