Map of Oman | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century a newly established sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased but it never became a British colony. In 1970 QABOOS bin Said Al-Said overthrew his father and he has since ruled as sultan. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. Oman's moderate independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries. Inspired by the popular uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa in 2010-11 Omanis began staging marches and demonstrations to demand economic benefits an end to corruption and greater political rights. In February and March 2011 in response to protester demands QABOOS pledged to create more government jobs and promised to implement economic and political reforms such as granting legislative and regulatory powers to the Majlis al-Shura and the introduction of unemployment benefits. Also in March the Gulf Cooperation Council pledged $20 billion in financial aid to Oman and Bahrain over a 10-year period to assist the two nations in their struggle with Arab protests. Amid concessions made to oppositionists the government during the summer continued to crack down on protests and demonstrations and increasingly clamped down on the media. In October 2011 QABOOS issued a royal decree expanding the legislative powers of the Majlis al-Shura to draft and propo


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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 reference

Area
Rank: 71
Comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries

Coastline: 2,092 km

Maritime claims

Climate: dry desert; hot humid along coast; hot dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain: central desert plain rugged mountains in north and south

Elevation

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

Land use

Irrigated land: 590 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 1 km³ (1997)

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

Geography
Note: strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz a vital transit point for world crude oil


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Population: 3,090,150 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 136
Growth rate: 2.043% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 51
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

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

Languages: Arabic (official) English Baluchi Urdu Indian dialects

Religions: Ibadhi Muslim (official) 75% other (includes Sunni Muslim Shia Muslim Hindu) 25%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.043% (2012 est.)
Rank: 51

Birth rate: 24.33 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 64

Death rate: 3.42 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 212

Net migration rate: -0.47 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 140

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 115

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 104

Total fertility rate: 2.87 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 69

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.901 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 1.9 beds/1000 population (2008)

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 145
People living with hivaids: 1100 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 138
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 127

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 3.9% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 108

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: monarchy

Capital

Administrative divisions: 11 governorates (muhafazat singular - muhafazat); Ad Dakhiliyah Al Buraymi Al Wusta Az Zahirah Janub al Batinah (Al Batinah South) Janub ash Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah South) Masqat (Muscat) Musandam Shamal al Batinah (Al Batinah North) Shamal ash Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah North) Zufar (Dhofar)

Dependent areas

Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday: Birthday of Sultan QABOOS 18 November (1940)

Constitution: none; note - on 6 November 1996 Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution 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 legislature and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens

Legal system: mixed legal system of Anglo-Saxon law and Islamic law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces by law are not allowed to vote

Executive branch

Legislative branch: bicameral - consists of Majlis al-Dawla or upper chamber (71 seats; members appointed by the sultan; has only advisory powers) and Majlis al-Shura or lower chamber (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has authority to draft legislation but is subordinate to the Sultan)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: political parties are illegal

International organization participation: ABEDA AFESD AMF CAEU FAO G-77 GCC IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) IDA IDB IFAD IFC IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IPU ISO ITSO ITU LAS MIGA NAM OIC OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation

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 near the top of the vertical band; white represents peace and prosperity red recalls battles against foreign invaders and green symbolizes the Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountains) and fertility

National symbols: Khanjar dagger superimposed on two crossed swords

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Oman is a middle-income economy that is heavily dependent on dwindling oil resources. Because of declining reserves and a rapidly growing labor force Muscat has actively pursued a development plan that focuses on diversification industrialization and privatization with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP to 9% by 2020 and creating more jobs to employ the rising numbers of Omanis entering the workforce. Tourism and gas-based industries are key components of the government's diversification strategy. However increases in social welfare benefits particularly since the Arab Spring will challenge the government's ability to effectively balance its budget if oil revenues decline. By using enhanced oil recovery techniques Oman succeeded in increasing oil production giving the country more time to diversify and the increase in global oil prices through 2011 provided the government greater financial resources to invest in non-oil sectors.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 76

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 57

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 48

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

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

Industries

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (2011 est.)
Rank: 89

Labor force: 968,800
Rank: 143

Unemployment rate: 15% (2004 est.)
Rank: 146

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Surplus or deficit: 6.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 10

Taxes and other revenues: 44.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 34

Public debt: 3.8% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 151

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.1% (2011 est.)
Rank: 101

Central bank discount rate: 0.05% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 144

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 6.19% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 139

Stock of narrow money: $7.971 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 80

Stock of broad money: $63.16 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 63

Stock of domestic credit: $23.18 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 74

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 63

Current account balance: $10.67 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 28

Exports: $47.09 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 60
Commodities: petroleum reexports fish metals textiles
Partners: China 30.2% South Korea 10.9% UAE 10.6% Japan 10.4% India 9.2% Thailand 5.3% US 4.6% (2011)

Imports: $21.35 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 73
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactured goods food livestock lubricants
Partners: UAE 27.7% Japan 11.9% US 6.1% India 5.4% China 4.2% Saudi Arabia 4.1% Germany 4% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $14.37 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 64

Debt external: $9.033 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 95

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $N/A

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 18.59 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 75
Consumption: 15.34 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 75
Exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 105
Imports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 110
Installed generating capacity: 4.202 million kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 78
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 26
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 143
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 185
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 161

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 890,500 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 25
Crude oil exports: 701,600 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 19
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 99
Crude oil proven reserves: 4.902 billion bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 26

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 106,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 71
Products consumption: 98,000 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 80
Products exports: 19,680 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 74
Products imports: 33,150 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 85

Natural gas
Production: 27.1 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 30
Consumption: 17.52 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 38
Exports: 11.49 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 21
Imports: 1.9 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 52
Proven reserves: 849.5 billion m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 27

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 55.2 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 59

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 287,600 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 117
Mobile cellular: 4.809 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 108

Telephone system

Broadcast media: 1 state-run TV broadcaster; TV stations transmitting from Saudi Arabia the UAE and Yemen available via satellite TV; state-run radio operates multiple stations; first private radio station began operating in 2007 and 2 additional stations now operating (2007)

Internet
Country code: .om
Hosts: 14,531 (2012)
Hosts rank: 127
Users: 1.465 million (2009)
Users rank: 83

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 11.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 1

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 130 (2012)
Rank: 44

Heliports: 3 (2012)

Pipelines: condensate 107 km; gas 4,209 km; oil 3,558 km; refined products 263 km (2010)

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 76

Waterways

Merchant marine
Rank: 128

Ports and terminals: Mina' Qabus Salalah Suhar


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Disputes international: boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave but details of the alignment have not been made public

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs