[WIKIPEDIA] DEMOGRAPHICS OF QATAR [NOTE: THERE ARE MORE FOREIGNERS IN QATAR THAN QATARIS. THE WEST'S INTEREST IN THIS COUNTRY IS DRIVEN FIRST BY THE ENERGY RESOURCES IT HAS AND SECOND IT HOSTS THE LARGEST UNITED STATES MILITARY BASE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WHICH SERVES AS A STRATEGIC HUB FOR UNITED STATES OPERATION IN THE REGION. ***Qatar's estimated proved natural gas reserves were 843 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) as of December 2022, third after Russia and Iran and just ahead of the United States (Figure 4). Qatar holds 11% of the world's proved natural gas reserves and almost 30% of the Middle East's reserves. And its reserves of crude oil estimated at 25.2 billion barrels as of January 1, 2023, Qatar held the 6th largest reserves in the Middle East and the 14th largest in the world.]
