The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established 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 the restrictive rule of his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. 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
total
212,460 sq km
land
212,460 sq km
water
0 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries
total
1,374 km
border countries
Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 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 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
arable land
0.12%
permanent crops
0.14%
other
99.74% (2005)
Irrigated land
720 sq km (2003)
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
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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
Population
3,204,897
note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
42.7% (male 698,461/female 670,793)
15-64 years
54.6% (male 1,026,686/female 723,712)
65 years and over
2.7% (male 47,534/female 37,711) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
18.9 years
male
21.5 years
female
16.5 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
3.234% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
35.76 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
3.78 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
0.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.041 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.419 male(s)/female
65 years and over
1.26 male(s)/female
total population
1.238 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
18.28 deaths/1,000 live births
male
20.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female
15.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
73.62 years
male
71.37 years
female
75.99 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.7 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
1,300 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Omani(s)
adjective
Omani
Ethnic groups
Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
Religions
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu) 25%
Languages
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Literacy
definition
NA
total population
81.4%
male
86.8%
female
73.5% (2003 est.)
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
Government type
monarchy
Capital
name
Muscat
geographic coordinates
23 37 N, 58 35 E
time difference
UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)*
Independence
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
National holiday
Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)
Constitution
none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution 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
21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces are not allowed to vote
Executive branch
chief of state
Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); 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 (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972)
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections
none; the monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch
bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla (or upper chamber) (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and Majlis al-Shura (or lower chamber)(84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers)
elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2007)
election results: NA
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Shari'a law
Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI
chancery
2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988
FAX
[1] (202) 745-4933
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO
embassy
Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
mailing address
P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Muscat
telephone
[968] 24-698989
FAX
[968] 24-699771
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
Economy - overview
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$44.53 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$27.25 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
6.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$14,400 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
2.6%
industry
38.8%
services
58.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force
920,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
NA%
industry
NA%
services
NA%
Unemployment rate
15% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA%
highest 10%
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
14.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$14.33 billion
expenditures
$12.81 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
Public debt
4.5% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
Industries
crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber
Industrial production growth rate
5.9% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
14.33 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
100%
hydro
0%
nuclear
0%
other
0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
13.33 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production
740,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - consumption
60,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
721,000 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves
4.7 billion bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production
17.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
6.77 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
10.43 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
829.1 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance
$7.097 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$24.73 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
Exports - partners
China 23.7%, South Korea 18%, Japan 10.9%, Thailand 10.7%, South Africa 7.7%, UAE 6.3% (2006)
Imports
$10.29 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Imports - partners
UAE 22.4%, Japan 16.4%, US 8.1%, Germany 5.4%, India 4.3% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$4.908 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$4.259 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$76.4 million (1995)
Currency (code)
Omani rial (OMR)
Currency code
OMR
Exchange rates
Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
265,200 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
1.333 million (2005)
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
Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat Oman, RAFO) (2006)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
719,871
females age 18-49
508,621 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
581,444
females age 18-49
435,107 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
26,391
females age 18-49
25,466 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
11.4% (2005 est.)
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
Trafficking in persons
current situation
Oman is a destination country for men and women primarily from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India who migrate willingly, but may subsequently become victims of trafficking when subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers; there have been occasional reports that expatriate children engaged in camel racing may transit or reside in Omani territory
tier rating
Tier 2 Watch List - Oman is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List because of a lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons in 2005
