1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 governorates (muhafazah, singular - muhafazat); Masqat, Musandam, Zufar
Agriculture
accounts for 4% 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
Airports
total: 138 usable: 130 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 74
Area
total area: 212,460 sq km land area: 212,460 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Kansas
Birth rate
40.38 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, Royal Oman Police
Budget
revenues: $4.4 billion expenditures: $5.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1 billion (1994 est.)
Capital
Muscat
Climate
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Coastline
2,092 km
Constitution
none
Currency
1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza
Death rate
5.77 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $1.6 billion, 16% of GDP (1993 est.)
Digraph
MU
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Ahmad bin Muhammad al-RASBI chancery: 2342 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 387-1980 through 1982
Economic aid
recipient: US 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
Electricity
capacity: 1,142,400 kW production: 5.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,200 kWh (1992)
Environment
current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; sparse natural freshwater resources natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior international agreements: party to - Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change
Ethnic divisions
Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi)
Exchange rates
Omani rials (RO) per US$1 - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986)
Executive branch
chief of state and head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970) cabinet: Cabinet
Exports
$5 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum 87%, re-exports, fish, processed copper, textiles partners: UAE 30%, Japan 27%, South Korea 10%, Singapore 5% (1991)
External debt
$3 billion (1993)
FAX
[968] 604-316
Fiscal year
calendar year
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
Highways
total: 26,000 km paved: 6,000 km unpaved: motorable track 20,000 km
Imports
$3.7 billion (f.o.b, 1993 est.) commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants partners: Japan 20%, UAE 14%, UK 19%, US 7% (1991)
Independence
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Industrial production
growth rate 8.6% (1991); accounts for almost 60% of GDP, including petroleum
Industries
crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper
Infant mortality rate
36.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2% (1993 est.)
International disputes
no defined boundary with most of UAE; Administrative Line with UAE in far north; a treaty with Yemen defining the Omani-Yemeni boundary was ratified in December 1992
Irrigated land
410 sq km (1989 est.)
Judicial branch
none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system
Labor force
430,000 (est.) by occupation: agriculture 40% (est.)
Land boundaries
total 1,374 km, Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Land use
arable land: less than 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 0% other: 93%
Languages
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Legal system
based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the sultan; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral Consultative Council
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 67.79 years male: 65.9 years female: 69.77 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Location
Middle East, along the Arabian Sea, between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 382,793; fit for military service 217,755; reach military age (14) annually 22,118 (1994 est.)
Map references
Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: to be defined exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Merchant marine
1 passenger ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,442 GRT/1,320 DWT
Names
conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman
National holiday
National Day, 18 November (1940)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $16.4 billion (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$10,000 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
6.1% (1993 est.)
Nationality
noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani
Natural resources
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Note
strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Other political or pressure groups
NA
Overview
Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry, including trends in international oil prices and the ability of OPEC producers to agree on output quotas. Petroleum accounts for more than 85% of export earnings, about 80% 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.
Pipelines
crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km
Political parties and leaders
none
Population
1,701,470 (July 1994 est.) note: Oman's first census was concluded in December 1993; preliminary figures give a population of 2,000,000, of whom about 500,000 are expatriate workers; final evaluative figures are not yet available
Population growth rate
3.46% (1994 est.)
Ports
Mina' Qabus, Mina' Raysut, Mina' al Fahl
Religions
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
Suffrage
none
Telecommunications
modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radio communications stations; limited coaxial cable; 50,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 7 TV; satellite earth stations - 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT, and 8 domestic
Terrain
vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Total fertility rate
6.53 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
monarchy
Unemployment rate
NA%
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador David J. DUNFORD embassy: address NA, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202 Code No. 115, Muscat telephone: [968] 698-989