Oman (GPS: 21 00 N, 57 00 E) located in the Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf, between Yemen and the UAE. The country’s area measurements are total: 309,500 sq km; land: 309,500 sq km, water: 0 sq km. This sovereign state is twice the size of Georgia, slightly smaller than Kansas. The total irrigated land is 590 sq km (2012).
One of the essential features of Oman: Consists of Oman proper and two northern exclaves, Musandam and Al Madhah. The former is a peninsula that occupies a strategic location adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil.
It’s significant, and at the same time, the principal city, Muscat’s GPS coordinates are 23 37 N 58 35 E. Muscat’s local time is 9 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time. The capital’s time difference: UTC+4.
For more information on Oman, please scroll down below the Google Maps.
Google Maps Oman and Muscat, Middle East
About Oman in detail
Flag of Oman
Map of Oman
The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered from the Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, the nascent sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman’s dependence on British political and military advisors increased, although the Sultanate never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al-Said overthrew his father and had since ruled as sultan. Sultan QABOOS has no children and has not designated a successor publicly; The Basic Law of 1996 outlines Oman’s succession procedure. Sultan QABOOS’s extensive modernization program opened the country to the outside world, and the sultan has prioritized strategic ties with the UK and the US. Oman’s moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with its neighbors and avoid external entanglements.
Inspired by the popular uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa beginning in January 2011, some Omanis staged demonstrations, calling for more jobs and economic benefits and an end to corruption. In response to those protester demands, QABOOS in 2011 pledged to implement economic and political reforms, such as granting Oman’s bicameral legislative body more power and authorizing direct elections for its lower house, which took place in November 2011. Additionally, the Sultan increased unemployment benefits, and, in August 2012, issued a royal directive mandating the speedy implementation of a national job creation plan for thousands of public and private sector Omani jobs. As part of the government’s efforts to decentralize authority and allow greater citizen participation in local governance, Oman successfully conducted its first municipal council elections in December 2012. Announced by the sultan in 2011, the city councils have the power to advise the Royal Court on the needs of local districts across Oman’s 11 governorates.
Oman’s names conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman, traditional short form: Oman, local long form: Saltanat Uman, local short state: Uman, former: Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain, but it apparently dates back at least 2,000 years since an “Omana” is mentioned by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.) and an “Omanon” by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.). The origin of the name is uncertain, but it apparently dates back at least 2,000 years since an “Omana” is mentioned by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.) and an “Omanon” by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.).
Oman’s terrain is typically central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south. The country’s mean elevation: 310 m, elevation extremes; lowest point: the Arabian Sea 0 m, highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m.
The general climate in the country; dry desert: hot, humid along coast: hot, dry interior: strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south.
The total number of border countries is 3, Saudi Arabia 658 km, UAE 609 km, Yemen 294 km are the neighboring nations with the indicated border lengths. Oman’s coastline is 2,092 km, while its marital claims are: territorial sea: 12 nautical miles, contiguous zone: 24 nautical miles, exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles. Waterways: N/A. Land use: agricultural land: 4.7%; arable land 0.1%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 4.5%; forest: 0%; other: 95.3% (2011 estimate).
The population in Oman 4,613,241 (July 2017 estimate estimate), urban population: 77.6% of total population (2015), central metropolitan area’s population: MUSCAT (capital) 838,000 (2015), while Oman has 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 populated. Their spoken languages are: Arabic (official language), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects. Main religions in Oman are Muslim (official; majority are Ibadhi, lesser numbers of Sunni and Shia) 85.9%, Christian 6.5%, Hindu 5.5%, Buddhist 0.8%, Jewish. The nation uses mixed legal system of Anglo-Saxon law and Islamic law. It is a(n) absolute monarchy, National holiday(s) Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940).
Economic overview for the country: Oman is heavily dependent on oil and gas resources, which can generate between and 68% and 85% of government revenue, depending on fluctuations in commodity prices. In 2016, low global oil prices drove Oman’s budget deficit to $13.8 billion, or approximately 20% of GDP, but the budget deficit is estimated to have reduced to 12% of GDP in 2017 as Oman reduced government subsidies. As of January 2018, Oman has sufficient foreign assets to support its currency’s fixed exchange rates. It is issuing debt to cover its deficit.
Oman is using enhanced oil recovery techniques to boost production, but it has simultaneously pursued a development plan that focuses on diversification, industrialization, and privatization, with the objective of reducing the oil sector’s contribution to GDP. The government’s diversification strategy’s critical components are tourism, shipping and logistics, mining, manufacturing, and aquaculture. Muscat also has notably focused on creating more Omani jobs to employ the rising number of nationals entering the workforce. However, high social welfare benefits – that had increased in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring – have made it impossible for the government to balance its budget in light of current oil prices. In response, Omani officials imposed austerity measures on its gasoline and diesel subsidies in 2016. These spending cuts have had only a moderate effect on the government’s budget, which is projected to again face a deficit of $7.8 billion in 2018.
Natural resources of Oman: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas.
Main export partners for Oman, Middle East are China 35.4%, UAE 15.3%, South Korea 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 5.8%, Pakistan 4.2% (2015) for petroleum, re-exports, fish, metals, textiles, while the main import partners for the country are: UAE 29.7%, Japan 10.2%, US 7.5%, China 6.7%, India 6.3% (2015) for machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants.
When you visit this country in the Middle East, consider Oman’s natural hazards: Summer winds often raise massive sandstorms and dust storms in the interior, periodic droughts, while infectious diseases are N/A. Also, note that Oman faces the following environmental issues: Limited natural freshwater resources, High levels of soil and water salinity in the coastal plains, Beach pollution from oil spills, Industrial effluents seeping into the water tables and aquifers, Desertification due to high winds driving desert sand into arable lands.
You may also be interested in the countries next to Oman around its total: 1,561 km border, like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen.
