Overview

The State of Qatar occupies an 11,600 square kilometer peninsula on the northeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is 87 kilometers with Saudi Arabia to the south and a narrow strait separates Qatar from Bahrain to the west.

Qatar was a British Protectorate from 1914 until its independence in 1971. Prior to the First World War, it was considered part of the Ottoman Empire.

Qatar has an estimated population of 2.6 million, with around 10 per cent Qatari nationals. The population is mostly Muslim (68 per cent), with Christian (14 per cent) and Hindu (14 per cent) minorities. The official language is Arabic, and English is widely spoken.

Political overview

Qatar has been ruled by the Al-Thani family since 1868. His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani became Amir of Qatar in 2013, after serving as ten years as Crown Prince.

The Amir exercises executive power and appoints the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. The Majlis al-Shura (Advisory Council), consisting of 45 members, appointed through an Amiri decree., The Advisory Council exercises some legislative functions.

The judiciary includes a three-level system comprised of the Court of First Instance, Court of Appeal and Court of Cassation; and the Public Prosecution Office, headed by the Attorney-General, operating autonomously of executive government.

Qatar is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). It joined the UN in 1971 and the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1996. It withdrew from OPEC in January 2019.

as Deputy Members of the International Labour Organization (ILO; 2024-27).Since 2018, in partnership with the ILO, Qatar has undertaken significant labour reforms – including abolishing the Kafala system by allowing workers to change jobs, establishing a basic minimum wage and banning work outside during summer days.

Economic overview

Qatar has one of the highest GDP per capita rates in the world on both a purchasing power parity and nominal basis. It has the world's third largest natural gas reserves with around 30 per cent of the world’s productionand is one of the largest exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) globally.

The hydrocarbon sector represents nearly 60 per cent of GDP. State-owned Qatar Energy has commenced projects to increase its LNG liquefaction and export capacity from 77 to 126 million tonnes per annum by 2027

Qatar has made significant strides in food security with approximately 50 per cent self-sufficiency in 2025 (moving from 15 per cent in 2014), with effectively 100 per cent self-sufficiency in dairy and poultry. 

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is one of the world's top-ten largest sovereign wealth funds, with an estimated US$557 billion under management (2025). Strong growth in QIA acquisitions is expected to accompany growth in Qatari LNG export volumes.

Qatar is a major aviation hub, with state-owned Qatar Airways flying to over 170 destinations and operating over 200 aircraft. Hamad International Airport received over 50 million passengers in 2024.

Qatar continues to diversify its economy, growing services industries and establishing itself as a financial, education and sports hub. Qatar has attracted major international institutions to its Education City and was host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup attracting 765,000 visitors, including around 7,000 Australians. Qatar Tourism report that 2025 saw 5.1 million visitors to Qatar.

Bilateral relations

Australia enjoys a friendly bilateral relationship with Qatar marked by strong commercial links, notably in food exports and engineering services. Qatar opened an Embassy in Canberra in 2012, and Australia opened its Embassy in Doha in 2016. Qatar has hosted Australia's Interim Mission on Afghanistan since September 2021.

In August 2024, the Prime Minister of Qatar visited Australia and met with Prime Minister Albanese, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Marles, and Foreign Minister Wong. This was a historic visit – the first by a Head of Government from the Gulf to Australia in over 50 years.

Aviation links are strong, with Qatar Airways operating daily direct flights from Doha to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra. Around 3,000 Australians reside in Qatar (2022) and nearly 40,000 Australians visit Qatar annually.

Qatar has provided repeated assistance to Australia with assisted departures from regional conflicts. This includes Qatar Airways’ assistance to 405 Australians and vulnerable Afghans from Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul in August 2021. In response to the Hamas-Israel crisis in 2023, Qatar Airways supported the assisted departure  of Australians and their families. Qatar Airways also assisted with the departure of Australians and their families from Lebanon in October 2024.

Research links are also healthy, with over 20 Australian universities undertaking collaborative projects with Qatari institutions. Australia and Qatar signed aMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Higher Education, Research and Vocational Training in 2016. In 2025, Swinburne University of Technology partnered with Barzan University College (BUC) to become the first Australian university to offer degrees in Qatar.

Trade and Investment

Qatar  is a top-two trading partner for Australia in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In 2024–25, two-way goods and services trade totalled A$3.5 billion, reflecting growth of 12.8 per cent over the past five years. Qatar remains a high-value, strategically important market for Australian exporters and service providers.

Many Australian companies are registered and active in Qatar. Australian exports are led by alumina, meat and engineering services, while Qatar’s exports to Australia are primarily aviation services, fertiliser and aluminium. There is strong potential for further growth, particularly in sectors aligned with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 priorities, including energy transition, advanced manufacturing, food security, infrastructure, education and digital technologies.

Qatar is also an important source of investment into Australia. The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and other Qatari state-owned investment vehicles, including Hassad Food and Nebras Power, collectively hold around A$4 billion (2022) in Australian assets across property, logistics, energy and agriculture. Qatar Airways’ acquisition of a 25 per cent minority stake in Virgin Australia in May 2025 further deepened commercial ties.

Institutional links are strengthening. The Qatar Chamber and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2024, formalising a shared commitment to expand bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Qatar’s sophisticated business environment, strong financial sector, world-class infrastructure and low trade barriers align well with Australian commercial capabilities.

High-level visits

• January 2026: Visit to Qatar by the Hon Milton Dick MP, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
• November 2025: Visit to Qatar by the Hon Dr Anne Aly MP, Minister for International Development, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Small Business.
• August 2024: Visit to Australia by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
• December 2023: Visit to Qatar by the Hon Tim Watts MP, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs
• November 2022: Visit to Qatar by the Hon Anika Wells MP, Minister for Aged Care and Sport and Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, Shadow Minister for Aged Care and Sport
• July 2022: Visit to Qatar by the Hon Mark McGowan, Premier of Western Australia