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2 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
Oman
n : a strategically located monarchy on the southern and eastern
coasts of the Arabian Peninsula; the economy is dominated
by oil [syn: {Sultanate of Oman}, {Muscat and Oman}]
From CIA World Factbook 2002 [world02]:
Oman
Introduction Oman
-----------------
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.
Geography Oman
--------------
Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian
Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf,
between Yemen and UAE
Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 212,460 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 212,460 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 676
km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Coastline: 2,092 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast;
hot, dry interior; strong southwest
summer monsoon (May to September) in
far south
Terrain: central desert plain, rugged
mountains in north and south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some
marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum,
natural gas
Land use: arable land: 0.08%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 99.7% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 620 sq km (1998 est.)
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; very
limited natural fresh water
resources
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: 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
Geography - note: strategic location on Musandam
Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
Hormuz, a vital transit point for
world crude oil
People Oman
-----------
Population: 2,713,462
note: includes 527,078 non-nationals
(July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.9% (male 579,065;
female 556,923)
15-64 years: 55.7% (male 914,494;
female 597,948)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male
34,555; female 30,477) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.41% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 37.76 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 4.03 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.53 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/
female
total population: 1.29 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 21.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.31 years
female: 74.57 years (2002 est.)
male: 70.15 years
Total fertility rate: 5.99 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.11% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Omani(s)
adjective: Omani
Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian,
Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi),
African
Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim,
Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi,
Urdu, Indian dialects
Literacy: definition: NA
total population: approaching 80%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government Oman
---------------
Country name: conventional long form: Sultanate of
Oman
conventional short form: Oman
local long form: Saltanat Uman
former: Muscat and Oman
local short form: Uman
Government type: monarchy
Capital: Muscat
Administrative divisions: 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 reports that Masqat
is a governorate, but this has not
been confirmed by the US Board on
Geographic Names (BGN)
Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
National holiday: Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18
November (1940)
Constitution: none; note - on 6 November 1996,
Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree
promulgating a new basic law 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
Legal system: based on English common law and
Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the
monarch; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: in Oman's most recent elections in
2000, limited to approximately
175,000 Omanis chosen by the
government to vote in elections for
the Majlis ash-Shura
Executive branch: 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
Legislative branch: bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an
upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (48
seats; members appointed by the
monarch; has advisory powers only)
and a lower chamber or Majlis al-
Shura (83 seats; members elected by
limited suffrage for three-year
term, however, the monarch makes
final selections and can negate
election results; body has some
limited power to propose
legislation, but otherwise has only
advisory powers)
elections: last held NA September
2000 (next to be held NA September
2003)
election results: NA; note - two
women were elected for the first
time to the Majlis al-Shura, about
100,000 people voted
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
note: the nascent civil court
system, administered by region, has
non-Islamic judges as well as
traditional Islamic judges
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and none
leaders:
International organization ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA,
participation: FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed
Ali AL KHUSAIBY
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 chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires
US: Robert W. DRY
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya
Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
mailing address: international: P.
O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-
Sultan Qaboos, Muscat
telephone: [968] 698989
FAX: [968] 699189
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
at the top of the vertical band
Economy Oman
------------
Economy - overview: Oman's economic performance improved
significantly in 2000 due largely to
the upturn in oil prices. 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 (WTrO)
in November 2000. GDP growth
improved in 2001 despite the global
slowdown.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $21.5
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,200
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3%
industry: 40%
services: 57% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 920,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%,
services NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $9.2 billion
expenditures: $6.9 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2000 est.)
Industries: crude oil production and refining,
natural gas production,
construction, cement, copper
Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 8.1 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 7.533 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa,
vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
Exports: $10.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: petroleum, reexports, fish, metals,
textiles
Exports - partners: Japan 21%, Thailand 18%, China 16%,
South Korea 12%, UAE 12%, US 3%
(2001)
Imports: $5.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment,
manufactured goods, food, livestock,
lubricants
Imports - partners: UAE 23% (largely reexports), Japan
16%, UK 13%, Italy 7%, Germany 5%,
US 5% (2001)
Debt - external: $5.3 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $76.4 million (1995)
Currency: Omani rial (OMR)
Currency code: OMR
Exchange rates: Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845
(fixed rate since 1986)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Oman
-------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 201,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 59,822 (1997)
Telephone system: 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: satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios: 1.4 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters)
(1999)
Televisions: 1.6 million (1997)
Internet country code: .om
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 90,000 (2001)
Transportation Oman
-------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 32,800 km
paved: 9,840 km (including 550 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 22,960 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas
1,030 km
Ports and harbors: Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 17,291 GRT/9,457 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1,
passenger/cargo 1
note: includes a foreign-owned ship
registered here as a flag of
convenience: Singapore 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 143 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 137
914 to 1,523 m: 38
under 914 m: 36 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 54
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Oman
-------------
Military branches: Royal Omani Armed Forces (Army,
Navy, Air Force), Royal Omani Police
Military manpower - military age: 14 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 780,292 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 434,026 (2002 est.)
service:
Military manpower - reaching males: 26,470 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $2,424.4 million (FY01)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 12.2% (FY01)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Oman
-------------------------
Disputes - international: Oman signed a boundary treaty with
the UAE in 1999, but the completed
boundary is not expected until the
end of 2002; undefined segments of
the Oman-UAE boundary remain with
Ra's al-Khaymah and Ash Shariqah
(Sharjah) emirates, including the
Musandam Peninsula, where an
administrative boundary substitutes
for an international boundary
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