Oman (Source of information on this page credited to the CIA's - The World Factbook)

Background:

Oman

Geography

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:

contiguous zone:  24 NM exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 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% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  5% forests and woodland:  0% other:  95% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

580 sq km (1993 est.)

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, 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

Oman

People

Population:

2,622,198 note:  includes 527,078 non-nationals (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years:  41.51% (male 554,727; female 533,627) 15-64 years:  56.12% (male 894,978; female 576,672) 65 years and over:  2.37% (male 32,863; female 29,331) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.43% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:

37.96 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:

4.1 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth:  1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years:  1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years:  1.55 male(s)/female 65 years and over:  1.12 male(s)/female total population:  1.3 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

22.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population:  72.04 years male:  69.9 years female:  74.29 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.04 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.11% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun:  Omani(s) adjective:  Omani

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

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

Languages:

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

Literacy:

definition:  NA total population:  approaching 80% male:  NA% female:  NA%

Oman

Government

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:

Muscat

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 reports that Masqat is a governorate, but this has not been confirmed by the US Board of Geographic Names (BGN)

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 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

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura

Executive branch:

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 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 cabinet:  Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections:  none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:

bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (48 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 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) elections:  last held NA September 2000 (next to be held NA September 2003) election results:  NA; note - two women were elected for the first time to Majlis al-Shura, about 100,000 people voted

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court note:  the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has non-Islamic judges as well as traditional Islamic judges

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, 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

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission:  Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB 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 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 Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone:  [968] 698989 FAX:  [968] 699189

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

Oman

Economy

Economy - overview:

Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 2000 due largely to the 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 and joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000.

GDP:	purchasing power parity - $19.6 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.6% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:

purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture:  3% industry:  40% services:  57% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%:  NA% highest 10%:  NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-0.8% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

850,000 (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Budget:

revenues:  $4.7 billion expenditures:  $5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $490 million (1999)

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:

8.63 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel:  100% hydro:  0% nuclear:  0% other:  0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:

8.026 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products:

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

Exports:

$11.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Exports - partners:

Japan 27%, China 12%, Thailand 18%, UAE 12%, South Korea 12%, US (1999)

Imports:

$4.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:

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

Imports - partners:

UAE 26% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 9%, Italy 7%, Germany 6%, US (1999)

Debt - external:

$4.5 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$76.4 million (1995)

Currency:

Omani rial (OMR)

Currency code:

OMR

Exchange rates:

Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Oman

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:

201,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

59,822 (1997)

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 international:  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:

1.4 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

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

Televisions:

1.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.om

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

50,000 (2000)

Oman

Transportation

Railways:

0 km

Highways:

total:  32,800 km paved:  9,840 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved:  22,960 km (1996)

Pipelines:

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

Ports and harbors:

Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Merchant marine:

total:  4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,167 GRT/11,307 DWT ships by type:  cargo 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Airports:

143 (2000 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 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total:  137 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:  36 (2000 est.)

Heliports:

1 (2000 est.)

Oman

Military

Military branches:

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

Military manpower - military age:

14 years of age

Military manpower - availability:

males age 15-49:  771,919 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:

males age 15-49:  429,811 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:

males:  26,469 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$2.4 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

13% (FY00)

Oman

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:

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