Statistics show that technology has not reduced the number of foreign workers recruited for selected jobs in Qatar according to the “Qatar Population Status 2011, two years after the launch of the population policy”, a report issued by the Permanent Population Committee (PPC). Among those jobs are civil engineers, technicians, cleaning workers and accountants. Qatar is experiencing comprehensive development and an economic boom which involved the recruitment of 1,271,000 foreign workers, which amounts to 94.2% of the total economically active population in 2010, the report says. Female labour force (LF) amounts to 12.3% of the overall LF. Semi- skilled and unskilled workers are around 75% of the total foreign workers. 11% of the total non-Qatari LF are domestic workers. 86.3% of Qataris work in the public sector. The report also says that around two thirds of Qatar population of 15 years and above are single. Doha has the highest population density in the country with 47% of inhabitants living there. The density is 3,394 persons per sq km, while Al Shamal has the lowest rate at 1% - less than nine persons per sq km. In education, the number of students increased as well as opportunities for males and females within the Qatari education system. The number of students enrolled in public, independent and private schools rose from 65,675 males and 65,381 females in 2004 to 92,117 males and 88,225 females in 2010. Spending on public health care amounted to 7.2% of the total budget of 2010-2011. Consequently, life expectancy increased to 78.2 years in 2010 and infant mortality rate declined to 6.7 per thousand in the same year. Women’s economic activity improved significantly, around 36.6% of the total labour force in 2010 was Qatari women, which is a large figure compared with most Arab countries. Due to the requirements of the economic boom and World Cup 2020, Qatar faces demographical challenges that necessitate PPC to maintain a sophisticated balanced scheme to simultaneously cater for development projects and preserve the Qatari identity and culture in the society. Also, PPC tends to limit dependency on foreign labour force by encouraging Qataris to marry and urging them to reproduce. In this respect, efforts are going on to raise awareness and reduce the adverse effects of some social practices such as dowries, and wedding expenses. There is also a trend to develop urban centres far from Doha by providing job opportunities and opening new facilities there.
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