Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is an Arab emirate in Southwest Asia, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the larger Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south; otherwise the Persian Gulf surrounds the state.

Area
11,437 sq km (4416 sq miles).

Population
618,000 (official estimate 2002).

Population Density
54.0 per sq km.

Capital
Doha. Population: 264,009 (1997).

Geography
Qatar is an oil-rich peninsula jutting out into the Gulf between Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. There are hills in the northwest, but the rest of the country consists of sand dunes and salt flats, with scattered vegetation towards the north.

Language
Arabic is the official language. Some English is spoken.