Oman
Sultanate of OmanSaltanat Uman
monarchyIndependence 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Oman as the 2012 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 153 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, but it never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al-Said overthrew his father, and he has since ruled as sultan.
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 Eastern countries. Inspired by the popular uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa in 2010-11, Omanis began staging marches and demonstrations to demand economic benefits, an end to corruption, and greater political rights.
In February and March 2011, in response to protester demands, QABOOS pledged to create more government jobs and promised to implement economic and political reforms, such as granting legislative and regulatory powers to the Majlis al-Shura and the introduction of unemployment benefits. Also in March, the Gulf Cooperation Council pledged $20 billion in financial aid to Oman and Bahrain over a 10-year period to assist the two nations in their struggle with Arab protests.
Amid concessions made to oppositionists, the government during the summer continued to crack down on protests and demonstrations, and increasingly clamped down on the media. In October 2011, QABOOS issued a royal decree expanding the legislative powers of the Majlis al-Shura to draft and propose amendments to legislation.
Geography
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
20 fieldsLand useshare of 309,500 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
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 1.36 cu km/yr (7%/2%/90%)
- per capita:
- 529 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues
- rising soil salinity;
- beach pollution from oil spills;
- limited natural freshwater resources
Environment - international agreements
- 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
Geography - note
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
People and Society
28 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2012 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.31 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.22 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Government
Monarchy; Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972)
21 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- Sultanate of Oman
- conventional short form:
- Oman
- local long form:
- Saltanat Uman
- local short form:
- Uman
- former:
- Muscat and Oman
Capital
- name:
- Muscat
- geographic coordinates:
- 23 37 N, 58 35 E
- time difference:
- UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
- 11 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat);
- Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Buraymi, Al Wusta, Az Zahirah, Janub al Batinah (Al Batinah South), Janub ash Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah South), Masqat (Muscat), Musandam, Shamal al Batinah (Al Batinah North), Shamal ash Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah North), Zufar (Dhofar)
Constitution
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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage
- 21 years of age;
- universal;
- note - members of the military and security forces by law are not allowed to vote
Executive 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 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)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the monarch; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- the Ruling Family Council determines a successor from the Sultan's extended family;
- if the Council cannot form a consensus within three days of the Sultan's death or incapacitation, the Defense Council will relay a predetermined heir as chosen by the Sultan
Legislative branch
bicameral - consists of Majlis al-Dawla or upper chamber (71 seats; members appointed by the sultan; has only advisory powers) and Majlis al-Shura or lower chamber (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has authority to draft legislation but is subordinate to the Sultan)
- elections:
- last held on 15 October 2011 (next to be held in October 2015)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - NA;
- note - three prominent figures from the spring 2011 protests won seats;
- one woman also won a seat
Judicial branch
Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and sharia law
International organization participation
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), 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 (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic 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) 745-4933
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires W. Johann SCHMONSEES
- 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] 24-643-400
- FAX:
- [968] 24-699771
Flag description
- 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;
- white represents peace and prosperity, red recalls battles against foreign invaders, and green symbolizes the Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountains) and fertility
National anthem
- name:
- "Nashid as-Salaam as-Sultani" (The Sultan's Anthem)
- lyrics/music:
- Rashid bin Uzayyiz al KHUSAIDI/James Frederick MILLS, arranged by Bernard EBBINGHAUS
note: adopted 1932; new words were written after QABOOS bin Said al Said gained power in 1970; the anthem was first performed by the band of a British ship as a salute to the Sultan during a 1932 visit to Muscat;
the bandmaster of the HMS Hawkins was asked to write a salutation to the Sultan on the occasion of his visiting the ship
Economy
Oman is a middle-income economy that is heavily dependent on dwindling oil resources.
38 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2012 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Economy - overview
Oman is a middle-income economy that is heavily dependent on dwindling oil resources. Because of declining reserves and a rapidly growing labor force, Muscat has actively pursued a development plan that focuses on diversification, industrialization, and privatization, with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP to 9% by 2020 and creating more jobs to employ the rising numbers of Omanis entering the workforce.
Tourism and gas-based industries are key components of the government's diversification strategy. However, increases in social welfare benefits, particularly since the Arab Spring, will challenge the government's ability to effectively balance its budget if oil revenues decline. By using enhanced oil recovery techniques, Oman succeeded in increasing oil production, giving the country more time to diversify, and the increase in global oil prices through 2011 provided the government greater financial resources to invest in non-oil sectors.
Labor force
968,800 country comparison to the world: 143 note: about 60% of the labor force is non-national (2007)
Central bank discount rate
2% (31 December 2010 est.) · 0.05% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Commercial bank prime lending rate
6% (31 December 2012 est.) · 6.19% (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Stock of narrow money
$8.671 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $7.971 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Stock of broad money
$71.42 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $63.16 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Stock of domestic credit
$26.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $23.18 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Current account balance
$10.22 billion (2012 est.) · $10.67 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 28
Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$15.87 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $14.37 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Debt - external
$9.768 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $9.033 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Exchange rates
Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar - 0.3845 (2012 est.) · 0.3845 (2011 est.) · 0.3845 (2010 est.) · 0.3845 (2009) · 0.3845 (2008)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 4.202 million kW(2009 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
4.902 billion bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Natural gas - proved reserves
849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 27
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
55.2 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations;
- limited coaxial cable;
- domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
- domestic:
- fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership both increasing with fixed-line phone service gradually being introduced to remote villages using wireless local loop systems
- international:
- country code - 968;
- the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2008)
Broadcast media
- 1 state-run TV broadcaster;
- TV stations transmitting from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Yemen available via satellite TV;
- state-run radio operates multiple stations;
- first private radio station began operating in 2007 and 2 additional stations now operating (2007)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 5 ships by typeone square, one ship
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Roadways
- total:
- 53,430 km
country comparison to the world: 76
- paved:
- 23,223 km (includes 1,384 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 30,207 km (2008)
Military
Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat Oman) (2012)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat Oman) (2012)
Military service age and obligation
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - international
boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Oman.” The World Factbook 2012. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/oman/2012.