Chapter 130
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
People Oman
Population:
3,311,640 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.7% (male 721,796/female 692,699) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 1,053,040/female 752,962) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 51,290/female 39,853) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.9 years male: 21.3 years female: 16.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.19% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
35.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.68 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.4 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.29 male(s)/female total population: 1.23 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 17.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.91 years male: 71.64 years female: 76.29 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.62 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,300 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani
Ethnic groups:
Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
Religions:
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu) 25%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Literacy:
definition: NA total population: 81.4% male: 86.8% female: 73.5% (2003 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4% of GDP (2006)
Government Oman
Country name:
conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman
Government type:
monarchy
Capital:
name: Muscat geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat (Muscat)*, Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)*
Independence:
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
National holiday:
Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)
Constitution:
none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens
Legal system:
based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces are not allowed to vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch:
bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla or upper chamber (70 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and Majlis al-Shura or lower chamber (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held 27 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: new candidates won 46 seats and 38 members of the outgoing Majlis kept their positions; none of the 20 female candidates were elected
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Sharia law
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 24-643-400 FAX: [968] 24-699771
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band
Economy Oman
Economy - overview:
Oman is a middle-income economy that is heavily dependent on dwindling oil resources, but sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped build Oman's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Oman joined the World Trade Organization in November 2000 and continues to liberalize its markets. It ratified a free trade agreement with the US in September 2006, and, through the Gulf Cooperation Council, seeks similar agreements with the EU, China and Japan. As a result of its dwindling oil resources, Oman is actively pursuing a development plan that focuses on diversification, industrialization, and privatization, with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP to 9 percent by 2020. Muscat is attempting to "Omanize" the labor force by replacing foreign expatriate workers with local workers. Oman actively seeks private foreign investors, especially in the industrial, information technology, tourism, and higher education fields. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$60.89 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$40.06 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$19,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.2% industry: 38.2% services: 59.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
920,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
15% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
20% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $14.02 billion expenditures: $13.68 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
3.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
1.98% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.29% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$5.044 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$11.04 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$13.88 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
Industries:
crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber
Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
13.58 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
10.53 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
714,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
69,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
722,000 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
15,440 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
5.5 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
24.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
11 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
13.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$4.866 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$23.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
Exports - partners:
China 26.8%, South Korea 15.2%, Japan 14.3%, Thailand 10.4%, UAE 7.6%, US 4.3%, Iran 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$11 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Imports - partners:
UAE 19.3%, Japan 17.6%, US 7.4%, Germany 5.2%, India 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$30.68 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$9.524 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$5.297 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$16.16 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Omani rial (OMR)
Currency code:
OMR
Exchange rates:
Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar - 0.3845 (2007), 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003)
Communications Oman
Telephones - main lines in use:
268,100 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.5 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: fixed-line phone service gradually being introduced to remote villages using wireless local loop systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership both increasing; open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: country code - 968; the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios:
1.4 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
13 (plus 25 repeaters) (1999)
Televisions:
1.6 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.om
Internet hosts:
4,785 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
340,000 (2007)
Transportation Oman
Airports:
137 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 130 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 34 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 4,126 km; oil 3,558 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 42,300 km paved: 16,500 km (includes 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,800 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 3 by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mina' Qabus, Salalah
Military Oman
Military branches:
Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 802,455 females age 16-49: 626,841 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 663,881 females age 16-49: 543,410 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 34,238 female: 33,139 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
11.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Oman
Disputes - international:
boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Oman is a destination country for men and women primarily from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan who migrate willingly, but some of whom become victims of trafficking when subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers; mistreatment includes non-payment of wages, restrictions on movement and withholding of passports, threats, and physical or sexual abuse; Oman may also be a destination country for women from Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Africa for commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 3 - Oman was rated as Tier 3 for the second consecutive year because it did not report any law enforcement efforts to prosecute and punish trafficking offenses in 2007 and continues to lack victim protection services or a systematic procedure to identify victims of trafficking (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Pacific Ocean
Introduction Pacific Ocean
Background:
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.
Geography Pacific Ocean
Location:
body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere
Geographic coordinates:
0 00 N, 160 00 W
Map references:
Political Map of the World
Area:
total: 155.557 million sq km note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative:
about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world
Coastline:
135,663 km
Climate:
planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December
Terrain:
surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources:
oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish
Natural hazards:
surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December
Environment - current issues:
endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea
Geography - note:
the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean
Economy Pacific Ocean
Economy - overview:
The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new drillings.
Transportation Pacific Ocean
Ports and terminals:
Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)
Transportation - note:
Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state); the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen; crew and passengers are often held for ransom, murdered, or cast adrift
Transnational Issues Pacific Ocean
Disputes - international:
some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Pakistan
Introduction Pakistan
Background:
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. Mounting public dissatisfaction with President MUSHARRAF, coupled with the assassination of the prominent and popular political leader, Benazir BHUTTO, in late 2007, and MUSHARRAF?s resignation in August 2008, led to the September presidential election of Asif ZARDARI, BHUTTO?s widower. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control Islamist militants, many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan. The Pakistani government is also faced with a deteriorating economy as foreign exchange reserves decline, the currency depreciates, and the current account deficit widens.
Geography Pakistan
Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north
Geographic coordinates:
30 00 N, 70 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 803,940 sq km land: 778,720 sq km water: 25,220 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 6,774 km border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km
Coastline:
1,046 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north
Terrain:
flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m
Natural resources:
land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 24.44% permanent crops: 0.84% other: 74.72% (2005)
Irrigated land:
182,300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
233.8 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 169.39 cu km/yr (2%/2%/96%) per capita: 1,072 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)
Environment - current issues:
water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
People Pakistan
Population:
172,800,048 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.8% (male 33,617,953/female 31,741,258) 15-64 years: 58% (male 51,292,535/female 48,921,023) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 3,408,749/female 3,818,533) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.5 years male: 20.3 years female: 20.6 years (2008 est.)