Oman

Oman Population: 3,311,640
BackgroundThe inhabitants of the ar of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocn trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate in Mus signed the first in a series of friendship trties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors incrsed, but it never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said al-Said overthrew the restrictive rule of his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle stern countries.
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GeographyStrategic loion on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil.Loion:Middle st, bordering the Arabian S, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAEGeographic coordinates:21 00 N, 57 00 r:total: 212,460 sq km
land: 212,460 sq km
water: 0 sq kmSize comparison: slightly smaller than Kansas
Land Boundaries:total: 1,374 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 kmCoastline:2,092 kmMaritime claims:territorial s: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmClimate:dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far southTerrain:central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and southElevation extremes:lowest point: Arabian S 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 mNatural resources:petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gasLand use:arable land: 0.12%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 99.74% (2005)Irrigated land:720 sq km (2003)Natural hazards:summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughtsCurrent Environment Issues:rising soil salinity; bch pollution from oil spills; limited natural fresh water resourcesInternational Environment Agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertifiion, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the S, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
PeoplePopulation:3,311,640 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)Age structure:0-14 yrs: 42.7% (male 721,796/female 692,699)
15-64 yrs: 54.5% (male 1,053,040/female 752,962)
65 yrs and over: 2.8% (male 51,290/female 39,853) (2008 est.)Median age:total: 18.9 yrs
male: 21.3 yrs
female: 16.6 yrs (2008 est.)Population growth rate:3.19% (2008 est.)Birth rate:35.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)Dth rate:3.68 dths/1,000 population (2008 est.)Net migration rate:0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 yrs: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 yrs: 1.4 male(s)/female
65 yrs and over: 1.29 male(s)/female
total population: 1.23 male(s)/female (2008 est.)Infant mortality rate:total: 17.45 dths/1,000 live births
male: 19.95 dths/1,000 live births
female: 14.83 dths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population: 73.91 yrs
male: 71.64 yrs
female: 76.29 yrs (2008 est.)Total fertility rate:5.62 children born/woman (2008 est.)HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1,300 (2001 est.)HIV/AIDS - dths:fewer than 200 (2003 est.)Nationality:noun: Omani(s)
adjective: OmaniEthnic groups:Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), AfricanReligions:Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu) 25%Languages:Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialectsLiteracy:definition: NA
total population: 81.4%
male: 86.8%
female: 73.5% (2003 census)
GovernmentCountry name:conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
conventional short form: Oman
local long form: Saltanat Uman
local short form: Uman
former: Mus and OmanGovernment type:monarchyCapital:name: Mus
geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahd of Washington, DC during Standard Time)Administrative divisions:5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat (Mus)*, Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)*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 promuating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution 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 citizensLegal system:based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appl to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdictionSuffrage:21 yrs of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces are not allowed to voteExecutive branch:chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and hd of government
hd of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: the monarch is hereditaryLegislative branch:bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla or upper chamber (70 sts; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and Majlis al-Shura or lower chamber (84 sts; members elected by popular vote to serve four-yr terms; body has only advisory powers)
elections: last held 27 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: new candidates won 46 sts and 38 members of the outgoing Majlis kept their positions; none of the 20 female candidates were electedJudicial branch:Supreme Court
note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Sharia lawPolitical parties and lders:nonePolitical pressure groups and lders:noneInternational organization participation:ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTODiplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI
chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980
FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO
embassy: Jamt A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair ar, Mus
mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Mus
telephone: [968] 24-643-400
FAX: [968] 24-699771
EconomyOman is a middle-income economy that is hvily dependent on dwindling oil resources, but sustained high oil prices in recent yrs have helped build Oman's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. As a result of its dwindling oil resources, Oman is actively pursuing a development plan that focuses on diversifiion, industrialization, and privatization, with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP to 9% by 2020, but many of these projects are in jeopardy because Mus overestimated its ability to produce the natural gas on which much of its development projects are based. Oman actively seeks private foreign investors, especially in the industrial, information technology, tourism, and higher eduion fields. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports. High inflation levels have also been a thrt to continued high levels of economic growth, but the drop in oil prices and the global financial crisis in 2008 also will affect Oman's fiscal position and it may post a deficit in 2009 if oil prices stay low. In addition, the global credit crisis is slowing the pace of investment and development projects-a trend that probably will continue into 2009.GDP (purchasing power parity):$67.45 billion (2008 est.)GDP (official exchange rate):$56.32 billion (2008 est.)GDP - rl growth rate:6.2% (2008 est.)GDP - per capita (PPP):$20,400 (2008 est.)GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 2.1%
industry: 37.2%
services: 60.7% (2008 est.)Labor force:920,000 (2002 est.)Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%Unemployment rate:15% (2004 est.)Population below poverty line:NA%Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%Inflation rate (consumer prices):13.5% (2008 est.)Investment (gross fixed):17.9% of GDP (2008 est.)Budget:revenues: $18.41 billion
expenditures: $14.74 billion (2008 est.)Public debt:2.4% of GDP (2008 est.)Agriculture - products:
Industries:crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiberIndustrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:13.58 billion kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - consumption:10.53 billion kWh (2006 est.)Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2007 est.)Oil - production:714,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - consumption:69,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)Oil - exports:722,000 bbl/day (2005)Oil - imports:15,440 bbl/day (2005)Oil - proved reserves:5.5 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)Natural gas - production:24.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - consumption:11 billion cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - exports:13.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - proved reserves:849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)Current account balance:$11.2 billion (2008 est.)Exports:$33.9 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)Exports - commodities:petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textilesExports - partners:China 26.8%, South Kor 15.2%, Japan 14.3%, Thailand 10.4%, UAE 7.6%, US 4.3%, Iran 4.1% (2007)Imports:$13.32 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricantsImports - partners:UAE 19.3%, Japan 17.6%, US 7.4%, Germany 5.2%, India 4.1% (2007)Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$11.11 billion (31 December 2008 est.)Debt - external:$6.12 billion (31 December 2008 est.)Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:$NAStock of direct foreign investment - abroad:$NAMarket value of publicly traded shares:$23.06 billion (31 December 2007)Currency ():Omani rial (OMR)Exchange rates:Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar - 0.3845 (2008 est.), 0.3845 (2007), 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004)Fiscal yr:calendar yr
CommuniionsTele in use:268,100 (2007)Cellular in use:2.5 million (2007)Telephone system:eral assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communiion stations; limited coaxial cable
domestic: fixed-line phone service gradually being introduced to remote villages using wireless local loop systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership both incrsing; open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communiions, and a domestic satellite system with 8 rth stations
international: country - 968; the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and the S-ME-WE-3 submarine cable provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle st, and Europe; satellite rth stations - 2 sat (Indian Ocn), 1 Arabsat (2007)Radio broadcast stations:AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)Television broadcast stations:13 (plus 25 repters) (1999)Internet country :.omInternet hosts:4,785 (2008)Internet users:340,000 (2007)
TransportationAirports:137 (2007)Airports (paved runways):total: 7
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)Airports (unpaved runways):total: 130
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 51
914 to 1,523 m: 35
under 914 m: 34 (2007)Heliports:2 (2007)Pipelines:gas 4,126 km; oil 3,558 km (2007)Roadways:total: 42,300 km
paved: 16,500 km (includes 550 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,800 km (2005)Merchant marine:total: 3
by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1
registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008)Ports and terminals:Mina' Qabus, Salalah
Military
Military branches:Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (2008)Military service age and obligation:18-30 yrs of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 802,455
females age 16-49: 626,841 (2008 est.)Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 663,881
females age 16-49: 543,410 (2008 est.)