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

top of page


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.


top of page


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 reference: Middle 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 Shams 2,980 m

Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas

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 adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil


top of page


Population: 2,446,645 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 3.45% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

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
0-14 years: 41% (male 508,681; female 489,453)
15-64 years: 57% (male 856,062; female 535,123)
65 years and over: 2% (male 30,083; female 27,243) (1999 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.45% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 37.98 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.29 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.84 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.6 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.33 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 24.71 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.3 years
Male: 69.31 years
Female: 73.39 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.11 children born/woman (1999 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


top of page


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 (mintaqat, singular_mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular_muhafazah) 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 monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: limited to approximately 50,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura

Executive branch
Chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note_the monarch 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 monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch: bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis ad-Dawla (41 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis ash-Shura (82 seats; members elected by limited suffrage, however, the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers)
Elections: last held NA October 1997 (next to be held NA 2000)
Election results: NA

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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, 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 1981, 1988
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 745-4,933
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador John D. CRAIG
From the us embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
From the us mailing address: international:P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat Qaboos, Muscat
From the us telephone: [968] 698,989
From the us FAX: [968] 699,779

Flag description: 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


top of page


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' production 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. In 1998-99 the economy is suffering from weak world oil prices.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -8.5% (1998 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2%
Industry: 50%
Services: 48% (1997 est.)

Agriculture products: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 850,000 (1997 est.)
By occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $4 billion
Expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1999 budget 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: $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Commodities: petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
Partners: Japan 26%, China 19%, Thailand 19%, South Korea 14%, US 4% (1997)

Imports: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Partners: UAE 23% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 14%, US 8%, Germany 5% (1997)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $3 billion (1997 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)


top of page


Electricity access

Electricity production: 8 billion kWh (1996)
By source fossil fuel: 100%
By source hydro: 0%
By source nuclear: 0%
By source other: 0% (1996)

Electricity consumption: 8 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

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 country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.672 billion (1998)
Percent of gdp: 11.1% (1998)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 143 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 6
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 137
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 6
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 58
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 36
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)

Airports with paved runways
Total: 6
Over 3047 m: 4
2438 to 3047 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways
Total: 137
Over 3047 m: 2
2438 to 3047 m: 6
15-24 to 2437 m: 58
914 to 1523 m: 36
Under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 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 (1998 est.)

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: southern boundary with the United Arab Emirates has not been bilaterally defined; northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs