Oman

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates

Area

Total area: 212,460 sq km
Land area: 212,460 sq km
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Kansas

Land Boundaries

Total 1,374 km, Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline

2,092 km

Maritime Claims

Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

International Disputes

No defined boundary with most of UAE; Administrative Line with UAE in far north

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
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal ash Sham 2,980 m

Natural Resources

Petroleum
Copper
Asbestos
Some marble
Limestone
Chromium
Gypsum
Natural gas

Land Use

Arable land: less than 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 5%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 93%

Irrigated Land

410 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

Current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and duststorms in interior; periodic droughts
International agreements: party to - Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Note: Strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

PEOPLE

Population

2,186,548 (July 1996 est.)
2,125,089 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

46% (male 511,664; female 493,369) (July 1996 est.)
46% (male 498,619; female 480,974) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

51% (male 609,423; female 513,042) (July 1996 est.)
51% (male 593,740; female 493,685) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

3% (male 26,623; female 32,427) (July 1996 est.)
3% (male 26,245; female 31,826) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

3.53% (1996 est.)
3.71% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

37.86 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
38.05 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

4.44 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

1.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
4.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

27.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
34.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 70.53 years (1996 est.), 70.25 years (1995 est.)
Male: 68.59 91996 est.), 68.31 years (1995 est.)
Female: 72.57 years (1996 est.), 72.29 years (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

6.09 children born/woman (1996 est.)
6.16 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Omani(s)
Adjective: Omani

Ethnic Divisions

Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi)

Religions

Ibadhi Muslim 75%
Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Languages

Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Literacy

Labor Force

454,000 (est.)

By occupation:

Agriculture 37% (1993 est.)

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
Conventional short form: Oman
Local long form: Saltanat Uman
Local short form: Uman

Digraph

Type

Monarchy

Capital

Muscat

Administrative Divisions

6 regions (mintaqah, singular - mintaqat) and 2 governorates* (muhafazah, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*

Independence

1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National Holiday

National Day, 18 November (1940)

Constitution

None

Legal System

Based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the sultan; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

None

Executive Branch

Chief of state and head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970)
Cabinet: Cabinet

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

Consultative Council (Majlis ash Shura)

A 60-member body with advisory powers only

Judicial Branch

None; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system

Political Parties and Leaders

None

Other Political or Pressure Groups

Member of

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

National Anthem

National anthem

Flag

Three horizontal bands of white (top, double width), red, and green (double 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

Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry. Petroleum accounts for nearly 90% of export earnings, about 75% of government revenues, and roughly 40% of GDP. Oman has proved oil reserves of 4 billion barrels, equivalent to about 20 years' supply at the current rate of extraction. Agriculture is carried on at a subsistence level and the general population depends on imported food. The government is encouraging private investment, both domestic and foreign, as a prime force for further economic development.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $19.1 billion (1995 est.); $17 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

3.5% (1995 est.)
0.5% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$10,800 (1995 est.)
$10,020 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

-0.7% (1994 est.)

Unemployment Rate

Budget

Revenues: $4.7 billion (1995 est.); $4.4 billion (1994 est.)
Expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.); $5.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$4.8 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

Commodities:

Petroleum 87%
Re-exports
Fish
Processed copper
Textiles

Partners:

Japan 35%
South Korea 15.8%
U.S. 9%
China 8%
Thailand 5% (1993)

Imports

$4 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

Commodities:

Machinery
Transportation equipment
Manufactured goods
Food
Livestock
Lubricants

Partners:

UAE 27% (largely re-exports)
Japan 20%
U.K. 15%
U.S. 5%
germany 4% (1993)

External Debt

$3 billion (1993)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 3% (1994 est.); 8.6% (1991); accounts for 60% of GDP, including petroleum

Electricity

Capacity: 1,540,000 kW
Production: 6 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 3,407 kWh (1993)

Industries

Crude oil production and refining
Natural gas production
Construction
Cement
Copper

Agriculture

Accounts for 3% of GDP and 40% of the labor force (including fishing); less than 2% of land cultivated; largely subsistence farming (dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables, camels, cattle); not self-sufficient in food; annual fish catch averages 100,000 metric tons

Economic Aid

Recipient: ODA, $82 million (1993); U.S. commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $137 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $148 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $797 million

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

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Total: 25,948 km
Paved: 4,930 km
Unpaved: 21,018 km (1992 est.)

Pipelines

Crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km

Ports

Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Qabus, Mina' Raysut

Merchant Marine

Total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,306 GRT/8,210 DWT
By type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1995 est.)

Airports

Total: 129
With paved runways over 3,047 m: 4
With paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 34
With unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 57
With unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 26

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

150,000 telephones (1994 est.); modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radio communications stations; limited coaxial cable

Local: NA
Intercity: open wire, microwave, radio communications, and 8 domestic satellite links
International: 2 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 1.043 million (1992 est.)

Television

Broadcast stations: 7
Televisions: 1.195 million (1992 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Royal Oman Police

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 532,113; males fit for military service 301,747 (1996 est.); males reach military age (14) annually 26,065 (1995 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $1.82 billion, 13.7% of GDP (1996); $1.7 billion, 14.2% of GDP (1995 est.)

History
World Atlas

Last modified: 12 december 1997

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