About Oman

Sultanate of Oman – A Profile
Full country name: Sultanate of Oman
Area: 309,500 sq km
Population: 2.4 million
Capital city: Muscat (population 380,000)
People: Arab, Asian, African, Baluchi
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Baluchi, Urdu
Religion: Muslim
Government: Sultanate
Head of State: H.M. Sultan Qaboos bin Said

Marhaba. 
The traditional word for welcome in the Sultanate of Oman. Wherever you go, you sense an air of tranquility and optimism. Genuine friendliness is something that you will experience in Oman. One of your memories on leaving Oman would be the sincerity of her people. 

Oman is the unique destination of the Orient. We strive to give you an insight into some of the activities available. But there's so much more to taste, to see and to explore, that you'll find yourself asking. "What is it that makes this place so different?

Oman's 12,000 years old civilisation is still evident all over the country. Over 500 forts, castles and towers in diverse architectural styles are proud witnesses to a glorious past. A wide collection of historical books and manuscripts are on display for the history buff. Vestiges of Oman's prehistoric past indicating the presence of nomads who were hunters and gathers, go as gar back as 13,000 BC. Amr Ibn Alas, the companion of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon Him) arrived in Oman to preach the word of Allah in AD 630, leading to Islam becoming the state religion. The current reigning dynasty of the Al Bu Said began with Ahmad Bin Said coming to power in 1744.

Conservation is a major priority in Oman. Once you arrive in the country you will notice something very unique. A respect for nature. An unspoiled countryside and a splendid coastline. You will find it one of the most enchanting countries in the world,. where the land and the people are one. A pristine and pleasant land. A clean and colourful land. 

Long known as the hermit of the Middle East, the Sultanate of Oman is slowly emerging from its shell, revealing a land of friendly people, dramatic landscapes and lots of forts. The capital, Muscat, lacks the nouveau-riche feel that typifies much of the rest of the Gulf, and although Oman remains, in many ways, the most traditional country in the region, it's often more outward looking than it's given credit for.

During the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, Oman was an imperial power that vied first with Portugal and later with Britain for influence in the Gulf, the Indian Ocean and the coasts of India and East Africa. Its development since the ascension of Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 1970 is all the more striking

Geography 
The Sultanate of Oman occupies the South-Eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, with a coastline that extends 1,700 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz in the North to the borders of the Republic of Yemen and overlooks three seas; the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

The total land area of the country is approximately 309,500 sq km and it is the third largest country in the Arabian Peninsula. Oman occupies a Time Zone that is four hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). 

Demographics and Society
The population of the country numbered 2.40 million at the end of 2000, with an expatriate population comprising 26% of the total. Most Omani citizens are Arabs, although many individuals of non-Arab African origin have also been integrated into the social fold. 

Oman has achieved great strides in the provision of healthcare. In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) hailed the Sultanate’s excellent health achievements and placed it 8th with regard to providing the best comprehensive health care at world level. It also won the first position at world level in health system efficiency and good utilization of financial resources in health services, in an analysis of 191 countries world-wide. Substantial improvement has been achieved in educational standards as well. Official figures suggest the primary education enrolment ratio is now 100% for males and 96% for females.

Government 
H.M. Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, a descendant of the family that has governed the country since the 18th century, has ruled Oman since 1970. Oman is governed by a Basic Law, a code similar to a written constitution. Over the years, H.M. Sultan Qaboos has encouraged the development of a diversified government structure and by the mid-70's he had created various Ministries, whilst personally overseeing the structure and function of Internal Security, Finance, Defence and Oil affairs. The work of the government is supported by advice and scrutiny from the 82-member ‘Majlis As’shura’, which is elected by limited franchise.

Economy
Oman enjoys a stable political, economic, and social system, which is enhanced by the excellent relationships between the Sultanate and neighbouring countries. His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos, encourages market-orientated policies and private sector development as the mechanism for prosperity and growth.

Oman is an independent producer of Oil, outside the quota restrictions imposed by OPEC. Oil continues to be the mainstay of the economy, with associated gas production assuming more significance during recent years. Aside from oil and gas, Oman is rich in many other minerals including gold, copper, chromite, asbestos, manganese, gypsum, limestone, marble and coal.

Commercial export of oil began in 1967 and since H.M. Sultan Qaboos' accession to the throne in 1970, many more oil fields have been found and developed. There is currently only one oil refinery in the Sultanate, which is located at Mina al Fahal. Plans are now underway to build a refinery at Sohar with an associated polypropylene programme. The Sohar Refinery is expected to produce 75,000 barrels/day. The basic engineering design has been finished and completion of the whole project is anticipated for the end of 2003, with beneficial operation achieved in early 2004.

At present, the oil production in the country averages marginally below 1 million bpd, with Oil Reserves estimated at 5.85 billion barrels during 2000 and sustained efforts at exploration leading to continuous improvements of the reserve levels. Natural Gas has been assuming a larger importance in the composition of the country’s natural resources with recent discoveries of proven gas reserves pegged at 29.8 trillion cubic feet. 

A Vision for the future
Recognising the finite nature of oil reserves and the vagaries of an oil market outside its control, the Government is placing great emphasis on the diversification of the country's economic base, led by the private sector. This has meant a detailed review of existing laws and regulations, in addition to introducing a new Foreign Investment Law. All these measures are designed to encourage foreign investment in Oman and active domestic participation. 

During the past decade, the Government has initiated steps to diversify the economy and reduce dependence on Oil products. New opportunities for the private sector are emerging as a result of a privatisation programme and a growing awareness that the investment burden of accelerated development should be passed to the private sector.

Central among these measures is the formulation of a long-ranging plan called ‘Vision 2020’, launched in 1995, with the aim of moving the economy into a new phase of development leading to higher growth and prosperity. The salient objectives of the 'Vision 2020' programme are as follows:

• By 2020, it is expected that the economy will not be reliant on oil, but rather, will have diversified into non-oil sectors, raising higher levels of savings and investments


• The crude oil sector's share of GDP is estimated to drop to 9% in 2020, compared with 41% in 1996.


• The gas sector is expected to contribute around 10% to GDP, compared with less than 1% in 1996.


• The non-oil industrial sector's contribution is expected to increase from 7.5% to 29%.

The Government strategy for economic development has been based on a series of five-year development plans. During the Fifth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000), the Government embarked on an ambitious privatisation drive, aimed at reducing government expenditure on various key infrastructure sectors such as port services, power generation and distribution, etc. During 2001, the government went a step ahead and privatised the airport infrastructure at the two major airports in Oman, and the privatisation of the telecommunications infrastructure is on the cards.