Qatar vs. Saudi Arabia
Government
| Qatar | Saudi Arabia | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar etymology: 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.) note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is gattar or cottar | conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah etymology: named after the ruling dynasty of the country, the House of Saud; the name "Arabia" can be traced back many centuries B.C., the ancient Egyptians referred to the region as "Ar Rabi" |
| Government type | absolute monarchy | absolute monarchy |
| Capital | name: Doha geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: derives from the Arabic term "dohat," meaning "roundness," and refers to the small rounded bays along the area's coastline | name: Riyadh geographic coordinates: 24 39 N, 46 42 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Arabic word "riyadh," meaning "gardens," and refers to various oasis towns in the area that merged to form the city |
| Administrative divisions | 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 | 13 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah (Northern Border), Al Jawf, Al Madinah al Munawwarah (Medina), Al Qasim, Ar Riyad (Riyadh), Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jazan, Makkah al Mukarramah (Mecca), Najran, Tabuk |
| Independence | 3 September 1971 (from the UK) | 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom) |
| National holiday | National Day, 18 December (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, 3 September (1971) | Saudi National Day (Unification of the Kingdom), 23 September (1932) |
| 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 | history: 1 March 1992 - Basic Law of Government, issued by royal decree, serves as the constitutional framework and is based on the Qur'an and the life and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad amendments: proposed by the king directly or proposed to the king by the Consultative Assembly or by the Council of Ministers; passage by the king through royal decree; Basic Law amended many times, last in 2017 |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic (sharia) law (in family and personal matters) | Islamic (sharia) legal system with some elements of Egyptian, French, and customary law; note - several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; restricted to males; universal for municipal elections |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Amir TAMIM bin Hamad Al Thani (since 25 June 2013) head of government: Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh KHALID ibn Khalifa ibn Abdul Aziz Al Thani (since 28 January 2020); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs KHALID bin Mohamed AL Attiyah (since 14 November 2017); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs MOHAMED bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (since 14 November 2017) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the amir | chief of state: King and Prime Minister SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 23 January 2015); Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (born 31 August 1985); note - the monarch is both chief of state and head of government head of government: King and Prime Minister SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 23 January 2015); Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (born 31 August 1985) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch every 4 years and includes many royal family members elections/appointments: none; the monarchy is hereditary; an Allegiance Council created by royal decree in October 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes for a voice in selecting future Saudi kings |
| 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 or Majlis al-Shura elections: last on 17 June 2016 (next in 2019); note - in late 2019, the amir announced the formation of a committee to oversee preparations for the first elected council, although Doha has not selected a date for elections election results: NA; composition - men 41, women 4, percent of women 8.9% | description: unicameral Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (150 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve 4-year terms); note - in early 2013, the monarch granted women 30 seats on the Council note: composition as of 2013 - men 121, women 30, percent of women 19.9% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (consists of the court president and several judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of the chief 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 | highest courts: High Court (consists of the court chief and organized into circuits with 3-judge panels, except for the criminal circuit, which has a 5-judge panel for cases involving major punishments) judge selection and term of office: High Court chief and chiefs of the High Court Circuits appointed by royal decree upon the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 10-member body of high-level judges and other judicial heads; new judges and assistant judges serve 1- and 2-year probations, respectively, before permanent assignment subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; Specialized Criminal Court, first-degree courts composed of general, criminal, personal status, and commercial courts; Labor Court; a hierarchy of administrative courts |
| Political parties and leaders | political parties are banned | none |
| 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, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, CAEU, CP, FAO, G-20, 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, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| 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 | chief of mission: Ambassador Princess REEMA bint Bandar Al Saud (since 8 July 2019) chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 FAX: [1] (202) 295-3625 email address and website: info@saudiembassy.net https://www.saudiembassy.net/ consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ambassador John DESROCHER (since 1 June 2021) 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/ | chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Martina STRONG (since February 2021) embassy: Riyadh 11564 mailing address: 6300 Riyadh Place, Washington DC 20521-6300 telephone: [966] (11) 835-4000 FAX: [966] (11) 488-7360 email address and website: RiyadhACS@state.gov https://sa.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jeddah |
| Flag description | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side; maroon represents the blood shed in Qatari wars, white stands for peace; the nine-pointed serrated edge signifies Qatar as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916 note: the other eight emirates are the seven that compose the UAE and Bahrain; according to some sources, the dominant color was formerly red, but this darkened to maroon upon exposure to the sun and the new shade was eventually adopted | green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family, which established the kingdom in 1932; the flag is manufactured with differing obverse and reverse sides so that the Shahada reads - and the sword points - correctly from right to left on both sides note: the only national flag to display an inscription as its principal design; one of only three national flags that differ on their obverse and reverse sides - the others are Moldova and Paraguay |
| National anthem | name: "Al-Salam Al-Amiri" (The Amiri Salute) lyrics/music: Sheikh MUBARAK bin Saif al-Thani/Abdul Aziz Nasser OBAIDAN note: adopted 1996; anthem first performed that year at a meeting of the Gulf Cooperative Council hosted by Qatar | name: "Aash Al Maleek" (Long Live Our Beloved King) lyrics/music: Ibrahim KHAFAJI/Abdul Rahman al-KHATEEB note: music adopted 1947, lyrics adopted 1984 |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | a maroon field surmounted by a white serrated band with nine white points; national colors: maroon, white | palm tree surmounting two crossed swords; national colors: green, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Qatar dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years; 15 years if an Arab national | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Saudi Arabia; a child born out of wedlock in Saudi Arabia to a Saudi mother and unknown father dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Source: CIA Factbook
