Qatar on path to become GCC’s 3rd largest economy

Underpinned by its huge natural gas resources, Qatar is poised to become the third largest economy in the GCC region by 2012, research has shown.

Beyond an 18.5% real GDP growth forecast for Qatar in 2010, the highest worldwide, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts 14.3% in 2011 and 9.2% for the country in 2012.

Qatar is set to become one of the top “macroeconomic picks” by investors in the Mena region, Bank Audi says in a study titled “A mix of opportunities and challenges for the World’s fastest growing economy”.