Capital

Oman

name: Muscat

geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name, whose meaning is uncertain, traces back almost two millennia; two 2nd century A.D. scholars, the geographer PTOLEMY and the historian ARRIAN, both mention an Arabian Sea coastal town of Moscha, which most likely referred to Muscat

Citizenship

Oman

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Oman

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: unknown

Legal system

Oman

mixed legal system of Anglo-Saxon law and Islamic law

Suffrage

Oman

21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces by law cannot vote

Area

Oman

total: 309,500 sq km

land: 309,500 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Land use

Oman

agricultural land: 4.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 4.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 95.3% (2018 est.)

Location

Oman

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and the UAE

Age structure

Oman

0-14 years: 29.88% (male 586,608/female 558,770)

15-64 years: 66.17% (male 1,404,289/female 1,132,250)

65 years and over: 3.95% (2023 est.) (male 70,976/female 80,572)

Birth rate

Oman

21.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Oman

3.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Oman

Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Swahili, Urdu, Indian dialects

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Oman

total population: 77.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 75.2 years

female: 79.2 years

Major urban areas - population

Oman

1.650 million MUSCAT (capital) (2023)

Median age

Oman

total: 27.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 27.9 years

female: 26 years

Net migration rate

Oman

-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Oman

the vast majority of the population is located in and around the Al Hagar Mountains in the north of the country; another smaller cluster is found around the city of Salalah in the far south; most of the country remains sparsely poplulated

Population growth rate

Oman

1.8% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Oman

2.67 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Oman

urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Oman

5.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Oman

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 15 years (2021)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Oman

-13.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Oman

1.05% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Oman

2.259 million (2021 est.)

note: about 60% of the labor force is non-national

Population below poverty line

Oman

NA

Unemployment rate

Oman

3.12% (2021 est.)

2.94% (2020 est.)

1.85% (2019 est.)

NA

Public debt

Oman

46.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

32.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: excludes indebtedness of state-owned enterprises

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Oman

1.55% (2021 est.)

-0.9% (2020 est.)

0.13% (2019 est.)

Exports

Oman

$46.324 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$35.72 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$43.584 billion (2019 est.)

Exports - partners

Oman

China 46%, India 8%, Japan 6%, South Korea 6%, United Arab Emirates 6%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2019)

Imports

Oman

$36.502 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$34.022 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$32.569 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

Oman

United Arab Emirates 36%, China 10%, Japan 7%, India 7%, United States 5% (2019)

Airports

Oman

132 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Oman

total: 508,949 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Oman

total: 4.32 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 96% (2021 est.)

Roadways

Oman

total: 60,230 km (2012)

paved: 29,685 km (2012) (includes 1,943 km of expressways)

unpaved: 30,545 km (2012)

Telephones - fixed lines

Oman

total subscriptions: 572,166 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Oman

total subscriptions: 6,115,537 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2021 est.)

Disputes - international

Oman

Oman-Saudi Arabia: none identified

Oman-UAE: 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; Oman and UAE signed the final demarcation of their land border in 2008

Oman-Yemen: Oman and Yemen signed a border agreement in 1992; demarcation of their border was completed in 1995