Map of Oman | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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

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
Extremes lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Jabal ash Sham 2,980 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: less than 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 5%
Forests 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


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Population:
Growth rate:

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:

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

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
International agreements: party to_Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified_Biodiversity, Climate Change
International agreements note: Strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
All ages:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.53 years (1996 est.), 70.25 years (1995 est.)
Male: 68.59 91,996 est.), 68.31 years (1995 est.)
Female: 72.57 years (1996 est.), 72.29 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

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: definition: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: Masqat (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 (Majlis ash Shura):A 60-member body with advisory powers only

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, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

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. Petroleum accounts for nearly 90% of export earnings, about 75% 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:

Real gdp per capita:

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Accounts for 3% 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:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 3% (1994 est.), 8.6% (1991; accounts for 60% of GDP, including petroleum

Labor force: 454,000 (est.)
By occupation: Agriculture 37% (1993 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: $4.7 billion (1995 est.); $4.4 billion (1994 est.)
Expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.); $5.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1 billion (1994 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: Calendar year

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: total value. $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$4 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
Commodities:
Partners:

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
Capacity: 1,540,000 kW
Production: 6 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 3,407 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 150,000 telephones (1994 est.); 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

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.82 billion, 13.7% of GDP (1996; $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: 129
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: 34
With paved runways With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 57
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 26

Heliports

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

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,306 GRT/8,210 DWT
By type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1995 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs