Independence Year : 1951
Population : 2542000
Life Expectancy : 71.8
Capital : 2821
GNP : 16904.00
GNP Old : 16153.00
Local Name : ´Uman
Government Form : Monarchy (Sultanate)
Location : Middle East, Southeast Arabian Peninsula, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE.
Terrain : Central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south.
Climate : Hot, humid along the coast; hot, dry in the interior; summer monsoon in far south
Ethnic Group : Arab, Baluchi, East African (Zanzabari), South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi)
Religions : Ibadhi Muslim 75%; Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim, Hindu, Christian
Official Website :
www.omanet.om
|
|
General Information - Oman
Background
Oman lies at the eastern corner of the Arabian peninsula. Sharjah and Fujairah (UAE) separate the main part of Oman from the northernmost part of the state, a peninsula (Musandam) extending into the Strait of Hormuz.
Historically Omanis were seafarers and traders who dominated regional commodity trading in the Indian Ocean, East Africa and the Arabian Gulf. There were thus a succession of migrations which saw the growth of settlements along some parts of the East African coast.
In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing political and military relationship with the United Kingdom.
Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.
(Source: Ministry of Information, Sultanate of Oman and CIA World Factbook)
|
