Oman

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1

Radios

1.043 million (1992 est.)

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

150,000 (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations

9

Televisions

1.195 million (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; annual fish catch averages 100,000 metric tons

Budget

revenues : $5.3 billion expenditures: $6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Currency

1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza

Debt - external

$2.7 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient : ODA, $82 million (1993)

Economy - overview

Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry. Petroleum accounts for 75% of export earnings and government revenues and for 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 year 1996 was marked by higher oil production and prices. The government is encouraging private investment, both domestic and foreign, as a prime force for further economic development.

Electricity - capacity

1.74 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

3,412 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

7.39 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

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

Exports

total value: $7.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum 75%, reexports, fish, processed copper, textiles partners: Japan 32%, South Korea 16%, Thailand 12%, China 8%, US 6%, Taiwan 6% (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $20.8 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture : 3% industry: 55% services : 42% (1994 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $9,500 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.5% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $5.5 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants partners : UAE 25% (largely reexports), UK 16%, Japan 16%, France 11%, US 5% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (1994 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

0.5% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total: 454,000 by occupation: agriculture 37% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 212,460 sq km land: 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

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal ash Sham 2,980 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, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

21 00 N, 57 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

580 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Land use

arable land : 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: NA% other: 95% (1993 est.)

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

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*

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 Omani council, 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 Frances D. COOK embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: domestic - Unit 73000, Box 1, APO AE 09890-3000; international - P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 698989 (Medinat Qaboos, switchboard)

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 1982

Executive branch

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the sultan 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 sultan is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the sultan elections: none; the sultan is a hereditary monarch

FAX

[1] (202) 745-4933

FAX

[968] 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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

none; 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 sultan; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral Consultative Council or Majlis ash-Shura (80 members; two appointed from each wilayat with a population over 30,000, one appointed from each of the other wilayats; members serve four-year terms; has advisory powers only) note: new basic law to be implemented in 1997, provides for an upper chamber - the Majlis ad-Dawla or State Council; also the Majlis ash-Shura will be expanded to 110 members; the resulting bicameral legislature will be known as the Omani Council

National capital

Muscat

National holiday

National Day, 18 November (1940)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

none

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.82 billion (1996)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

13.7% (1996)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 550,421 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males : 312,205 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

14 years of age

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (male 527,091; female 507,849) 15-64 years: 51% (male 632,647; female 535,149) 65 years and over: 3% (male 27,974; female 33,880) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

37.85 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

4.39 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

26.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.8 years male : 68.84 years female: 72.85 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun : Omani(s) adjective: Omani

Net migration rate

1.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

2,264,590 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

3.49% (1997 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: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.02 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

no defined boundary with most of UAE, but Administrative Line in far north PACIFIC OCEAN [Map of Pacific Ocean]

Airports

126 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 38 over 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 32 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 88 over 3,047 m : 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m : 57 914 to 1,523 m: 25 (1996 est.)

Heliports

1 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 5,000 km paved: 3,500 km (including 426 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,500 km (1983 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,306 GRT/8,210 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Pipelines

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

Ports and harbors

Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Railways

0 km