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Oman
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.
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 references: Middle East Area:
Area - 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: vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas Land use:
Irrigated land: 580 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts Environment - current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note: strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Population:
2,533,389
Age structure:
Population growth rate: 3.46% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 38.08 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 4.16 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: 0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 23.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 6.08 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: MU Government type: monarchy Capital: Muscat Administrative divisions: 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 says that Masqat is a governorate Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese) National holiday: National Day, 18 November (1940) Constitution: 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 Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: in Oman's most recent elections in 1997, limited to approximately 50,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura Executive branch:
Legislative branch:
bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis ad-Dawla (41 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis ash-Shura (82 seats; members elected by limited suffrage, 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)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, has non-Islamic judges; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system, administered by region Political parties and leaders: none International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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 at the top of the vertical band
Economy - overview: Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 1999 due largely to the mid-year upturn in oil prices. 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 in an effort to accede to the World Trade Organization (WTrO) and is likely to gain membership in 2000. GDP: purchasing power parity - $19.6 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,000 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.07% (1999 est.) Labor force: 850,000 (1997 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Budget:
Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1997 est.) Electricity - production: 7.36 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 6.845 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish Exports: $7.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Exports - commodities: petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles Exports - partners: Japan 21%, China 16%, Thailand 16%, South Korea 12%, US 3% (1997) Imports: $5.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants Imports - partners: UAE 23% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 13%, US 7.5%, Germany 5% (1997) Debt - external: $4.8 billion (1998 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $76.4 million (1995) Currency: 1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza Exchange rates: Omani rials (RO) per US$1 - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986) Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 300,000 (1999) Telephones - mobile cellular: 120,000 (1999) Telephone system:
modern system consisting of open wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) Radios: 1.4 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999) Televisions: 1.6 million (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
Railways: 0 km Highways:
Pipelines: crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km Ports and harbors: Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut Merchant marine:
Airports: 142 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Royal Oman Police) Military manpower - military age: 14 years of age Military manpower - availability:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.592 billion (FY99) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 11.1% (FY99)
Disputes - international: northern boundary with the UAE has not been bilaterally defined; northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
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