Oman

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

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

• rising soil salinity;
• beach pollution from oil spills;
• very limited natural fresh water resources

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

0-14 years:

41% (male 531,137; female 511,051)

15-64 years:

57% (male 875,625; female 555,895)

65 years and over:

2% (male 31,400; female 28,281) (2000 est.)

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.58 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

1.11 male(s)/female

total population:

1.31 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

total population:

71.78 years

male:

69.66 years

female:

74 years (2000 est.)

noun:

Omani(s)

adjective:

Omani

conventional long form:

Sultanate of Oman

conventional short form:

Oman

local long form:

Saltanat Uman

local short form:

Uman

• 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 says that Masqat is a governorate

• based on English common law and Islamic law;
• ultimate appeal to the monarch;
• has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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

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

FAX:

[1] (202) 745-4933

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 Qaboos, Muscat

telephone:

[968] 698989

FAX:

[968] 699779

• 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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

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

total:

32,800 km

paved:

9,840 km (including 550 km of expressways)

unpaved:

22,960 km (1996 est.)

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 (1999 est.)

• northern boundary with the UAE has not been bilaterally defined;
• northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]