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.

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total 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

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

Land use
Arable land: less than 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 5%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 93%

Irrigated land: 410 km² (1989 est.)

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

Population: 2,125,089 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 3.71% (1995 est.)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 46% (female 480,974; male 498,619)
15-64 years: 51% (female 493,685; male 593,740)
65 years and over: 3% (female 31,826; male 26,245) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.71% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 38.05 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.09 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

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
Current issues international agreements: party to - Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Infant mortality rate: 34.3 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.25 years
Male: 68.31 years
Female: 72.29 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.16 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Literacy: NA%

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*

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

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

Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system

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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB
In the us chancery: 2,535 Belmont Rd. 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 David J. DUNFORD
From the us embassy: address NA, Muscat
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Muscat
From the us telephone: [968] 698,989
From the us FAX: [968] 699,779

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

Economy overview: Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry, including trends in international oil prices and the ability of OPEC producers to agree on output quotas. Petroleum accounts for more than 85% of export earnings, about 80% 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 growth rate: 0.5% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $10,020 (1994 est.)

Agriculture products: accounts for 4% 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: crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper

Industrial production growth rate: 8.6% (1991; accounts for almost 60% of GDP, including petroleum

Labor force: 430,000 (est.)
By occupation: agriculture 40% (est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $4.4 billion
Expenditures: $5.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1 billion (1994 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodoties: petroleum 87%, re-exports, fish, processed copper, textiles
Partners: UAE 33%, Japan 20%, South Korea 14%, China 7% (1993)

Imports: $4.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
Commodoties: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Partners: UAE 24% (largely re-exports), Japan 21%, UK 12%, US 7%, France 6% (1993)

Debt external: $3 billion (1993)

Exchange rates: Omani rials (RO) per US$1 - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986)

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

Telephone system: 50,000 telephones; 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

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.7 billion, 14.2% of GDP (1995 est.)

Airports: 140
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: 36
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 61
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 31

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

Merchant marine: total:1 passenger ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,442 GRT/1,320 DWT

Disputes international: no defined boundary with most of UAE; Administrative Line with UAE in far north