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Oman Country Guide

Explore Oman in Asia

Oman with the capital city Muscat is located in Asia (Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea). It covers some 212,460 square kilometres (slightly smaller than Kansas) with 3,309,000 citizens.

Interactive map of Oman

The topography includes central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south. The average density of population is approximately 16 per km². The notable climate conditions in Oman can be described as dry desert with hot, humid along coast, hot, dry interior and strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south. Possible natural disasters include summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior or periodic droughts.

To reach someone in Oman dial +968 prior to a number. There are 300,100 installed telephones. And there are 3,971,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".om". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 240V - 50Hz.

About the flag and history of Oman

Oman Flag Icon

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.


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 beginning in January 2011, Omanis began staging marches and demonstrations to demand economic benefits, an end to corruption, and greater political rights. In response to protester demands, QABOOS in 2011 pledged to implement economic and political reforms, such as granting legislative and regulatory powers to the Majlis al-Shura and introducing unemployment benefits. In August 2012, the Sultan announced a royal directive mandating the speedy implementation of a national job creation plan for thousands of public and private sector jobs. As part of the government''s efforts to decentralize authority and allow greater citizen participation in local governance, Oman successfully conducted its first municipal council elections in December 2012. Announced by the Sultan in 2011, the municipal councils will have the power to advise the Royal Court on the needs of local districts across Oman''s 11 governorates.



Geography Quick-Facts

SummaryContinent: Asia
Neighbours: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, United Arab Emirates
Capital: Muscat
Size212,460 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 82,031 square miles (mi² or sqmi)
slightly smaller than Kansas
Population3,309,000
CurrencyName Rial, Currency Code:OMR
Country Top Level Domain (cTLD).om
Telephone Country Prefix+968
Mobile Phone Connections3,971,000
Landline Phone Connections300,100

Country Position in World Rankings

Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).

Geography

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Area309,500 (sq km)71

People and Society

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Population3,154,134 136
Population growth rate2.06 (%)48
Birth rate24.43 (births/1,000 population)61
Death rate3.40 (deaths/1,000 population)216
Net migration rate-0.47 (migrant(s)/1,000 population)133
Maternal mortality rate32.00 (deaths/100,000 live births)121
Infant mortality rate14.46 (deaths/1,000 live births)115
Life expectancy at birth74.72 (years)105
Total fertility rate2.86 (children born/woman)68
Health expenditures2.80 (% of GDP)181
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate0.10 (%)148
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS1,100 138
HIV/AIDS - deaths100 144
Obesity - adult prevalence rate20.90 (%)94
Children under the age of 5 years underweight8.60 (%)72
Education expenditures4.30 (% of GDP)102

Economy

Value nameValueWorld Rank
GDP (purchasing power parity)91,540,000,000 76
GDP - real growth rate5.00 (%)61
GDP - per capita (PPP)29,600 51
Labor force968,800 143
Unemployment rate15.00 (%)145
Investment (gross fixed)25.50 (% of GDP)45
Taxes and other revenues46.50 (% of GDP)22
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)6.60 (% of GDP)10
Public debt3.60 (% of GDP)152
Inflation rate (consumer prices)3.50 (%)97
Central bank discount rate0.05 (%)143
Commercial bank prime lending rate6.19 (%)137
Stock of narrow money8,671,000,000 80
Stock of broad money71,420,000,000 62
Stock of domestic credit26,200,000,000 74
Market value of publicly traded shares20,270,000,000 64
Industrial production growth rate3.50 (%)79
Current account balance10,220,000,000 25
Exports48,430,000,000 60
Imports23,370,000,000 73
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold15,870,000,000 64
Debt - external9,768,000,000 98

Energy

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Electricity - production18,590,000,000 (kWh)76
Electricity - consumption15,340,000,000 (kWh)77
Electricity - installed generating capacity4,202,000 (kW)78
Electricity - from fossil fuels100.00 (% of total installed capacity)25
Crude oil - production915,600 (bbl/day)23
Crude oil - exports253,100 (bbl/day)28
Crude oil - proved reserves4,902,000,000 (bbl)26
Refined petroleum products - production106,000 (bbl/day)72
Refined petroleum products - consumption98,000 (bbl/day)80
Refined petroleum products - exports19,680 (bbl/day)73
Refined petroleum products - imports33,150 (bbl/day)85
Natural gas - production35,940,000,000 (cu m)27
Natural gas - consumption17,530,000,000 (cu m)38
Natural gas - exports11,490,000,000 (cu m)21
Natural gas - imports1,900,000,000 (cu m)51
Natural gas - proved reserves849,500,000,000 (cu m)28
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy55,200,000 (Mt)58

Communications

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Telephones - main lines in use302,945 116
Telephones - mobile cellular5,200,000 102
Internet hosts14,531 127
Internet users1,465,000 83

Transportation

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Airports130 43
Roadways45,985 (km)80
Merchant marine5 128

Military

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Military expenditures11.40 (% of GDP)1

Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases

List of current world heritage sites

NameSince
Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman
The property includes five aflaj irrigation systems and is representative of some 3,000 such systems still in use in Oman. The origins of this system of irrigation may date back to AD 500, but archaeological evidence suggests that irrigation systems ...
2006
Arabian Oryx Sanctuary
The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary is an area within the Central Desert and Coastal Hills biogeographical regions of Oman. Seasonal fogs and dews support a unique desert ecosystem whose diverse flora includes several endemic plants. Its rare fauna includes t ...
1994
Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn
The protohistoric site of Bat lies near a palm grove in the interior of the Sultanate of Oman. Together with the neighbouring sites, it forms the most complete collection of settlements and necropolises from the 3rd millennium B.C. in the world. ...
1988
Bahla Fort
The oasis of Bahla owes its prosperity to the Banu Nebhan, the dominant tribe in the area from the 12th to the end of the 15th century. The ruins of the immense fort, with its walls and towers of unbaked brick and its stone foundations, is a remarkab ...
1987
Land of Frankincense
The frankincense trees of Wadi Dawkah and the remains of the caravan oasis of Shisr/Wubar and the affiliated ports of Khor Rori and Al-Baleed vividly illustrate the trade in frankincense that flourished in this region for many centuries, as one of th ...
2000