|
| 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 the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.
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| Location: |
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
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| Geographic coordinates: |
21 00 N, 57 00 E
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| Map references: |
Middle East
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| Area: |
total:
309,500 sq km
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| Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Kansas
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| Land boundaries: |
total:
1,374 km
border countries:
Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
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| Maritime claims: |
contiguous zone:
24 NM
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea:
12 NM
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| Climate: |
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
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| Terrain: |
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
|
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point:
Jabal Shams 2,980 m
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| Natural resources: |
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
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| Land use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
5%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
95% (1993 est.)
|
| Irrigated land: |
580 sq km (1993 est.)
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| Natural hazards: |
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
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| Environment - current issues: |
rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
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| Environment - international agreements: |
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
|
| Geography - note: |
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
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| Population: |
2,622,198
note:
includes 527,078 non-nationals (July 2001 est.)
|
| Age structure: |
0-14 years:
41.51% (male 554,727; female 533,627)
15-64 years:
56.12% (male 894,978; female 576,672)
65 years and over:
2.37% (male 32,863; female 29,331) (2001 est.)
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| Population growth rate: |
3.43% (2001 est.)
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| Birth rate: |
37.96 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
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| Death rate: |
4.1 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
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| Net migration rate: |
0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
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| Sex ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.55 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
1.12 male(s)/female
total population:
1.3 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
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| Infant mortality rate: |
22.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
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| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population:
72.04 years
male:
69.9 years
female:
74.29 years (2001 est.)
|
| Total fertility rate: |
6.04 children born/woman (2001 est.)
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| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.11% (1999 est.)
|
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA
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| Nationality: |
noun:
Omani(s)
adjective:
Omani
|
| Ethnic groups: |
Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
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| Religions: |
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
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| Languages: |
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
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| Literacy: |
definition:
NA
total population:
approaching 80%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
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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:
Muscat and Oman
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| Government type: |
monarchy
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| 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 reports that Masqat is a governorate, but this has not been confirmed by the US Board of Geographic Names (BGN)
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| Independence: |
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
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| National holiday: |
| Fixed holidays |
| New Year's Day |
1 January |
| National Day |
18 November |
| Birthday of HM Sultan Qaboos |
19 November |
| Bank Holiday |
31 December |
| |
| Movable holidays |
| |
2001 |
2002 |
| Islamic New Year |
|
15 Mar |
| Prophet's Birthday |
|
25 May |
| Lailat al Miraj |
|
5 Oct |
| Eid Al Fitr |
16 Dec |
6 Dec |
| Eid Al Adha |
|
Feb 23 |
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| 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
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| Legal system: |
based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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| Suffrage: |
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 ash-Shura
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| Executive branch: |
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: |
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, 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 NA September 2000 (next to be held NA September 2003)
election results:
NA; note - two women were elected for the first time to Majlis al-Shura, about 100,000 people voted
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| Judicial branch: |
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: |
none
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| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
none
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| International organization participation: |
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, 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
|
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB
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: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador John B. CRAIG
embassy:
Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
mailing address:
international: P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat
telephone:
[968] 698989
FAX:
[968] 699189
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| 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
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| Economy - overview: |
Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 2000 due largely to the 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 and joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000.
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| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $19.6 billion (2000 est.)
|
| GDP - real growth rate: |
4.6% (2000 est.)
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| GDP - per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2000 est.)
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| GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture:
3%
industry:
40%
services:
57% (1999 est.)
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| Population below poverty line: |
NA%
|
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%:
NA%
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| Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
-0.8% (2000 est.)
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| Labor force: |
850,000 (1997 est.)
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| Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
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| Budget: |
revenues:
$4.7 billion
expenditures:
$5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $490 million (1999)
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| Industries: |
crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper
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| Industrial production growth rate: |
4% (2000 est.)
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| Electricity - production: |
220/240 Volts, 50 cycles AC;8.63 billion kWh (1999)
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| Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro:
0%
nuclear:
0%
other:
0% (1999)
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| Electricity - consumption: |
8.026 billion kWh (1999)
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| Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (1999)
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| Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (1999)
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| Agriculture - products: |
dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
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| Exports: |
$11.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
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| Exports - commodities: |
petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
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| Exports - partners: |
Japan 27%, China 12%, Thailand 18%, UAE 12%, South Korea 12%, US (1999)
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| Imports: |
$4.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
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| Imports - commodities: |
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
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| Imports - partners: |
UAE 26% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 9%, Italy 7%, Germany 6%, US (1999)
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| Debt - external: |
$4.5 billion (2000 est.)
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| Economic aid - recipient: |
$76.4 million (1995)
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| Currency: |
Omani rial (OMR)
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| Exchange rates: |
Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986)
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| Fiscal year: |
calendar year
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| Telephones - main lines in use: |
201,000 (1997)
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| Telephones - mobile cellular: |
59,822 (1997)
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| Telephone system: |
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:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
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| Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
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| Radios: |
1.4 million (1997)
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| Television broadcast stations: |
13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)
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| Televisions: |
1.6 million (1997)
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| Internet country code: |
.om
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| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
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| Approximate number of web sites: |
2520 |
| Internet users: |
28,000
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| Highways: |
total:
32,800 km
paved:
9,840 km (including 550 km of expressways)
unpaved:
22,960 km (1996)
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| Pipelines: |
crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km
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| Ports and harbors: |
Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut
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| Merchant marine: |
total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,167 GRT/11,307 DWT
ships by type:
cargo 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2000 est.)
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| Airports: |
143 (2000 est.)
|
| Airports - with paved runways: |
total:
6
over 3,047 m:
4
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1
914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)
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| Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total:
137
over 3,047 m:
2
2,438 to 3,047 m:
6
1,524 to 2,437 m:
56
914 to 1,523 m:
37
under 914 m:
36 (2000 est.)
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| Military branches: |
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Royal Oman Police)
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| Military manpower - military age: |
14 years of age
|
| Military manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49:
771,919 (2001 est.)
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| Military manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
429,811 (2001 est.)
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| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
26,469 (2001 est.)
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| Military expenditures - dollar figure: |
$2.4 billion (FY00)
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| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
13% (FY00)
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| Disputes - international: |
boundary with the UAE has not been bilaterally defined; northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary
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| Source: CIA Fact File |
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