Population
2.98M persons, 1 July latest value, 2023
Population on 1 July. UN estimate to 2023, medium variant from 2024; past UN revisions for forecast checks.
Qatar
All indicators of the Macroscope base for Qatar, with sources. Below: what past UN and IMF releases projected and what actually happened.
GDP per capita, PPP
110,136
constant 2021 international $, 2025
What the data shows
Computed with the same code as the observations under the main chart and in the API (get_insights). Moving together in time does not prove a cause.
How the indicators changed
- Fertility (TFR): 6.54 in 1950 → 1.73 in 2023 (−74%). Threshold: below 2.1 since 2011. The trend broke around 1968 and 2009: 0 → −0.11 → −0.04 a year.
- Births: 1.17k in 1950 → 29.5k in 2023 (×25). The trend broke around 2007 and 2014: +0.23k → +1.68k → +0.45k a year.
- Population: 24.3k in 1950 → 2.98M in 2023 (×123). The trend broke around 2003 and 2017: +13.4k → +149k → +39.6k a year.
- Internet: 0% in 1990 → 98.1% in 2024 (+98 pp). Thresholds: above 10% since 2002, above 50% since 2009, above 90% since 2014. Fastest growth in 2005–2010: 24.7% → 69%.
- Urban share: 65% in 1960 → 99.4% in 2025 (+34 pp). Threshold: above 75% since 1968. The trend broke around 1994: change slowed down (+0.8 → +0.14 a year).
- GDP per person (PPP): 75,304 PPP dollars in 1990 → 110,136 PPP dollars in 2025 (+46%). Peak: 149,025 PPP dollars in 2011; the latest value is 26% lower. The trend broke around 2012: direction reversed (+3,112 → −2,243 a year).
- GDP growth: on average −0.1% in the 1980s, 4.2% in the 1990s, 12.6% in the 2000s, 5.3% in the 2010s, 0.9% in the 2020s. Lowest: −14.6% in 1990; highest: 28.1% in 2006.
- Inflation: on average 4.0% in the 1980s, 2.9% in the 1990s, 5.7% in the 2000s, 1.2% in the 2010s, 2.0% in the 2020s. Lowest: −4.9% in 2009; highest: 15.1% in 2008.
What changed at the same time
- The fastest decline of "Fertility (TFR)" was in 1988–1998: 4.52 → 3.21. Over the same years: births 10.2k → 10.2k; population 411k → 581k; internet 3.5% (1998); urban share 91.8% → 95.9%; GDP per person (PPP) 96,676 PPP dollars (1998); GDP growth 4.7% → 10.3%; inflation 4.8% → 2.9%.
- Over the last 10 years (2013–2023): fertility (TFR) 2.03 → 1.73; births 23.1k → 29.5k; population 2.03M → 2.98M; internet 85.3% → 98.2%; urban share 98.8% → 99.3%; GDP per person (PPP) 138,047 PPP dollars → 116,159 PPP dollars; GDP growth 5.6% → 1.5%; inflation 3.1% → 3.1%.
How the indicators relate
- Fertility (TFR) and internet (1990–2023, 30 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.94); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = −0.16). This looks like a shared trend: both change over time, but not in step from year to year.
- Fertility (TFR) and urban share (1960–2023, 64 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.95); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.02). This looks like a shared trend: both change over time, but not in step from year to year.
- Fertility (TFR) and GDP per person (PPP) (1990–2023, 34 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.83); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = −0.27). This looks like a shared trend: both change over time, but not in step from year to year.
Forecasts vs actual
- Fertility (TFR): past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 11 of 11 revisions (1998–2022) and above in none; median gap −17%.
- The UN 2002 projection did not expect today's level (1.73, 2023) before its horizon ended (2047).
- The UN 2019 projection expected today's level (1.73, 2023) only around 2026: reality is 3 years ahead of it.
- Fertility (TFR): UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 1.62 (−6% vs 2023), 2100 — 1.63 (−6% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 1.13.
- Births: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 0 of 11 revisions (1998–2022) and above in 11; median gap +55%.
- The UN 1998 projection did not expect today's level (29.5k, 2023) before its horizon ended (2047).
- The UN 2022 projection expected today's level (29.5k, 2023) only around 2041: reality is 18 years ahead of it.
- Births: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 49.2k (+66% vs 2023), 2100 — 90k (×3 vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 48.1k.
- Population: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 1 of 12 revisions (1998–2022) and above in 11; median gap +49%.
- The UN 2000 projection did not expect today's level (2.98M, 2023) before its horizon ended (2050).
