Qataris enjoy one of the highest living standards in the world. Per capita income is high by both regional and international standards. In 1999, per capita income was estimated at US$21,841, US$1,803 higher than 1998. By contrast, per capita income in the United States is US$29,683.
The country's vast wealth from oil revenue and its relatively small population have allowed the government to invest heavily in education and in providing first-class health and educational services to its citizens since the 1970s. As a result, the literacy rate in the country is estimated by the United Nations to have reached 80 percent in 1995. Vast oil wealth has also allowed the government to offer heavily-subsidized or free services, such as public education.
| GDP per Capita (US$) | |||||
| Country | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
| Qatar | 21,300 | 16,700 | 17,100 | 17,000 | 20,300 |
| United States | 28,600 | 30,200 | 31,500 | 33,900 | 36,200 |
| Saudi Arabia | 10,600 | 10,300 | 9,000 | 9,000 | 10,500 |
| Bahrain | 13,000 | 13,700 | 13,100 | 13,700 | 15,900 |
| Note: Data are estimates. | |||||
| SOURCE: Handbook of the Nations , 17th,18th, 19th and 20th editions for 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 data; CIA World Factbook 2001 [Online] for 2000 data. | |||||
| Household Consumption in PPP Terms | |||||||
| Country | All food | Clothing and footwear | Fuel and power a | Health care b | Education b | Transport & Communications | Other |
| Qatar | 22 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 13 | 8 | 29 |
| United States | 13 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 51 |
| Saudi Arabia | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Bahrain | 32 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 37 |
| Data represent percentage of consumption in PPP terms. | |||||||
| a Excludes energy used for transport. | |||||||
| b Includes government and private expenditures. | |||||||
| SOURCE: World Bank. World Development Indicators 2000. | |||||||
No information is available about the distribution of wealth in Qatar, but poverty among Qataris is believed to be virtually non-existent.