The World Factbook (1982)/Oman

by the Central Intelligence Agency

OMAN

(See reference map VI)

LAND

About 212,380 km²; negligible amount forested, remainder desert, waste, or urban

Land boundaries: 1,384 km

WATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm (fishing 200 nm; exclusive economic zone 200 nm)

Coastline: 2,092 km

PEOPLE

Population: 948,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 3.1%

Nationality: noun—Omani(s); adjective—Omani

Ethnic divisions: almost entirely Arab with small groups of Iranians, Baluchis, and Indians

Religion: Muslim (Ibadhi and Sunni sects, few Shias)

Language: Arabic

Literacy: 10%

Labor force: 300,000; 49% are non-Omani

GOVERNMENT

Official name: Sultanate of Oman

Type: absolute monarchy; independent, with strong residual UK influence

Capital: Muscat

Political subdivisions: 1 province (Dhofar), 9 regions, and numerous districts (wilayats)

Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; no constitution; ultimate appeal to the Sultan; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: 18 November

Government leader: Sultan Qaboos bin SAID (Al Bu Said)

Other political or pressure groups: outlawed Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman (PFLO), based in South Yemen

Member of: Arab League, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMCO, IMF, ISCON, ITU, NAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

ECONOMY

GNP: $5.2 billion (1980), $5,780 per capita est.

Agriculture: based on subsistence farming (fruits, dates; cereals, cattle, camels), fishing, and trade

Major industries: petroleum discovery in 1964; production began in 1967; production 1980, 282,000 b/d; pipeline capacity, 400,000 b/d; revenue for 1980 est. at $3.2 billion

Electric power: 396,000 kW capacity (1980); 867 million kWh produced (1980), 1,467 kWh per capita

Exports: $3.8 billion (f.o.b., 1980) mostly petroleum; non-oil exports (mostly agricultural)

Imports: $1.9 billion (c.i.f., 1980)

Major trade partners: UK, US, other European, Gulf states, India, Australia, China, Japan

Budget: (1980) revenues $3.5 billion, current expenditures $1,964 billion, development expenditures $715 million

Monetary conversion rate: 1 Riyal Omani=US$2.895 (1980)

Fiscal year: calendar year

COMMUNICATIONS

Highways: 2,816 km total; 5 km bituminous surface, 2,811 km motorable track

Pipelines: crude oil 960 km; natural gas 390 km

Ports: 1 major (Qaboos), 3 minor

Civil air: 23 major transport aircraft, including 7 leased in and 1 leased out

Airfields: 195 total, 143 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m, 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 56 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: fair system of open-wire, radio-relay, and radiocommunications stations; 13,000 telephones (0.9 per 100 popl.); 3 AM, no FM, 11 TV stations; 1 Indian Ocean satellite station, 6 domestic antennas

DEFENSE FORCES

Military manpower: males 15-49, 213,000; 123,000 fit for military service

Military budget: for fiscal year ending 31 December 1981, $1.7 billion; 41% of central government budget