Oman
Sultanate of OmanSaltanat Uman
monarchyIndependence 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Oman as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 88 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, | and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
15 fieldsLand useshare of 212,460 sq km
Location
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
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
- 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
- natural hazards:
- summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
- international agreements:
- party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Hazardous Wastes
Geographic note
strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1996 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 46% (male 511,664; female 493,369)
- 15-64 years:
- 51% (male 609,423; female 513,042)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 26,623; female 32,427) (July 1996 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.19 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.82 male(s)/female
- all ages:
- 1.1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Government
Monarchy
22 fieldsName of country
- conventional long form:
- Sultanate of Oman
- conventional short form:
- Oman
- local long form:
- Saltanat Uman
- local short form:
- Uman
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*
Legal system
- based on English common law and Islamic law;
- ultimate appeal to the sultan;
- has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state and head of government:
- Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970) is a hereditary monarch;
- cabinet:
- Cabinet was appointed by the sultan
Judicial branch
none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system, administered by region
International organization participation
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in 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
US diplomatic representation
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Frances D. COOK
- embassy:
- address NA, Muscat
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat Qaboos, Muscat
- telephone:
- [968] 698989
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
Economic performance is closely tied to the | fortunes of the oil industry.
20 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 1,540,000 kW
Economic overview
Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry. Petroleum accounts for nearly 90% of export earnings, about 75% 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. The government is encouraging private investment, both domestic and foreign, as a prime force for further economic development.
Agriculture
- dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables;
- camels, cattle;
- annual fish catch averages 100,000 metric tons
Exports
$4.8 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
- commodities:
- petroleum 87%, reexports, fish, processed copper, textiles
- partners:
- Japan 35%, South Korea 15.8%, US 9%, China 8%, Thailand 5% (1994)
Imports
$4 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
- commodities:
- machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
- partners:
- UAE 27% (largely reexports), Japan 20%, UK 15%, US 5%, Germany 4% (1993)
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 129 in all
Networkskm
Highways
- total:
- 25,948 km
- paved:
- 4,930 km (including 413 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 21,018 km (1992 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 (1995 est.)
Communications
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Royal Oman | Police)
9 fieldsTelephone 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Oman.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/oman/1996.