Oman
The
Sultanate of Oman (
Standard Arabic:
سلطنة عُمان Saltanat ˤUmān) is a country in the
southwestern part of
Asia, on the southeast coast of the
Arabian Peninsula. It borders the
United Arab Emirates in the northwest,
Saudi Arabia in the west, and
Yemen in the southwest. The coast is formed by the
Arabian Sea in the south and east, and the
Gulf of Oman in the northeast. The country also has an
exclave in the
United Arab Emirates.
The Sultanate of Oman was once known by its
Sumerian name
Magan. Oman constituted one of the
Satrapies of the
Persian Empire. It was incorporated into that empire around
563 BC. This earlier empire was succeeded by the
Sassanian Empire in the 3rd century AD.
By the beginning of the first century of the Common Era, Arab tribes began to settle in Oman. In 632, the Sassanids lost power and Arab dominance in Oman was established.
In
751,
Ibādī Muslims established an
imāmate in Oman.
Imāms exercised spiritual leadership over the country. The Ibādiyya are a branch of the
Kharijites, the earliest Muslim sect which rejected both potential successors to
Muħammad's leadership. This imāmate survived until the mid-20th Century.
Oman has been a centre for traders for centuries. In
1508, the main port,
Muscat, was captured by the
Portuguese, who held it until it was taken by the
Ottomans in
1659. The Ottomans were driven out in
1741, when the present line of
sultans was formed by Aħmad ibn Saˤīd. However, Oman was occupied by Persia between
1743 and
1746.
In the early
19th century, Oman grew to a major power, having possessions in
Baluchistan and
Zanzibar, but these were gradually all lost. The final one,
Gwadar, was sold to
Pakistan in
1958. In
1891, Oman became a
British protectorate, which lasted until
1971.
The year prior, Sultān
Saˤīd ibn Taymūr was ousted by his son, Sultān
Qabūs ibn Saˤīd as-Saˤīd (r. 1970-). Sultān Qabūs has since greatly improved the economic situation of the country, remaining in peace with all other countries in the
Middle East. In 1996, the sultan issued a decree promulgating a new basic law that clarifies the royal succession, provides for a bicameral advisory council with some limited legislative powers and a prime minister and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens.
Military bases in Oman were used (2001) by US forces involved in ground raids against Taliban forces in
Afghanistan and
Osama bin Laden. In 2003, the lower house of the advisory council was freely elected for the first time.
Chief of state and government is the hereditary sultān,
Qabūs ibn Saˤīd as-Saˤīd, who appoints a cabinet to assist him. In the early
1990s, the sultān instituted an elected advisory council, the
Majlis ash-Shura, though few Omanis were eligible to vote.
Universal suffrage for those over 21 was instituted on
4 October 2003. Over 190,000 people (74% of those registered) voted to elect the 83 seats. Two women were elected to seats.
The sultān functions essentially as an
absolute ruler.
While His Majesty Sultan Qaboos functions as absolute ruler, Oman's government is organized into several categories of institutions.
Oman's govermental functions are chiefly implemented by
ministries. There are ministries of:
=National Economy
=
=Oil and Gas
=
=Commerce and Industry
=
=Education
=
=Health
=Oman has a highly efficient primary care service that rates in the world's top ten regularly (WHO)--
Dr Dilip J DaCruz 20:33, 2 August 2006 (UTC)
=Information
=
=Social Development
=
=Heritage and Culture
=
=Tourism
=
=Civil Services
=
=Regional Municipalities, Environment, and Water Resources
=
=Agriculture and Fisheries
=
=Manpower
=
=Religious Affairs
=
Oman is a muslim country (75% ibadis Muslim)other is sunna and shia
=Housing, Electricity, and Water
=
=Communications (previously Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones)
=
Representing His Majesty Sultan Qaboos directly is the Diwan of the Royal Court and Palace Affairs. In practice, the Diwan operates outside the mandate of other parts of the Omani government with superceding authority.
Ministries are headed by a
Minister, a position carrying the title
His Excellency. Ministries can have several under secretaries, also carrying title Your Excellency. Similarly, the Diwan has a minister and under secretaries. Ministers and under secretaries are appointed by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos; they are not elected. No qualifications of education or experience are required to hold office.
Bureaucracy and
corruption are growing problem in the Omani government, in part because of a lack of fixed terms or qualifications for senior posts, and partly because all government funding is controlled by the Ministry of Finance, creating a severe operational
bottleneck. This is a particularly daunting problem because more than 50% of the Omani economy is channeled through government institutions and contracts.
Unlike in Oman's neighboring
United Arab Emirates which has a hard and fast policy of prompt payment and adhering to contractual obligations with private sector contracts, no protections or guarantees exist to hold government institutions liable for fair conduct. Consequently, horror stories abound of work contracts violated or ignored by government institutions, and several international business bureaus advise against doing business with the Omani government due to these problems.
Oman is divided into three
governorates (
muhafazah) and five regions (
mintaqat). These regions are subdivided into provinces (
wilayat).
*
Ad Dakhiliyah*
Al Batinah*
Al Wusta*
Ash Sharqiyah*
Az Zahirah or
Ad DhahirahGovernorates
*
Masqat or
Muscat*
Musandam*
DhofarGeography
The Sultanate of Oman occupies the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula and is located between latitudes 16° 40' and 26° 20' North and Longitudes 51° 50' and 59° 40' East. The coastline extends 1,700km from the Strait of Hormuz in the north, to the borders of the Republic of Yemen in the south and overlooks three seas - the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
The Sultanate of Oman borders Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the West; the Republic of Yemen in the South; the Strait of Hormuz in the North and the Arabian Sea in the East. (
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The total land area is approximately 309,500km2 and it is the third largest country in the Arabian Peninsula.
