Qatar’s non-oil economy outperforms hydrocarbon sector

Non-oil GDP rises by 5.3%

Hospitality and trade top list

Gas exports to soar by 2030

Qatar recorded GDP growth of around 3.7 percent in the first quarter of 2025, with the bulk of the gains being in the non-hydrocarbon sector.

Non-oil GDP increased by around 5.3 percent in the first quarter while hydrocarbon GDP edged up by only about 1 percent.

Real GDP rose to around QR181.5 billion ($49.7 billion) in the Q1 of 2025, up from QR175 billion in the first quarter of 2024, the official Qatari news agency said, citing a report by the National Planning Council on Monday.

The report showed the non-oil sector was the dominant component of gas-rich Qatar’s GDP, standing at 63.3 percent compared with 62.6 percent during the same period last year.

A breakdown showed most non-oil sectors expanded during Q1, with growth standing at 5.6 percent in manufacturing, 4.4 percent in construction, 7 percent in real estate, 3.5 percent in transport, 14.6 percent in trade and around 13.8 percent in hospitality and services.

The hydrocarbon sector, which is dominated by LNG exports, expanded to around QR66 billion ($18 billion) in Q1, the report said.

Qatar relies heavily on oil and gas sales for its income, with its crude output currently standing at nearly 600,000 barrels per day. The level is way below its peak production of more than 780,000 bpd 10 years ago.

Sitting atop the world’s third-largest proven gas deposits after Russia and Iran, Qatar is increasing its gas export capacity of 77 million tonnes per annum by 85 percent to nearly 142 mtpa in 2030, according to the Kuwaiti-based Arab Energy Organization.

Qatar’s proven natural gas reserves are officially estimated at around 23.8 trillion cubic metres, concentrated mostly in the 6,000 sq km North Field, the world’s biggest single non-associated gas reservoir.