Oman

Facts & Figures

• Sultan: Qabus ibn Sa'id (1970)

  Total area: 82,031 sq mi (212,460 sq km)¹

  Population (2014 est.): 3,219,775 (growth rate: 2.06%); birth rate: 24.47/1000; infant mortality rate: 14/1000; life expectancy: 74.97

  Capital (2011 est.): Muscat, 743,000

  Monetary unit: Omani rial

  National name: Saltanat Uman

  Current government officials

  Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

  Ethnicity/race: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African

  Religions: Muslim (official; majority are Ibadhi, lesser numbers of Sunni and Shia) 85.9%, Christian 6.5%, Hindu 5.5%, Buddhist 0.8%, Jewish <.1, other 1%, unaffiliated 0.2% note: approximately 75% of Omani citizens, who compose almost 70% of the country's total population, are Ibadhi Muslims; the Omani government does not keep statistics on religious affiliation (2013)

  National Holiday: Birthday of Sultan Qaboos, November 18

  Literacy rate: 86.9% (2010 est.)

  Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $94.86 billion; per capita $29,800. Real growth rate: 5.1%. Inflation: 1.6%. Unemployment: 15% (2004 est.). Arable land: 0.1%. Agriculture: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish. Labor force: 968,800 (2007 est.); agriculture n.a., industry n.a., services n.a. Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber. Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas. Exports: $56.22 billion (2013 est.): petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles. Imports: $30.75 billion (2013 est.): machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants. Major trading partners: China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, UAE, U.S., Singapore, India (2012).

  Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 305,000 (2012); mobile cellular: 5.278 million (2012). 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). Internet hosts: 14,531 (2012). Internet users: 1.465 million (2009).

  Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 60,240 km; paved: 29,685 km (including 1,943 km of expressways); unpaved: 30,545 km (2012). Ports and harbors: Mina' Qabus, Salalah, Suhar. Airports: 132 (2013).

  International disputes: boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public

  Major sources and definitions