Statistical information Oman 1997Oman

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

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Oman - Introduction 1997
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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.


Oman - Geography 1997
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Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map referenceMiddle East

Area
Total: 212,460 km²
Land: 212,460 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries
Total: 1,374 km
Border countries: (3) 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: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Land use

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 5%
Forests and woodland: NA%
Other: 95% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 580 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts

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


Oman - People 1997
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Population: 2,264,590 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 3.49% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Omani(s)
Adjective: Omani

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

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

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

Demographic profile
Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 46% (male 527,091; female 507,849)
15-64 years: 51% (male 632,647; female 535,149)
65 years and over: 3% (male 27,974; female 33,880) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.49% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 37.85 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 4.39 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.42 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 26.4 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.8 years
Male: 68.84 years
Female: 72.85 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.02 children born/woman (1997 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
Definition: NA
Total population: approaching 80%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


Oman - Government 1997
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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; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral Omani council, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens

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: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the sultan is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the sultan is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the sultan
Elections: none; the sultan is a hereditary monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral Consultative Council or Majlis ash-Shura (80 members; two appointed from each wilayat with a population over 30,000, one appointed from each of the other wilayats; members serve four-year terms; has advisory powers only)
Note: new basic law to be implemented in 1997, provides for an upper chamber - the Majlis ad-Dawla or State Council; also the Majlis ash-Shura will be expanded to 110 members; the resulting bicameral legislature will be known as the Omani Council

Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system, administered by region

Political parties and leaders

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB
In the us chancery: 2,535 Belmont Road, 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 Frances D. COOK
From the us embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
From the us mailing address: domestic - Unit 73,000, Box 1, APO AE 9,890-3,000; international - P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat Qaboos, Muscat
From the us telephone: [968] 698,989 (Medinat Qaboos, switchboard)
From the us FAX: [968] 699,779

Flag descriptionflag of Oman: three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal 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


Oman - Economy 1997
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Economy overview: Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry. Petroleum accounts for 75% of export earnings and government revenues and for 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 year 1996 was marked by higher oil production and prices. 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: 6.5% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,500 (1996 est.)

Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3%
Industry: 55%
Services: 42% (1994 est.)

Agriculture products: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; annual fish catch averages 100,000 metric tons

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1994 est.)

Labor force
Total: 454,000
By occupation: agriculture 37% (1993 est.)
Labor force

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: $5.3 billion
Expenditures: $6 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1997 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: $7.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodities: petroleum 75%, reexports, fish, processed copper, textiles
Partners: Japan 32%, South Korea 16%, Thailand 12%, China 8%, US 6%, Taiwan 6% (1995)

Imports
Total value: $5.5 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Partners: UAE 25% (largely reexports), UK 16%, Japan 16%, France 11%, US 5% (1995)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $2.7 billion (1995 est.)

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)


Oman - Energy 1997
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Electricity
Capacity: 1.74 million kW (1994)
Production: 7.39 billion kWh (1994)
Consumption per capita: 3,412 kWh (1995 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


Oman - Communication 1997
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Telephones: 150,000 (1994 est.)

Telephone system: modern system consisting of open wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable
Domestic: open wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


Oman - Military 1997
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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.82 billion (1996)
Percent of gdp: 13.7% (1996)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


Oman - Transportation 1997
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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 126 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 38
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: 32 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 88
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: 25 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)

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

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,306 GRT/8,210 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Ports and terminals


Oman - Transnational issues 1997
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Disputes international: no defined boundary with most of UAE, but Administrative Line in far north

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs


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