Background: The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century the nascent 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 has since ruled as sultan but he has never designated a successor. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK and US. Oman's moderate independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with its neighbors and to avoid external entanglements. Inspired by the popular uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa beginning in January 2011 some Omanis staged demonstrations calling for more jobs and economic benefits and an end to corruption. In response to those protester demands QABOOS in 2011 pledged to implement economic and political reforms such as granting legislative and regulatory powers to the Majlis al-Shura and increasing unemployment benefits. Additionally in August 2012 the Sultan announced a royal directive mandating the speedy implementation of a national job creation plan for thousands of public and private sector jobs. As part of the government's efforts to decentralize authority and allow greater citizen participation in local governance Oman successfully conducted its first municipal council elections in December 2012. Announced by the Sultan in 2011 the municipal councils will have the power to advise the Royal Court on the needs of local districts across Oman's 11 governorates. The Sultan returned to Oman in March 2015 after eight months in Germany where he received medical treatment and has since appeared publicly on a few occasions.

Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N 57 00 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 309,500 km²
Land: 309,500 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 71
Comparative: twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries
Total: 1561 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
Mean elevation: 310 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m: highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 4.7%
Forest: 0%
Other: 95.3%

Irrigated land: 590 km² (2012)

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

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: 3,355,262 (July 2016 est.)
Note: immigrants make up over 40% of the total population according to UN data
Rank: 134
Growth rate: 2.05% (2016 est.)
Growth rate rank: 46
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Omani
Adjective: Omani

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

Languages: Arabic (official) English Baluchi Urdu Indian dialects

Religions: Muslim (official; majority are Ibadhi lesser numbers of Sunni and Shia) 85.9% Christian 6.5% Hindu 5.5% Buddhist 0.8% Jewish 0.1 other 1% unaffiliated 0.2% (2010 est.)
Note: approximately 75% of Omani citizens who compose almost 70% of the country's total population are Ibadhi Muslims; the Omani government does not keep statistics on religious affiliation

Age structure
0-14 years: 30.14%
15-24 years: 19.11%
25-54 years: 43.41%
55-64 years: 3.91%
65 years and over: 3.43% (2016 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 30%
Youth dependency ratio: 26.7%
Elderly dependency ratio: 3.4%
Potential support ratio: 29.8%

Median age
Total: 25.4 years
Male: 26.5 years
Female: 24 years
Rank: 153

Population growth rate: 2.05% (2016 est.)
Rank: 46

Birth rate: 24.3 births/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 57

Death rate: 3.3 deaths/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 219

Net migration rate: -0.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 124

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: 77.6% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 8.54% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: MUSCAT (capital) 838,000 (2015)

Environment
Current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; limited natural freshwater resources
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.1 male/female
25-54 years: 1.38 male/female
55-64 years: 1.14 male/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male/female
Total population: 1.19 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 13.2 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 13.5 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 12.8 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 110

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.5 years
Male: 73.5 years
Female: 77.5 years
Rank: 102

Total fertility rate: 2.84 children born/woman (2016 est.)
Rank: 61

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 24.4% (2007/08)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 2.43 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1000 population (2012)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.16% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 101
People living with hivaids: 2,400 (2014 est.)
Deaths: less than 100 (2014 est.)
Deaths rank: 114

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 26.5% (2014)
Rank: 94

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 9.7% (2014)
Rank: 73

Education expenditures: 5% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 100

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 91.1%
Male: 93.6%
Female: 85.6%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 14 years

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 2000 years since an 'Omana' is mentioned by Pliny the Elder 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

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)

Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

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

Constitution: 1996 (the Basic Law of the Sultanate of Oman serves as the constitution); amended by royal decree in 2011 (2016)

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 QABOOS bin Said Al-Said ; note - the monarch is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al-Said
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
Electionsappointments: the Ruling Family Council determines a successor from the sultan's extended family; if the Council cannot form a consensus within 3 days of the sultan's death or incapacitation the Defense Council will relay a predetermined heir as chosen by the sultan

