Doha: Qatar has registered significant progress in social development by reducing unemployment, gender inequality, adult education, infant mortality rate and in other areas, according to the Fourth Report of Sustainable Development in Qatar released by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, and the Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It says Qatar achieved concrete progress in social development to reduce unemployment which did not cross one percent, the least worldwide. Qatar also achieved a high level of gender equality and made available the healthcare plan with full coverage, leading to a slump in the under-five mortality rate from 10 per 1,000 in 2006 to seven per 1,000 in 2012, and in maternal mortality rate during pregnancy. Life expectancy at birth rose by 5.1 years, an increase from 74.1 years in 2006 to 79.2 in 2012.
Qatar also made tangible progress in adult education as adult literacy rate rose from 89.5 percent in 2006 to 96.7 in 2012, meaning illiteracy rate did not exceed 3.3 percent of the adult population. The development has been reflected on health and education indicators. Qatar has attained an advanced position in the human development guide. It was ranked 36 among 187 countries in the human development report 2013. Qatar has economically achieved significant progress. It is the world’s richest country in terms of GDP per capita. Qatar’s investments as percentage of GDP outperform developed countries’ which are well-informed in the field.
The report clarifies that inflation did not exceed 2 percent in 2012, after it was more than 11 in 2006 and now it is less than in developed countries. The report also underlines the strength of external economic situation in Qatar.
The current account balance attained a surplus during 2006-2012 and its proportion of GDP passed 32 percent in 2012, leading to a positive impact on the macro-economic performance and foreign exchange reserves.
Qatar achieved huge progress towards the knowledge economy due to the increase of information technology and communication which are one of the fundamentals of the knowledge economy. The coverage rate for mobile phones exceeded 190 percent outnumbered developed countries (122 percent). The indicator of Internet use by population rose from almost 28 percent in 2006 to 49 in 2012.
The Peninsula
