Islamic countries

Islamic countries

SULTANATE OF OMAN
SALTANAT UMAN

General Information

Total Land Area:	309,500 km²
Land boundaries:	1,374 km
Coastline:	2,092 km
Capital:	Muscat
Other Large Cities:	Nizwa (Nazvah), Samail
Official Language:	Arabic
National Currency Unit:	Omani Rial (OMR)
National Day:	November 18

Location and Geography

Oman is located on the South-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the West, Yemen in the South, the Strait of Hormuz in the North and the Arabian Sea in the East. Oman has three distinct topographical features. The first consists of two flat, relatively fertile coastal strips: one in the North stretching from Muscat to the border with the UAE, and the other surrounding the Southern coastal town of Salalah. The second feature includes two mountainous regions: one in the North and the other bordering the Salalah plain in the South. The third feature is a sandy wasteland along the border with Saudi Arabia. Oman has no arable land or permanent crops. The climate is one of the hottest in the world with limited rainfall and high humidity.

Demography

Population:	2.53 million (2002)
Crude Birth Rate:	26 per thousand people (2002)
Crude Death Rate:	3 per thousand people (2002)
Infant Mortality Rate:	11 per thousand (2002)
Life Expectancy:	Male: 73 years, Female: 76 years (2002)
Urban Population:	77.0 percent (2002)
Adult Literacy:	73.00 percent (2001)

Economy

Oman’s economy is based largely on income from oil production and exports. The other important natural resources are copper, asbestos, marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum and natural gas. Copper mining and smelting, oil refining and cement production are the major industries. The construction industry has been developing as well. Oman has an excellent highway system and modern airports. Agriculture is at subsistence level and represents one of the major sources of employment. Date, lime, banana, wheat and sorghum are the main agricultural products. There are fisheries in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The tourism industry is also developing.

GDP at Current Market Prices:	20283 million US$ (2002)
Per Capita GDP:	8017 US$ (2002)
Share of Sectors in GDP:	1.4% Agriculture, 46.6% Industry, 52.0% Services, (2001)
Total Exports:	9290 million US$ (2002)
Total Imports:	5709 million US$ (2002)
Major Exports Items:	Petroleum, fish, metals and textiles
Major Imports Items:	Machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured goods and foodstuff
Major Trading Partners:	UAE, US, Iran, UK and Japan