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

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Background:


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

Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 309,500 km²
Land: 309,500 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: twice the size of Georgia
Country comparison total: 1,561 km
Country comparison border countries: (3) Saudi Arabia 658 km; UAE 609 km; Yemen 294 km

Land boundaries
Total: 1,561 km
Border countries: (3) Saudi Arabia 658 km; UAE 609 km; Yemen 294 km

Coastline: 2,092 km

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

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
Highest point: Jabal Shams 3,004 m
Lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 310 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 4.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 0.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 4.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 95.3% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,079 km² (2020)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 130 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 240 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 1.55 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 1.4 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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

Geography
Note: consists of Oman proper and two northern exclaves, Musandam and Al Madhah; the former is a peninsula that occupies a strategic location adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil


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Population
Distribution: the vast majority of the population is located in and around the Al Hagar Mountains in the north of the country; another smaller cluster is found around the city of Salalah in the far south; most of the country remains sparsely poplulated
Total: 3,901,992
Male: 2,096,126
Female: 1,805,866 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.75% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Omani(s)
Adjective: Omani

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

Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Swahili, Urdu, Indian dialects
Major-language samples: دليل جيوس العالمي، المصدر الذي لا غنى عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Muslim 85.9%, Christian 6.4%, Hindu 5.7%, other and unaffiliated 2% (2020 est.)
Note: Omani citizens represent approximately 56.4% of the population and are overwhelming Muslim (Ibadhi and Sunni sects each constitute about 45% and Shia about 5%); Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists account for roughly 5% of Omani citizens

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 29.8% (male 594,909/female 566,682)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,428,141/female 1,155,438)
65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 73,076/female 83,746)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 42
Youth dependency ratio: 38
Elderly dependency ratio: 4
Potential support ratio: 25.2 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 27.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 28.1 years
Female: 26.3 years

Population growth rate: 1.75% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 21.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 3.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: the vast majority of the population is located in and around the Al Hagar Mountains in the north of the country; another smaller cluster is found around the city of Salalah in the far south; most of the country remains sparsely poplulated

Urbanization
Urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.650 million MUSCAT (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources; high levels of soil and water salinity in the coastal plains; beach pollution from oil spills; industrial effluents seeping into the water tables and aquifers; desertificaiton due to high winds driving desert sand into arable lands
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 34.88 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 63.46 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 5.6 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.24 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.16 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 17 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 13.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 75.5 years
Female: 79.4 years

Total fertility rate: 2.64 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 29.7% (2014)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Unimproved rural: 2.1% of population
Unimproved total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 1.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 27% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 0.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 8% (2020 est.)
Male: 15.5% (2020 est.)
Female: 0.4% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.2% (2016/17)

Education expenditures: 5.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.7%
Male: 97%
Female: 92.7% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 15 years (2021)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 6.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 5.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 13.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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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
Former: Sultanate of Muscat and Oman
Etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain, but it apparently dates back at least 2,000 years since an 'Omana' is mentioned by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.) and an 'Omanon' by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.)

Government type: absolute monarchy

Capital
Name: Muscat
Geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E
Time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name, whose meaning is uncertain, traces back almost two millennia; two 2nd century A.D. scholars, the geographer PTOLEMY and the historian ARRIAN, both mention an Arabian Sea coastal town of Moscha, which most likely referred to Muscat

Administrative divisions: 11 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafaza); 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: National Day, 18 November
Note: celebrates Oman's independence from Portugal in 1650 and the birthday of Sultan QABOOS bin Said al Said, who reigned from 1970 to 2020

Constitution
History: promulgated by royal decree 6 November 1996 (the Basic Law of the Sultanate of Oman serves as the constitution); amended by royal decree in 2011
Amendments: promulgated by the sultan or proposed by the Council of Oman and drafted by a technical committee as stipulated by royal decree and then promulgated through royal decree; amended by royal decree 2011, 2021

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Oman
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: unknown

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Note: members of the military and security forces by law cannot vote

Executive branch
Chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister HAITHAM bin Tarik Al Said (since 11 January 2020)
Head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister HAITHAM bin Tarik Al Said (since 11 January 2020)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
Note: the monarch is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Council of Oman or Majlis Oman consists of: Council of State or Majlis al-Dawla (87 seats including the chairman; members appointed by the sultan from among former government officials and prominent educators, businessmen, and citizens; members serve 4-year term), Consultative Assembly or Majlis al-Shura (90 seats; members directly elected in single- and 2-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve renewable 4-year terms)
Elections: Council of State - last appointments on 8 November 2023 (next appointments in November 2,027), Consultative Assembly - last held on 29 October 2023 (next to be held in October 2,027)
Elections results: Council of State - 87 nonpartisan members were appointed by the sultan; composition - men 68, women 18, percentage women 20.9%, Consultative Assembly percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 90 nonpartisan members were elected (organized political parties in Oman are legally banned); composition - 90 men, 0 women, percentage women 0%; total Council of Oman percentage women 10.2%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 5 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the 9-member Supreme Judicial Council (chaired by the monarch) and appointed by the monarch; judges appointed for life
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Administrative Court; Courts of First Instance; sharia courts; magistrates' courts; military courts

