Qatar’s Economy Contracts for First Time in 5 Years

2026-08-31 08:56 By Kyrie Dichosa 1 min. read

Qatar’s economy shrank by 7.0% year-on-year in Q1 2026, following a 2.0% expansion in Q4 2025 and marking the first contraction since Q1 2021.

This was mainly driven by a steep contraction in mining and quarrying activities, which accounted for 28.7% of GDP and fell 25.8% annually, while non-mining and quarrying activities, representing 71.3% of GDP, expanded 3.5%.

Within non-mining sectors, the fastest-growing activities included accommodation and food services (+12.0%), wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+9.0%), and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, alongside water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (+9.0%).

The figures highlight continued resilience in non-mining sectors despite a sharp downturn in mining and quarrying, underscoring ongoing efforts to diversify Qatar’s economy and strengthen non-hydrocarbon activity.

On a quarterly basis, GDP contracted by 7.9%.



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Qatar’s Economy Contracts for First Time in 5 Years
Qatar’s economy shrank by 7.0% year-on-year in Q1 2026, following a 2.0% expansion in Q4 2025 and marking the first contraction since Q1 2021. This was mainly driven by a steep contraction in mining and quarrying activities, which accounted for 28.7% of GDP and fell 25.8% annually, while non-mining and quarrying activities, representing 71.3% of GDP, expanded 3.5%. Within non-mining sectors, the fastest-growing activities included accommodation and food services (+12.0%), wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+9.0%), and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, alongside water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (+9.0%). The figures highlight continued resilience in non-mining sectors despite a sharp downturn in mining and quarrying, underscoring ongoing efforts to diversify Qatar’s economy and strengthen non-hydrocarbon activity. On a quarterly basis, GDP contracted by 7.9%.
2026-08-31
Qatar GDP Expands 2% in Q4
Qatar’s economy expanded by 2% year-on-year in Q4 2025, slowing from a 2.9% growth in the previous period. The moderation was driven by a contraction in mining and quarrying activities, which accounted for 33.8% of GDP and declined 2.4% annually, while non-mining and quarrying activities, representing 66.2% of GDP, rose 4.5%. Within non-mining sectors, the fastest-growing activities included accommodation and food services (+12.8%), construction (+12.6%), and transportation and storage (+10.6%), supported by strong domestic demand, visitor activity, and ongoing infrastructure and public-sector projects. The performance underscores continued progress in diversifying the economy and strengthening non-hydrocarbon sectors, in line with the Third National Development Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030. On a quarterly basis, Qatar’s GDP contracted by 0.4%, following a 2.3% expansion in the prior period.
2026-04-01
Qatar Economy Expands 2.9% in Q3
Qatar’s economy grew by 2.9% year-on-year in Q3 2025, accelerating from a 1.9% expansion in the previous period. The pickup was driven by continued strength in non-hydrocarbon activities, which expanded 4.4% and accounted for 65.5% of real GDP, highlighting progress under the Third National Development Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030. The fastest-growing non-hydrocarbon sectors included construction (+9.1%), wholesale and retail trade (+8.9%), and accommodation and food services (+6.4%), supported by strong domestic demand, increased visitor activity, and ongoing infrastructure and public-sector projects. Overall, 15 of 17 economic activities recorded positive growth, underscoring the resilience and diversification of the economy. Authorities also noted ongoing improvements to GDP measurement, with revisions underway to align national accounts with international standards and a comprehensive update expected by Q1 2026.
2025-12-30