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Background:
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 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 the UK.
Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to
maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries. |
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Location:
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Middle East,
bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf,
between Yemen and UAE |
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Map references:
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Middle
East |
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Area:
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total:
212,460 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 212,460 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Kansas |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
1,374 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km,
Yemen 288 km |
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Coastline:
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2,092 km |
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Climate:
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dry desert; hot,
humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer
monsoon (May to September) in far south |
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Terrain:
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central desert
plain, rugged mountains in north and south |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum,
copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum,
natural gas |
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Land use:
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arable land:
0.08%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 99.7% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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620 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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summer winds
often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior;
periodic droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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rising soil
salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited
natural fresh water resources |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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strategic
location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a
vital transit point for world crude oil |
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Population:
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2,903,165
note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
42.4% (male 628,078; female 603,829)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 955,765; female 643,687)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 38,761; female 33,045)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
19.3 years
male: 22.1 years
female: 16.4 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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3.35% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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37.12
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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3.91 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.28 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.49 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female
total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
20.26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 23.18 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 72.85 years
male: 70.66 years
female: 75.16 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Omani(s)
adjective: Omani |
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Ethnic groups:
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Arab, Baluchi,
South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi),
African |
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Religions:
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Ibadhi Muslim
75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu |
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Languages:
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Arabic
(official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects |
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Literacy:
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definition:
NA
total population: 75.8%
male: 83.1%
female: 67.2% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Sultanate of Oman
conventional short form: Oman
local long form: Saltanat Uman
former: Muscat and Oman
local short form: Uman |
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Government type:
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monarchy |
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Capital:
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Muscat |
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Administrative divisions:
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6 regions (mintaqat,
singular - mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular
- muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash
Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*; note - the
US Embassy in Oman reports that Masqat is a governorate, but
this has not been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic
Names (BGN) |
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Independence:
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1650 (expulsion
of the Portuguese) |
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National holiday:
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Birthday of
Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940) |
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Constitution:
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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
legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani
citizens |
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Legal system:
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based on English
common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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in Oman's most
recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately 175,000
Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the
Majlis al-Shura |
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Executive branch:
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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 |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Majlis
Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (48
seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers
only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;
members elected by limited suffrage for three-year term,
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 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA
2006)
election results: NA |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court
note: the nascent civil court system, administered by
region, has non-Islamic judges as well as traditional Islamic
judges |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani AL-KHUSSAIBY
chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988
FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair
area, Muscat
mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat
Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat
telephone: [968] 698989, extension 203
FAX: [968] 699771 |
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Economy - overview:
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Oman is a
well-off middle Eastern economy with large oil and gas
resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation. The
government is moving ahead with privatization of its
utilities, the development of a body of commercial law to
facilitate foreign investment, and increased budgetary
outlays. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined
the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000. In order
to reduce unemployment and limit dependence on foreign
countries, the government is encouraging the replacement of
expatriate workers with local people, i.e., the process of
Omanization. Training in information technology, business
management, and English support this objective. Industrial
development plans focus on gas resources. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $37.5 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.3% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $13,400 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
2.1%
industry: 53.4%
services: 44.5% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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0.3% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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920,000 (2002
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture NA%,
industry NA%, services NA% |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% (2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$9.2 billion
expenditures: $6.9 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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crude oil
production and refining, natural gas production, construction,
cement, copper |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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9.274 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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8.625 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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963,800 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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53,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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13.77 billion cu
m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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6.34 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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7.43 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2001
est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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846.4 billion cu
m (1 January 2002) |
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Agriculture - products:
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dates, limes,
bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish |
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Exports:
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$11.7 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum,
reexports, fish, metals, textiles |
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Exports - partners:
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Japan 22.1%,
South Korea 19.9%, China 15.2%, Thailand 12.6%, Taiwan 5.5%,
Singapore 4.7%, US 4.4% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$5.659 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and
transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock,
lubricants |
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Imports - partners:
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UAE 27.6%, Japan
16.7%, UK 7.4%, US 6.9%, Germany 5% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$5.8 billion
(2003 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$76.4 million
(1995) |
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Currency:
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Omani rial (OMR) |
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Currency code:
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OMR |
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Exchange rates:
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Omani rials per
US dollar - 0.38 (2003), 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001), 0.38
(2000), 0.38 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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227,600 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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464,900 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: 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: country code - 968; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 3, FM 9,
shortwave 2 (1999) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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13 (plus 25
low-power repeaters) (1999) |
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Internet country code:
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.om |
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Internet hosts:
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676 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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180,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total:
34,965 km
paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,292 km (2001) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Pipelines:
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gas 3,599 km; oil
3,187 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Matrah, Mina' al
Fahl, Mina' Raysut |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 2
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 15,430 GRT/6,360 DWT
by type: passenger 2
registered in other countries: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports:
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135 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 129
914 to 1,523 m: 34
under 914 m: 35 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 52
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 |
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Heliports:
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1 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Royal Omani Armed
Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force |
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Military manpower - military age:
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14 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 796,792 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 443,006 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
31,274 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$242.07 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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11.4% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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boundary
agreement signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire
border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah
enclaves |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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