1995 Edition

Area

total area: 212,460 sq km land area: 212,460 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Kansas

Climate

dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Coastline

2,092 km

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

International disputes

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

Irrigated land

410 sq km (1989 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%

Location

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

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas

Note

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

Terrain

vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (female 480,974; male 498,619) 15-64 years: 51% (female 493,685; male 593,740) 65 years and over: 3% (female 31,826; male 26,245) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

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

Labor force

430,000 (est.) by occupation: agriculture 40% (est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.25 years male: 68.31 years female: 72.29 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

NA%

Nationality

noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani

Net migration rate

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

Population

2,125,089 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

3.71% (1995 est.)

Religions

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

Total fertility rate

6.16 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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*

Capital

Muscat

Constitution

none

Digraph

MU

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB chancery: 2535 Belmont Rd. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1982

Executive branch

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

FAX

[1] (202) 745-4933

[968] 699779

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

Independence

1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

Judicial branch

none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system

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

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

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)

Other political or pressure groups

NA

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

none

Type

monarchy

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] 698989

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

Budget

revenues: $4.4 billion expenditures: $5.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1 billion (1994 est.)

Currency

1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza

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: 1,540,000 kW production: 6 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,407 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Omani rials (RO) per US$1 - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986)

Exports

$4.8 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: petroleum 87%, re-exports, fish, processed copper, textiles partners: UAE 33%, Japan 20%, South Korea 14%, China 7% (1993)

External debt

$3 billion (1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Imports

$4.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants partners: UAE 24% (largely re-exports), Japan 21%, UK 12%, US 7%, France 6% (1993)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.2% (1994 est.)

National product

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

National product per capita

$10,020 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

0.5% (1994 est.)

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.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

50,000 telephones; 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

Television

broadcast stations: 7 televisions: NA

Airports

total: 140 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: 36 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: 61 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 31

Highways

total: 26,000 km paved: 5,000 km unpaved: 21,000 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 1 passenger ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,442 GRT/1,320 DWT

Pipelines

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

Ports

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

Railroads

0 km

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Royal Oman Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $1.7 billion, 14.2% of GDP (1995 est.) ________________________________________________________________________ PACIFIC OCEAN

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 520,428; males fit for military service 294,993; males reach military age (14) annually 26,065 (1995 est.)