- The UN 2022 projection expected today's level (2.98M, 2023) only around 2035: reality is 12 years ahead of it.
- Population: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 4.16M (+40% vs 2023), 2100 — 7.27M (+144% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 5.56M.
- GDP growth: IMF next-year forecasts (32 editions, 2007–2022). On average the outcome was 1.8 pp below the forecast; below it in 72% of cases; typical error ±2.6 pp. The biggest miss was for 2009: IMF, October 2008 expected 21.4%, the outcome was 13.1%.
- GDP growth: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2024 — 2.4%, 2026 — −8.6%, 2031 — 5%.
- Inflation: IMF next-year forecasts (32 editions, 2007–2022). On average the outcome was 2.5 pp below the forecast; below it in 72% of cases; typical error ±3.6 pp. The biggest miss was for 2009: IMF, October 2008 expected 13%, the outcome was −4.9%.
- Inflation: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2024 — 1.2%, 2026 — 3.9%, 2031 — 2%.
UN projections vs actual
Solid line: actual data, UN WPP 2024 estimates to 2023, then national statistics where comparable with the UN. Dashed: medium variants of past UN revisions. The table shows what each revision expected for the latest year (or five-year period) with actual data.
Population
persons, 1 July
- Actual
- UN 1998
- UN 2000
- UN 2002
- UN 2004
- UN 2006
- UN 2008
- UN 2010
- UN 2012
- UN 2015
- UN 2017
- UN 2019
- UN 2022
- UN 2024, medium
| Release | Target period | Horizon | Expected | Actual | Actual vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UN 1998 | 2023 | 25 years | 772k | 2.98M | +285.8% |
| UN 2000 | 2023 | 23 years | 744k | 2.98M | +300.3% |
| UN 2002 | 2023 | 21 years | 776k | 2.98M | +284.1% |
| UN 2004 | 2023 | 19 years | 1.07M | 2.98M | +177.6% |
| UN 2006 | 2023 | 17 years | 1.08M | 2.98M | +176.2% |
| UN 2008 | 2023 | 15 years | 1.81M | 2.98M | +65% |
| UN 2010 | 2023 | 13 years | 2.26M | 2.98M | +32% |
| UN 2012 | 2023 | 11 years | 2.62M | 2.98M | +13.8% |
| UN 2015 | 2023 | 8 years | 2.57M | 2.98M | +16% |
| UN 2017 | 2023 | 6 years | 2.94M | 2.98M | +1.4% |
| UN 2019 | 2023 | 4 years | 3.03M | 2.98M | −1.7% |
| UN 2022 | 2023 | 1 year | 2.72M | 2.98M | +9.7% |
Births
births per year
- Actual
- UN 1998
- UN 2000
- UN 2002
- UN 2004
- UN 2006
- UN 2008
- UN 2010
- UN 2012
- UN 2015
- UN 2017
- UN 2019
- UN 2022
- UN 2024, medium
| Release | Target period | Horizon | Expected | Actual | Actual vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UN 1998 | 2015–2020 | 20 years | 11.3k | 27.1k | +140.1% |
| UN 2000 | 2015–2020 | 18 years | 10.7k | 27.1k | +153.8% |
| UN 2002 | 2015–2020 | 16 years | 11.2k | 27.1k | +141.8% |
| UN 2004 | 2015–2020 | 14 years | 14k | 27.1k | +92.9% |
| UN 2006 | 2015–2020 | 12 years | 13.6k | 27.1k | +98.8% |
| UN 2008 | 2015–2020 | 10 years | 17.5k | 27.1k | +54.8% |
| UN 2010 | 2015–2020 | 8 years | 18.7k | 27.1k | +44.7% |
| UN 2012 | 2015–2020 | 6 years | 24k | 27.1k | +12.6% |
| UN 2015 | 2015–2020 | 2 years | 27k | 27.1k | +0.3% |
| UN 2017 | 2015–2020 | 0 years | 26.2k | 27.1k | +3.2% |
| UN 2022 | 2023 | 1 year | 23.9k | 29.5k | +23.4% |
Total fertility rate
children per woman
- Actual
- UN 1998
- UN 2000
- UN 2002
- UN 2004
- UN 2006
- UN 2008
- UN 2010
- UN 2012
- UN 2015
- UN 2017
- UN 2019
- UN 2022
- UN 2024, medium
| Release | Target period | Horizon | Expected | Actual | Actual vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UN 1998 | 2015–2020 | 20 years | 2.28 | 1.80 | −21.1% |
| UN 2000 | 2015–2020 | 18 years | 2.28 | 1.80 | −21% |
| UN 2002 | 2015–2020 | 16 years | 2.37 | 1.80 | −24% |
| UN 2004 | 2015–2020 | 14 years | 2.44 | 1.80 | −26.2% |
| UN 2006 | 2015–2020 | 12 years | 2.36 | 1.80 | −23.6% |
| UN 2008 | 2015–2020 | 10 years | 2.17 | 1.80 | −16.8% |
| UN 2010 | 2015–2020 | 8 years | 2.05 | 1.80 | −12% |
| UN 2012 | 2015–2020 | 6 years | 1.92 | 1.80 | −6.4% |
| UN 2015 | 2015–2020 | 2 years | 1.95 | 1.80 | −7.6% |
| UN 2017 | 2015–2020 | 0 years | 1.88 | 1.80 | −4.3% |
| UN 2022 | 2023 | 1 year | 1.77 | 1.73 | −2.5% |
IMF forecasts vs actual
Solid line: actual values from the latest IMF edition (data get revised, so we use the newest). Dashed: April editions, current year and five years ahead. The table covers next-year forecasts from all editions: mean error shows bias, mean absolute error shows accuracy.
