Map of Oman | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total area total: 212,460 km²
Land: 212,460 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries: total 1,374 km, Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline: 2,092 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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
Arable land: less than 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 5%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 93%

Irrigated land: 410 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil


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Population: 2,125,089 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 3.71% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Omani(s)
Adjective: Omani

Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi)

Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 46% (female 480,974; male 498,619)
15-64 years: 51% (female 493,685; male 593,740)
65 years and over: 3% (female 31,826; male 26,245) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.71% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 38.05 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.09 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
Current issues natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and duststorms in interior; periodic droughts
Current issues international agreements: party to - Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 34.3 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.25 years
Male: 68.31 years
Female: 72.29 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.16 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
Conventional short form: Oman
Local long form: Saltanat Uman
Local short form: Uman

Government type: monarchy

Capital: Muscat

Administrative divisions: 6 regions (mintaqah, singular - mintaqat) and 2 governorates* (muhafazah, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*

Dependent areas

Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday: National Day, 18 November (1940)

Constitution: none

Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the sultan; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: none

Executive branch
Chief of state and head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970)
Cabinet: Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral Consultative Council

Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB
In the us chancery: 2,535 Belmont Rd. NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1982
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 745-4,933
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador David J. DUNFORD
From the us embassy: address NA, Muscat
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Muscat
From the us telephone: [968] 698,989
From the us FAX: [968] 699,779

Flag description: three horizontal bands of white (top, double width), red, and green (double width) with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered at the top of the vertical band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry, including trends in international oil prices and the ability of OPEC producers to agree on output quotas. Petroleum accounts for more than 85% of export earnings, about 80% of government revenues, and roughly 40% of GDP. Oman has proved oil reserves of 4 billion barrels, equivalent to about 20 years' supply at the current rate of extraction. Agriculture is carried on at a subsistence level and the general population depends on imported food. The government is encouraging private investment, both domestic and foreign, as a prime force for further economic development.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 0.5% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 4% of GDP and 40% of the labor force (including fishing; less than 2% of land cultivated; largely subsistence farming (dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables, camels, cattle; not self-sufficient in food; annual fish catch averages 100,000 metric tons

Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper

Industrial production growth rate: 8.6% (1991; accounts for almost 60% of GDP, including petroleum

Labor force: 430,000 (est.)
By occupation: agriculture 40% (est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $4.4 billion
Expenditures: $5.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1 billion (1994 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodoties: petroleum 87%, re-exports, fish, processed copper, textiles
Partners: UAE 33%, Japan 20%, South Korea 14%, China 7% (1993)

Imports: $4.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
Commodoties: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Partners: UAE 24% (largely re-exports), Japan 21%, UK 12%, US 7%, France 6% (1993)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $3 billion (1993)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Omani rials (RO) per US$1 - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 6 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 3,407 kWh (1993)

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system: 50,000 telephones; modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radio communications stations; limited coaxial cable
Local: NA
Intercity: open wire, microwave, radio communications, and 8 domestic satellite links
International: 2 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.7 billion, 14.2% of GDP (1995 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 140
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 36
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 61
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 31

Airports with paved runways
Over 3047 m: 4
15-24 to 2437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1
Under 914 m: 36

Airports with unpaved runways
Over 3047 m: 3
2438 to 3047 m: 3
15-24 to 2438 m: 61
914 to 1523 m: 31

Heliports

Pipelines: crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: total:1 passenger ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,442 GRT/1,320 DWT

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: no defined boundary with most of UAE; Administrative Line with UAE in far north

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs