1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Coastline
2,092 km
Land boundaries
1,384 km WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
12 nm (fishing 200 nm; exclusive economic zone 200 nm)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
almost entirely Arab with small groups of Iranians, Baluchis, and Indians
Labor force
300,000; 49% are non-Omani
Language
Arabic
Literacy
10%
Nationality
noun—Omani(s); adjective—Omani
Population
948,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 3.1%
Religion
Muslim (Ibadhi and Sunni sects, few Shias)
Government
Capital
Muscat
Government leader
Sultan Qaboos bin SAID (Al Bu Said)
Legal system
based on English common law and Islamic law; no constitution; ultimate appeal to the Sultan; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Member of
Arab League, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMCO, IMF, ISCON, ITU, NAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
National holiday
18 November
Official name
Sultanate of Oman
Other political or pressure groups
outlawed Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman (PFLO), based in South Yemen
Political subdivisions
1 province (Dhofar), 9 regions, and numerous districts (wilayats)
Type
absolute monarchy; independent, with strong residual UK influence
Economy
Agriculture
based on subsistence farming (fruits, dates; cereals, cattle, camels), fishing, and trade
Budget
(1980) revenues $3.5 billion, current expenditures $1,964 billion, development expenditures $715 million
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)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GNP
$5.2 billion (1980), $5,780 per capita est.
Imports
$1.9 billion (c.i.f., 1980)
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
Major trade partners
UK, US, other European, Gulf states, India, Australia, China, Japan
Monetary conversion rate
1 Riyal Omani=US$2.895 (1980)
Communications
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
Civil air
23 major transport aircraft, including 7 leased in and 1 leased out
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
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
Military and Security
Military budget
for fiscal year ending 31 December 1981, $1.7 billion; 41% of central government budget
Military manpower
males 15-49, 213,000; 123,000 fit for military service