2000 Edition

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 Britain. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Area

land

212,460 sq km

total

212,460 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Elevation extremes

highest point

Jabal Shams 2,980 m

lowest point

Arabian Sea 0 m

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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

21 00 N, 57 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Irrigated land

580 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

total

1,374 km

Land use

arable land

0%

forests and woodland

0%

other

95% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

5%

Location

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts

Natural resources

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

Terrain

vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Age structure

0-14 years: 41% (male 531,137; female 511,051) 15-64 years: 57% (male 875,625; female 555,895) 65 years and over: 2% (male 31,400; female 28,281) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

38.08 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

4.16 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

23.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

74 years (2000 est.)

male

69.66 years

total population

71.78 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

approaching 80%

Nationality

adjective

Omani

noun

Omani(s)

Net migration rate

0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

2,533,389

note

includes 527,078 non-nationals (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

3.46% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.58 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female

total population

1.31 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.08 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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 says that Masqat is a governorate

Capital

Muscat

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

Country name

conventional long form

Sultanate of Oman

conventional short form

Oman

local long form

Saltanat Uman

local short form

Uman

Data code

MU

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 Qaboos, Muscat

telephone

698989

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB

telephone

(202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the monarch

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

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary

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

FAX

(202) 745-4933

699779

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

Government type

monarchy

Independence

1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, 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 (applicant)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, has non-Islamic judges; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system, administered by region

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis ad-Dawla (41 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis ash-Shura (82 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)

election results

NA

elections

last held NA October 1997 (next to be held NA October 2000)

National holiday

National Day, 18 November (1940)

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

in Oman's most recent elections in 1997, limited to approximately 50,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura

Agriculture - products

dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Budget

expenditures

$5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

revenues

$3.9 billion

Currency

1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza

Debt - external

$4.8 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$76.4 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 1999 due largely to the mid-year 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 in an effort to accede to the World Trade Organization (WTrO) and is likely to gain membership in 2000.

Electricity - consumption

6.845 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

7.36 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

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

Exports

$7.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Exports - partners

Japan 21%, China 16%, Thailand 16%, South Korea 12%, US 3% (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $19.6 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3%

industry

40%

services

57% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $8,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$5.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants

Imports - partners

UAE 23% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 13%, US 7.5%, Germany 5% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (1997 est.)

Industries

crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.07% (1999 est.)

Labor force

850,000 (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios

1.4 million (1997)

Telephone system

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

Telephones - main lines in use

300,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

120,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions

1.6 million (1997)

Airports

142 (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

136 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: 35 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

9,840 km (including 550 km of expressways)

total

32,800 km

unpaved

22,960 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 (1999 est.)

total

3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,306 GRT/8,210 DWT

Pipelines

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

Ports and harbors

Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Railways

0 km

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Royal Oman Police)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.592 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

11.1% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 762,832 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 425,356 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

14 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

25,527 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

northern boundary with the UAE has not been bilaterally defined; northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary

PACIFIC OCEAN