Oman

• 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.44 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

1.23 male(s)/female

total population:

1.25 male(s)/female (2006 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

former:

Muscat and Oman

name:

Muscat

geographic coordinates:

23 37 N, 58 35 E

time difference:

UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating 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 citizens

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

• in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003, suffrage was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members of the military and security forces;
• the next Majlis al-Shura elections are scheduled for 2007

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 head of government

head of government:

• 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 head of government

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by the monarch

elections:

none; the monarch is hereditary

chief of mission:

Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI

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 Gary A. GRAPPO

embassy:

Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat

mailing address:

P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Muscat

telephone:

[968] 24-698989

FAX:

[968] 24-699771

• 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 near the top of the vertical band

agriculture:

NA%

industry:

NA%

services:

NA%

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

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

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:

country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

total:

34,965 km

paved:

9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)

unpaved:

25,292 km (2001)

total:

1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 10,797 GRT/5,040 DWT

by type:

passenger 1

registered in other countries:

2 (Kazakhstan 2) (2006)

males age 18-49:

719,871

females age 18-49:

508,621 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49:

581,444

females age 18-49:

435,107 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49:

26,391

females age 18-49:

25,466 (2005 est.)

current situation:

• Oman is a destination country for men and women primarily from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India who migrate willingly, but may subsequently become victims of trafficking when subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers;
• there have been occasional reports that expatriate children engaged in camel racing may transit or reside in Omani territory

tier rating:

Tier 2 Watch List - Oman is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List because of a lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons in 2005