
Oman in the World
Oman - Introduction 1993
top of pageBackground: In 1970 QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing political and military relationship with Britain. Oman's moderate independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.
Oman - Geography 1993
top of pageLocation:
Middle East, along the Arabian Sea, between Yemen and the United
Arab Emirates
Arab Emirates
Geographic coordinates
Map reference: Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area
Total: 212,460 km²
Land: 212,460 km²
Land boundaries: total 1,374 km, Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Coastline: 2,092 km
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: to be defined
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Maritime claims
Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Terrain: vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Elevation
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Land use