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Council of Oman or Majlis Oman consists of the Council of State or Majlis al-Dawla and the Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (85 seats; members directly elected in single- and two-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve renewable 4-year terms); note - following political reforms in 2011 legislation from the Consultative Council is submitted to the Council of State for review by the Royal Court
Elections: Consultative Assembly - last held on 25 October 2015
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the 9-member Supreme Judicial Council 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: 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
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI
In the us chancery: 2,535 Belmont Road NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 387-1980
In the us FAX: [1] 745-4,933
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Marc J. SIEVERS
From the us embassy: Jamait Ad Duwal Al Arabiyya Street Al Khuwair area Muscat
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 202 P.C. 115 Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos Muscat
From the us telephone: [968] 24-643-400
From the us FAX: [968] 24-643-740

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 colors: red white green

National anthem
Name: 'Nashid as-Salaam as-Sultani'
Lyrics and 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

Economy overview:

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 71

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 91

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 35

Gross national saving:
Rank: 147

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 37.3%
Government consumption: 28.7%
Investment in fixed capital: 33.9%
Investment in inventories: -1.3%
Exports of goods and services: 53%
Imports of goods and services: -51.6%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.5%
Industry: 55.1%
Services: 47.2%

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1.3% (2015 est.)
Rank: 130

Labor force: 968,800
Note: about 60% of the labor force is non-national
Rank: 145
By occupation agriculture: NA%
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate: 15% (2004 est.)
Rank: 154

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $23.58 billion
Expenditures: $35.63 billion
Surplus or deficit: -20.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 215

Taxes and other revenues: 40.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 42

Public debt:
Rank: 174

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 47

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 114

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 144

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 70

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 74

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 66

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 57

Current account balance:
Rank: 178

Exports:
Rank: 59
Commodities: petroleum reexports fish metals textiles
Partners: China 35.4% UAE 15.3% South Korea 6.8% Saudi Arabia 5.8% Pakistan 4.2% (2015)

Imports:
Rank: 65
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactured goods food livestock lubricants
Partners: UAE 29.7% Japan 10.2% US 7.5% China 6.7% India 6.3% (2015)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 61

Debt external:
Rank: 102

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

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $N/A

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 100,000
Access electrification total population: 98%
Access electrification urban areas: 99%
Access electrification rural areas: 93%
Production: 28 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Production rank: 70
Consumption: 25 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 70
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 172
Imports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 178
Installed generating capacity: 8.2 million kW (2014 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 73
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 20
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 146
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 188
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 203

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 982,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 21
Crude oil exports: 806,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 16
Crude oil imports: 7,060 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 101
Crude oil proven reserves: 5.3 billion bbl (1 January 2016 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 24

Refined petroleum
Products production: 158,600 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products production rank: 51
Products consumption: 160,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products consumption rank: 61
Products exports: 33,450 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products exports rank: 58
Products imports: 14,810 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products imports rank: 149

Natural gas
Production: 30.9 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Production rank: 26
Consumption: 22.6 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 36
Exports: 10.27 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 18
Imports: 1.97 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 50
Proven reserves: 688.1 billion m³ (1 January 2016 es)
Proven reserves rank: 28

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 69 million Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 54

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 434,932
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13
Fixed lines rank: 108
Mobile cellular total: 6.647 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 202
Mobile cellular rank: 109

Telephone system
General assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire microwave and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable; domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
Domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership both increasing with fixed-line phone service gradually being introduced to remote villages using wireless local loop systems
International: country code - 968; the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe and the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable provide connectivity to Asia the Middle East and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) 1 Arabsat (2015)

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
Users total: 2.438 million
Users percent of population: 74.2%
Users rank: 96

Military expenditures:
Rank: 3

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 45
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 6,365,784
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 412,234,008 mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: A4O (2016)

Airports: 132 (2013)
Rank: 44
With paved runways total: 13
With paved runways over 3047 m: 7
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 119
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 7
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 51
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 33
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 26

Heliports: 3 (2013)

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

Roadways
Total: 60,230 km
Paved: 29,685 km
Unpaved: 30,545 km
Rank: 69

Merchant marine
Total: 5
By type: chemical tanker 1 passenger 1 passenger/cargo 3
Registered in other countries: 15 (2010)
Rank: 128

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Mina' Qabus Salalah Suhar
Container port: Salalah (3,200,000)
LNG terminal: Qalhat

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
Refugees: 5,000 (Yemen) (2016)