CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Oman


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!| Background:
 * 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 the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 0 sq km land: 212,460 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 0.14% other: 99.74% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements !| Geography - note:
 * Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
 * 21 00 N, 57 00 E
 * Middle East
 * total: 212,460 sq km
 * slightly smaller than Kansas
 * total: 1,374 km
 * 2,092 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
 * central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
 * lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
 * petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
 * arable land: 0.12%
 * 620 sq km (1998 est.)
 * summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
 * 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
 * strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
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!| Population: note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2004 est.) !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 55.1% (male 955,765; female 643,687) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 38,761; female 33,045) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 22.1 years female: 16.4 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.49 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 17.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 23.18 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 70.66 years female: 75.16 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Omani !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (2003 est.)
 * 2,903,165
 * 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 628,078; female 603,829)
 * total: 19.3 years
 * 3.35% (2004 est.)
 * 37.12 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 3.91 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
 * total: 20.26 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 72.85 years
 * 5.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 0.1% (2001 est.)
 * 1,300 (2001 est.)
 * less than 200 (2003 est.)
 * noun: Omani(s)
 * Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
 * Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
 * Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
 * definition: NA
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman former: Muscat and Oman local short form: Uman !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: 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 !| Legislative branch: elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: NA !| Judicial branch: note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Sharia (Islamic) law !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 24-698989 FAX: [968] 24-699771 !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
 * monarchy
 * Muscat
 * 5 regions (manaatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 3 governorates* (muhaafazaat, singular - muhaafaza) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar*
 * 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
 * Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)
 * 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 (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
 * bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats; members elected by universal suffrage for four-year term; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers)
 * Supreme Court
 * none
 * none
 * ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani al-KHUSSAIBY
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
 * 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
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 42.1% services: 54.8% (2003 est.) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: NA !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $7.766 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) !| Public debt: !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Oil - proved reserves: !| Natural gas - production: !| Natural gas - consumption: !| Natural gas - exports: !| Natural gas - imports: !| Natural gas - proved reserves: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * Oman is a small, well-off middle Eastern economy with large oil and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation. The government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities, the development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in November 2000. In order to reduce unemployment and limit dependence on foreign countries, the government is encouraging the replacement of expatriate workers with local people, i.e., the process of Omanization. Training in information technology, business management, and English support this objective. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources.
 * purchasing power parity - $36.7 billion (2003 est.)
 * 1.1% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $13,100 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 3.1%
 * 13% of GDP (2003)
 * NA
 * lowest 10%: NA
 * -0.3% (2003 est.)
 * 920,000 (2002 est.)
 * agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
 * NA
 * revenues: $8.218 billion
 * 15.6% of GDP (2003)
 * dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
 * crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper
 * 0.2% (2003 est.)
 * 9.274 billion kWh (2001)
 * 8.625 billion kWh (2001)
 * 0 kWh (2001)
 * 0 kWh (2001)
 * 963,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 53,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * NA (2001)
 * NA (2001)
 * 5.703 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
 * 13.77 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 6.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 7.43 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 * 846.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
 * $2.173 billion (2003)
 * $11.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
 * South Korea 18.7%, China 18.5%, Japan 16.2%, Thailand 12.2%, UAE 7.8%, Iran 4.1% (2003)
 * $5.659 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
 * UAE 21.6%, Japan 17.1%, US 6.2%, UK 5.6%, Germany 4.4%, India 4.4% (2003)
 * $3.594 billion (2003)
 * $5.973 billion (2003 est.)
 * $76.4 million (1995)
 * Omani rial (OMR)
 * OMR
 * Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002), 0.3845 (2001), 0.3845 (2000), 0.3845 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: 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 !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 233,900 (2002)
 * 464,900 (2002)
 * general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable
 * AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
 * 1.4 million (1997)
 * 13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)
 * 1.6 million (1997)
 * .om
 * 726 (2003)
 * 1 (2000)
 * 180,000 (2002)
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!| Highways: paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,292 km (2001) !| Pipelines: !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: by type: passenger 2 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.) !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 52 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 !| Heliports:
 * total: 34,965 km
 * gas 3,754 km; oil 3,212 km (2004)
 * Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut
 * total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 15,430 GRT/6,360 DWT
 * 135 (2003 est.)
 * total: 6
 * total: 130
 * 1 (2003 est.)
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Royal Omani Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force
 * 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
 * males age 15-49: 796,792 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 443,006 (2004 est.)
 * males: 31,274 (2004 est.)
 * $242.07 million (2003)
 * 11.4% (2003)
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