Political parties and leaders: none

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
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Moosa Hamdan Moosa AL TAI (since 17 February 2021)
In the us chancery: 2,535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980
In the us fax: [1] (202) 745-4,933
In the us email address and website: washington@fm.gov.om, Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman, Washington, USA - FM.gov.om
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ana ESCROGIMA (since 4 December 2023)
From the us embassy: P.C. 115, Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Muscat
From the us mailing address: 6,220 Muscat Place, Washington DC 20,521
From the us telephone: [968] 2,464-3,400
From the us fax: [968] 2,464-3,740
From the us email address and website: ConsularMuscat@state.gov; [link]

Flag description: three horizontal bands of white (top), 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 al Akhdar (Green Mountains) and fertility

National symbols: khanjar dagger superimposed on two crossed swords; national colors: red, white, green

National anthem
Name: 'Nashid as-Salaam as-Sultani' (The Sultan's Anthem)
Lyrics/music: Rashid bin Uzayyiz al KHUSAIDI/James Frederick MILLS, arranged by Bernard EBBINGHAUS
Note: adopted 1932; new lyrics written after QABOOS bin Said al Said gained power in 1970; first performed by the band of a British ship as a salute to the Sultan during a 1932 visit to Muscat; the bandmaster of the HMS Hawkins was asked to write a salutation to the Sultan on the occasion of his ship visit

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 5 (all cultural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: high-income, oil-based economy; large welfare system; growing government debt; citizenship-based labor force growth policy; US free trade agreement; diversifying portfolio; high female labor force participation

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $185.96 billion (2023 est.); $183.574 billion (2022 est.); $175.986 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 1.3% (2023 est.); 4.31% (2022 est.); 3.09% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $40,000 (2023 est.); $40,100 (2022 est.); $38,900 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 44.3% (2021 est.)
Government consumption: 22.1% (2021 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 25.6% (2021 est.)
Investment in inventories: -3.2% (2021 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 52.5% (2021 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -41.4% (2021 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.8% (2022 est.)
Industry: 57% (2022 est.)
Services: 44.5% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: dates, tomatoes, milk, sorghum, vegetables, goat milk, cucumbers/gherkins, chilies/peppers, watermelons, cantaloupes/melons (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber

Industrial production growth rate: 5.05% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 2.316 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 1.46% (2023 est.); 1.51% (2022 est.); 1.9% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 6.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 5.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 13.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $29.334 billion (2018 est.)
Expenditures: $35.984 billion (2018 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 31.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 46.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
Note: excludes indebtedness of state-owned enterprises

Revenue
From forest resources: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.94% (2023 est.); 2.51% (2022 est.); 1.68% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on 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: $5.652 billion (2022 est.); -$4.834 billion (2021 est.); -$12.514 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $69.701 billion (2022 est.); $46.572 billion (2021 est.); $35.691 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 40%, India 11%, South Korea 6%, UAE 4%, US 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, fertilizers, semi-finished iron (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $46.326 billion (2022 est.); $37.216 billion (2021 est.); $33.827 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: UAE 27%, Saudi Arabia 11%, India 10%, China 9%, Qatar 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, iron ore, milk, iron pipes (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $17.455 billion (2023 est.); $17.606 billion (2022 est.); $19.731 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 9.129 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 39.012 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 4.043 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 31,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 73,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 105,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 1.056 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 211,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 5.373 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 40.754 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 27.364 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 15.446 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 1.506 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 651.287 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 79.559 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 24,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 27.188 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 52.348 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 285.886 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 563,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 6.75 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 5.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 5.5% of GDP (2022 est.); 8% of GDP (2021 est.); 11% of GDP (2020 est.); 11.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman (RAO), Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), Royal Guard of Oman (RGO), Sultan's Special Forces; Royal Oman Police (ROP): Civil Defense, Immigration, Customs, Royal Oman Police Coast Guard, Special Task Force (2024)
Note 1: the Sultan’s Special Forces and the ROP Special Task Force are Oman’s primary tactical counterterrorism response forces
Note 2: in addition to its policing duties, the ROP conducts many administrative functions similar to the responsibilities of a Ministry of Interior in other countries

Military service age and obligation: 18 for voluntary military service for men and women (women have been allowed to serve since 2011); no conscription (2023)

Space program

Terrorist groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 57
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 10,438,241 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 510.43 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: A4O

Airports: 36 (2024)

Heliports: 20 (2024)

Pipelines: 106 km condensate, 4,224 km gas, 3,558 km oil, 33 km oil/gas/water, 264 km refined products (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 60,230 km
Paved: 29,685 km (includes 1,943 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 30,545 km (2012)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 5,000 (Yemen) (2017)

Illicit drugs