Real GDP growth
% per year
- Actual (IMF)
- WEO, April editions
| Indicator | Forecasts | Mean error | Mean absolute error | Actual below forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real GDP growth | 32 | −1.8 pp | 2.6 pp | 72% |
| Inflation | 32 | −2.5 pp | 3.6 pp | 72% |
| Government gross debt | 24 | +4.8 pp | 9.9 pp | 46% |
All indicators
Demography
Births
29.5k births per year latest value, 2023
Live births per calendar year. UN WPP 2024 and national statistics (64 countries, 2015-2025).
Total fertility rate
1.73 children per woman latest value, 2023
Average number of children a woman would have at the age-specific fertility rates of the year.
Life expectancy at birth, women
83.4 years latest value, 2023
Years a newborn girl would live at the mortality rates of the year (UN).
Life expectancy at birth, men
81.6 years latest value, 2023
Years a newborn boy would live at the mortality rates of the year (UN).
Median age
33.2 years latest value, 2023
Age that divides the population in two halves (UN).
Mean age of mothers at childbirth
30.4 years latest value, 2023
Mean age of mothers at the birth of their children of any order (UN).
Sex ratio at birth
104 boys per 100 girls latest value, 2023
Boys born per 100 girls born (UN).
Net migration
40k persons per year latest value, 2023
Immigrants minus emigrants per year (UN estimate and projection).
Old-age dependency
1.6 persons 65+ per 100 aged 20-64 latest value, 2020
Persons aged 65+ per 100 aged 20-64, every five years (UN).
Digitalisation
Internet users
98.1 % of population latest value, 2024
Share of individuals who used the Internet in the last three months from any device. ITU data.
Mobile cellular subscriptions
153.6 per 100 people latest value, 2024
Active mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 people; can exceed 100 when people have several SIM cards. ITU data.
Fixed broadband subscriptions
11.8 subscriptions per 100 people latest value, 2024
Fixed subscriptions to high-speed Internet (256 kbit/s or more) per 100 people. ITU data.
Economy
GDP per capita, PPP
110,136 constant 2021 international $ latest value, 2025
Gross domestic product per person at purchasing power parity, constant 2021 international dollars (World Bank, ICP).
Real GDP growth
1.5 % per year latest value, 2023
Annual change of GDP at constant prices. Actual values and forecasts from IMF WEO editions.
Inflation
3.1 % per year, average latest value, 2023
Change of the annual average consumer price index (IMF WEO).
Government gross debt
42.8 % of GDP latest value, 2023
General government gross debt, percent of GDP (IMF WEO).
GDP per capita, US dollars
70,946 current US dollars latest value, 2023
GDP per person in current US dollars at market exchange rates (IMF WEO).
Society
Urban population
99.4 % of population latest value, 2025
Share of people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices (World Bank, from UN World Urbanization Prospects).
Tertiary enrolment, women
69.4 % gross latest value, 2024
Women enrolled in tertiary education as a share of women in the five-year age group after secondary school; can exceed 100 (UNESCO).
Women with upper secondary education
75.2 % of women 25+ latest value, 2022
Share of women aged 25+ who completed at least upper secondary education (UNESCO).
Life expectancy at birth
82.5 years latest value, 2024
Life expectancy at birth, both sexes (World Bank, from UN and national statistics).
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