Oman

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet country code

.om

Internet users

50,000 (2000)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios

1.4 million (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

Telephones - main lines in use

201,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

59,822 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

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

Televisions

1.6 million (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

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

Currency

Omani rial (OMR)

Currency code

OMR

Debt - external

$4.5 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$76.4 million (1995)

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.

Electricity - consumption

8.026 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

8.63 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

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

Exchange rates

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

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

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

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

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

GDP - real growth rate

4.6% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

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)

Industrial production growth rate

4% (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.8% (2000 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%

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 Shams 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, 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

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: 0% 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

central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

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)

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 former: Muscat and Oman

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

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

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

FAX

[1] (202) 745-4933

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

Government type

monarchy

Independence

1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

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

Judicial branch

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

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 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

National holiday

Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

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

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

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$2.4 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

13% (FY00)

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 - military age

14 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 26,469 (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.)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.11% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

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

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

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

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani

Net migration rate

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

Population

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

Population growth rate

3.43% (2001 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: 1.55 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1.3 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.04 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

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

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.)

Highways

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

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.)

Pipelines

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

Ports and harbors

Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none