Oman

Sultanate of OmanSaltanat Uman

absolute monarchy with residual UK influenceIndependence 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

Oman as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMuscat
Area212,460 km2
LocationMiddle East, along the Arabian Sea, between Yemen and the United Arab
1993

Every edition of Oman

Populationas each edition published it
1.64 million July 1993 est. · 1.46m in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.46% 1993 est. · 1.7% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 19.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
67.32 years 1993 est. · 77.4 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.58 children per woman 1993 est. · 6.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
38.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 105 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$6,670 1991 · $36,700 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
7.4% 1991 · 1.7% in 2025

Geography

Middle East, along the Arabian Sea, between Yemen and the United Arab | Emirates

14 fields

Land useshare of 212,460 km2

permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 5%forest and woodland 0%other 93%irrigated 410 km2 (1989 est.)arable land: less than 2%
Area
212,460km2
land area: 212,460 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than Kansas
Coastline
2,092km
contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: to be definedexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundaries
1,374km
total · Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Location

Middle East, along the Arabian Sea, between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates

Map references

Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

  • no defined boundary with most of UAE;
  • Administrative Line with UAE in far north;
  • a treaty with Yemen to settle the Omani-Yemeni boundary was ratified in December 1992

Climate

  • dry desert;
  • hot, humid along coast;
  • hot, dry interior;
  • strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain

vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Natural resources

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

Environment

summer winds often raise large sandstorms and duststorms in interior; sparse natural freshwater resources

Note

strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz (17% of world's oil production transits this point going from Persian Gulf to Arabian Sea)

People

14 fields
Population
1,643,579
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.46% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
40.56Death
5.94Net migration
0
Labor force
430,000
by occupation: agriculture 40% (est.)

Infant mortality rate

38.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
67.32 years
male:
65.47 years
female:
69.27 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.58 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Omani(s)
adjective:
Omani

Ethnic divisions

Arab, Balochi, Zanzibari, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi)

Religions

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

Languages

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

Literacy

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Government

Absolute monarchy with residual UK influence

21 fields

Names

conventional long form:
Sultanate of Oman
conventional short form:
Oman
local long form:
Saltanat Uman
local short form:
Uman

Type

absolute monarchy with residual UK influence

Capital

Muscat

Administrative divisions

there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 governorates (muhafazah, singular - muhafazat); Musqat, Musandam, Zufar

Independence

1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday

National Day, 18 November

Other political or pressure groups

outlawed Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman (PFLO), based in Yemen

Elections

elections scheduled for October 1992

Executive branch

sultan, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly

Judicial branch

none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Sa'id Al Sa'id (since 23 July 1970)

Member of

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Awadh bin Badr AL-SHANFARI
chancery:
2342 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 387-1980 through 1982

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador David DUNFORD
embassy:
address NA, Muscat
mailing address:
P. O. Box 50202 Madinat Qaboos, Muscat
telephone:
[968] 698-989
FAX:
[968] 604-316

Flag

  • three horizontal bands of white (top, double width), red, and green (double 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

Economy

18 fields
Real growth rate
7.4%
(1991)industrial production growth: growth rate 10% (1989), including petroleum sector
External debt
$3.1billion
(December 1989 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$4.1 billionExpenditures
$4.8 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $1 billion (1991)

Overview

Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry. Petroleum accounts for more than 85% of export earnings, about 80% of government revenues, and 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.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $10.2 billion (1991)

Exports

$4.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:
petroleum 87%, reexports, fish, processed copper, textiles
partners:
UAE 30%, Japan 27%, South Korea 10%, Singapore 5%

Imports

$3.0 billion (f.o.b, 1991)

commodities:
machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
partners:
Japan 20%, UAE 19%, UK 19%, US 7%

Electricity

1,142,400 kW capacity; 5,100 million kWh produced, 3,200 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 6% of GDP and 40% of the labor force (including fishing);
  • less than 2% of land cultivated;
  • largely subsistence farming (dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables, camels, cattle);
  • not self-sufficient in food;
  • annual fish catch averages 100,000 metric tons

Economic aid

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $137 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $148 million;
  • OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $797 million

Currency

1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Highways

26,000 km total; 6,000 km paved, 20,000 km motorable track

Pipelines

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

Ports

Mina' Qabus, Mina' Raysut, Mina' al Fahl

Merchant marine

1 passenger ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,442 GRT/1,320 DWT

Airports

total:
138
usable:
130
with permanent-surface runways:
6
with runways over 3,659 m:
1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
9
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
74

Telecommunications

  • modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radio communications stations;
  • limited coaxial cable;
  • 50,000 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 7 TV;
  • satellite earth stations - 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT, and 8 domestic

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force, Royal Oman Police

4 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Royal Oman Police

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 370,548;
  • fit for military service 210,544;
  • reach military age (14) annually 20,810 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $1.6 billion, 16% of GDP (1993 est.)

Affiliation

(UN trusteeship administered by the US)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Oman.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/oman/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →