Qatar, a small peninsular country in the Persian Gulf, emerged as a partner of the U.S. in the mid-1990s and currently serves as host to major U.S. military facilities. Qatar holds the third largest proven natural gas reserves in the world, and its small population enjoys the world’s highest per capita income. The emir of Qatar, Shaykh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has managed a course of major economic growth and very limited political liberalization since replacing his father in a bloodless palace coup in 1995. Following joint military operations during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Qatar and the U.S. concluded a Defense Cooperation Agreement that has been subsequently expanded. Contents of this report: Country and Leadership Profile; Assertive Diplomacy and Economic Clout; Qatar’s Foreign Policy and Economy; U.S.-Qatar Relations and Key Issues: U.S. Military Cooperation and Foreign Assistance; Counterterrorism; U.S.-Qatar Trade; Political Reform and Elections; Human Rights and Social Issues; Al Jazeera and the Qatari Media; Education; Appendixes: Qatar in Brief; Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Qatar. Map and table. This is a print on demand report.