Government & politics — Qatar
Government structure, legal system, citizenship, and international relations.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Government & politics at a glance
Government structure, legal system, citizenship, and international relations. Key figure for Qatar: State of Qatar
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Identity & names
- Full Country Name
State of Qatar
- Country Name
Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is gat-tar or cot-tar
- Local - Long
Dawlat Qatar
- Local - Short
Qatar
- Etymology- history of name
the origin of the name is uncertain, but it dates back at least 2,000 years since a term "Catharrei" was used to describe the inhabitants of the peninsula by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.), and a "Catara" peninsula is depicted on a map by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.)
- Independence
3 September 1971 (from the UK)
- National Holiday
National Day, 18 December (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Political system
- Government Type
absolute monarchy
- Constitution
- history: previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002, approved by referendum 29 April 2003, endorsed 8 June 2004,
- effective 9 June 2005 amendments: proposed by the Amir or by one third of Advisory Council members; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Advisory Council members and approval and promulgation by the emir; articles pertaining to the rule of state and its inheritance, functions of the emir, and citizen rights and liberties cannot be amended
- Legal System:
mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic (sharia) law (in family and personal matters)
- Executive Branch:
- chief of state: Amir TAM
- IM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013) head of government: Prime Minister and Foreign Minister MUHAMMAD bin Abd al-Rahman Al Thani (since 7 March 2023); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs KH
- ALID bin Muhammad al-Attiyah (since 14 November 2017) cabinet: Coun
- cil of Ministers appointed by the amir elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the amir
- Legislative Branch:
Description
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (45 seats; 30 members directly elected by popular vote for 4-year re-electable terms; 15 members appointed by the monarch to serve until resignation or until relieved;
Note
legislative drafting authority rests with the Council of Ministers and is reviewed by the Advisory Council
Elections
- last held for 30 elected members on 2 October 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
- last members appointed - 14 October 2021 (next appointments - NA)
Election Results
30 nonpartisan members elected;
Composition
- men 30, women 0, percentage women 0% 15 appointed members
- composition men 13, women 2, percentage women 13.3%
- Judicial Branch:
- highest court(s): Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of the court president and several judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of the ch
- ief justice and 6 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 9-member independent body consisting of judiciary heads appointed by the Amir; judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms; Supreme Constitutional Court members nominated by the Supreme Judiciary Council and appointed by the monarch;
- term of appointment NA subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Administrative Court; Courts of First Instance; sharia courts; Courts of Justice; Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center, established in 2009, provides dispute resolution services for institutions and bodies in Qatar, as well as internationally
- Regions or States:
8 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Khawr wa adh Dhakhirah, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Ash Shamal, Ash Shihaniyah, Az Za'ayin, Umm Salal
- Political Parties and Leaders:
- political parties are banned
- Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
- Citizenship Criteria:
- no citizenship by descent only: the
- no residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years; 15
Capital & time
- Capital Name
Doha
- Capital - geographic coordinate
25 17 N, 51 32 E
- Capital Time Difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
International role
- International Organization Participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA (observer), EITI (implementing country), FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), 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, OIF, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International Law Organization Participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
- Diplomatic Representation from US:
chief of mission
Ambassador Timmy DAVIS (since 5 September 2022) embassy: 22 February Street, Al Luqta District, P.O. Box 2399, Doha mailing address: 6130 Doha Place, Washington DC 20521-6130
telephone
[974] 4496-6000
FAX
[974] 4488-4298
Email address and website
- PasDoha@state.gov
- https://qa.usembassy.gov/
- Diplomatic Representation in the US:
chief of mission
Ambassador MISHAL bin Hamad bin Muhammad Al Thani (since 24 April 2017)
chancery
2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone
[1] (202) 274-1600
FAX
[1] (202) 237-0682
Email address and website
- info.dc@mofa.gov.qa
- https://washington.embassy.qa/en
consulate(s) general
Houston, Los Angeles