Oman

absolute monarchy

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 derives from the Arabic name for the city, Masqat, which is said to mean "hidden" and refers to the range of hills that isolate the port city from the rest of the country

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister HAITHAM bin Tarik Al Said (since 11 January 2020) head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister HAITHAM bin Tarik Al Said (since 11 January 2020) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch note: the monarch is both chief of state and head of government

legislature name: Majles legislative structure: bicameral

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the 9-member Supreme Judicial Council (chaired by the monarch) and appointed by the monarch; judges appointed for life subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Administrative Court; Courts of First Instance; sharia courts; magistrates' courts; military courts

history: promulgated by royal decree 6 November 1996 (the Basic Law of the Sultanate of Oman serves as the constitution); amended by royal decree in 2011 amendment process: promulgated by the sultan or proposed by the Council of Oman and drafted by a technical committee as stipulated by royal decree and then promulgated through royal decree

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

6% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 8% of GDP (2021 est.) 11% of GDP (2020 est.)

Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman (RAO), Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), Royal Guard of Oman (RGO), Sultan's Special Forces Royal Oman Police (ROP): Civil Defense, Immigration, Infrastructure Security Police, Coast Guard Police, Special Security Police, Special Task Force (2024) note: in addition to its policing duties, the ROP conducts many administrative functions similar to the responsibilities of a Ministry of Interior in other countries

18-25 for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025) note: women have served since 2011

the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) are responsible for defending the country, ensuring internal security, and protecting the monarchy; it trains with foreign partners such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the UK, and the US; the SAF has a security relationship with the British military going back to the 18th century; today, the SAF and the British maintain a joint training base in Oman, and the British military uses the facilities at Al Duqm Port; in 2019, the US obtained access to the port, expanding on previous military cooperation agreements in 2014, 2010, and 1980; Oman also allows other nations to use some of its maritime facilities, including China; the SAF is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region Oman's naval forces conduct maritime security operations along the country s long coastline, including patrolling, ensuring freedom of navigation in the key naval chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz, and countering piracy and smuggling; Oman participates in the US-led, multinational Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), which operates multinational task forces conducting maritime security in regional waters (2025)

$193.591 billion (2024 est.) $190.403 billion (2023 est.) $188.169 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$36,700 (2024 est.) $37,700 (2023 est.) $39,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

1.7% (2024 est.) 1.2% (2023 est.) 8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

1% (2023 est.) 2.5% (2022 est.) 1.7% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

46.9% of GDP (2017 est.) note: excludes indebtedness of state-owned enterprises

$64.749 billion (2023 est.) $69.483 billion (2022 est.) $46.572 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$47.412 billion (2023 est.) $46.682 billion (2022 est.) $37.216 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

3.2% (2024 est.) 3.2% (2023 est.) 3.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $29.334 billion (2018 est.) expenditures: $35.984 billion (2018 est.)

crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber

vegetables, dates, milk, tomatoes, sorghum, chillies/peppers, goat milk, cucumbers/gherkins, cantaloupes/melons, cabbages (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 3,969,824 (2025 est.) male: 2,130,080 female: 1,839,744

1.7% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 29.8% (male 594,909/female 566,682) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,428,141/female 1,155,438) 65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 73,076/female 83,746)

20.65 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

3.17 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 77.4 years (2024 est.) male: 75.5 years female: 79.4 years

urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African

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.

Muslim 85.9%, Christian 6.4%, Hindu 5.7%, other and unaffiliated 2% (2020 est.) note: Omani citizens represent approximately 56.4% of the population and are overwhelming Muslim (Ibadhi and Sunni sects each constitute about 45% and Shia about 5%); Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists account for roughly 5% of Omani citizens

total population: 97.3% (2022 est.) male: 98.6% (2022 est.) female: 94.9% (2022 est.)

petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

refugees: 714 (2024 est.)

37 (2025)

total: 57 (2023) by type: general cargo 11, other 46

total subscriptions: 6.35 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 95% (2024 est.)