To ascertain the national neonatal mortality rate in Qatar during the first quarter of 2011 (1 January–31 March), we carried out a prospective pilot national epidemiologic study. Nationwide birth and neonatal mortality data were collected using predesigned, structured questionnaires. To analyse trends over the previous 4 years (2008–2011) we used neonatal mortality data for 2008–2010 from the database of the neonatal unit at the Women’s Hospital, annual reports of Hamad Medical Corporation, and published neonatal mortality data for 2010 for comparative analysis. A total of 4909 live births and 21 neonatal deaths were recorded during the study period. The neonatal mortality rate was 4.28 /1000 live births (corrected neonatal mortality rate 2.85 /1000). The early neonatal mortality rate was 1.84 /1000 and the late neonatal mortality rate was 2.44/1000 live births. Fifteen of the 21 neonatal deaths were in non-Qatari babies, reflecting the ethnic distribution in the population. Neonatal mortality rates in Qatar declined very little between 2008 and the first quarter of 2011.