The Sultanate of Oman is divided into three governorates - Muscat, Dhofar and Musandam and five regions-- i.e. there are eight administrative regions: A'Dakhliyah; A'Dhahira; Al Batinah; Dhofar; Al Wusta; Muscat; Musandam; Al Sharqiya. Each of these is subdivided into smaller districts called wilayats, which are governed by the wali, the person responsible for the area who reports to the Ministry of the Interior.
Topography
Oman's terrain has a varied topography, consisting of plains, desert, mountain ranges and wadis. The rock matter is predominantly sedimentary and is rich in metallic mineral deposits, such as copper, chromite and gold. The two main mountain ranges are the Hajar range, running from Musandam to Ras al Hadd; and the Qara range in Dhofar, which attracts the light monsoon rains during the mid-summer months. Around 82% of Oman consists of desert. Most conurbations arise on the coast.
There are many caverns in Oman and the country is home to one of the largest caves in the world, Teyq Cave, which is 250m in depth, 300 million m3 in size. It is thought that the cave was formed as a result of several chambers collapsing due to erosion.
There are several islands located in Oman's waters, the largest of which is Masirah in the southeast which is accessed by boat and plane.
Climate
The climate differs from one area to another. It is hot and humid in the coastal areas in summer; while it is hot and dry in the Interior with the exception of the higher mountains, which enjoy a moderate climate throughout the year. Rainfall is generally light and irregular; although heavy rains and thunderstorms can cause severe flooding. In the south, the Dhofar region has a moderate climate and the pattern of rainfall is more predictable with heavy monsoon rains occurring regularly between May and September.
Average temperatures for the north of Oman are 32 - 48 0C from May to September; 26 - 36 0C from October to April. Due to the monsoon season, June to September, Dhofar in the south of the country maintains a fairly steady year-round temperature of around 30 - 35 degC. Dhofar is transformed after the rains into a lush landscape of green fields and verdant vegetation.
Average rainfall in Muscat is 75mm. In the Jebel al Akhdar region, average rainfall can be from 250mm to 400mm. The monsoon season in Dhofar can bring rainfall of between 100 - 400mm.
Exclaves and enclaves
The peninsula of
Musandam (Musandem), which has a strategic location on the
Strait of Hormuz, is separated from the rest of Oman by the
United Arab Emirates and is thus an
exclave.
Oman has one other exclave, this time inside UAE territory, known as
Wadi-e-Madhah. It is located halfway between the Musandam Peninsula and the rest of Oman [
1]. The exclave is on the
Dubai-
Hatta road in the Emirate of
Sharjah. Belonging to
Musandam governorate, it covers approximately 75
square kilometres (29
sq mi). The boundary was settled in
1969. The north-east corner of Madha is closest to the
Khorfakkan-
Fujairah road, barely 10 metres (30
ft) away. Within the exclave is an UAE enclave called
Nahwa, belonging to the Emirate of Sharjah. It is about 8 kilometres (5
mi) on a dirt track west of the town of New Madha. It consists of about 40 houses with its own clinic and telephone exchange [
2].
The economy of Oman is dominated by its dependence on
crude oil. A joint venture called IPC drilled a number of dry holes from
1956 onwards though the logistics of doing this were extremely difficult due to lack of any transportation infrastructure.
A lack of success, combined with worsening logistical problems and a glut of oil on the world market, led most of the partners to withdraw from the venture in
1960. Only
Royal Dutch/Shell and
Partex opted to remain in Oman to continue the search for oil. They struck oil at
Fahud in
1962 at a site just some few hundreds of metres from the last dry hole.
In June 1967, the
Compagnie Française des Pétroles rejoined the partnership by taking over 10% of Partex's equity share, resulting in the following shareholding: Shell 85%, Compagnie Française des Pétroles 10% and Partex 5%. The company changed its name to Petroleum Development (Oman). Shortly followed by the first export of Omani oil on
27 July 1967.
On
1 January 1974 the Government of Oman acquired a 25% shareholding in the Petroleum Development (Oman); half a year later they increased it to 60%, backdated to the beginning of the year. As a result foreign shareholding in PD(O) was now made up of Royal Dutch/Shell (34%), Compagnie Française des Pétroles (now
Total) (4%) and Partex (2%).
In a Royal Decree of
15 May 1980, the company was registered as a
limited liability company (LLC) under the name
Petroleum Development Oman.
Today Oman produces around 700,000
barrels (110,000 m³) of oil per day and there have been significant discoveries of
natural gas and development of a
liquefied natural gas terminal. Oil represents about 90% of Oman's exports.
The income generated was quickly deployed into building infrastructures of roads, schools, hospitals, water and electricity generating plants. All of this activity has made Oman a major success story for economic growth despite being the only oil-producing nation in the
middle east that is not a member of
OPEC.
Oman's economic performance improved significantly in
2000 due largely to the upturn in oil prices. The government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities, the development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to liberalise its markets and joined the
World Trade Organization in
November 2000.
GDP growth improved in
2001 despite the global economic slowdown.
On
20 July 2006, the U.S.
House of Representatives narrowly approved a
US-Oman Free Trade Agreement by a vote of 221-205. [
3] The Congressional debate around the pact was affected by partisan, midterm election politics that repeated several free-trade versus protectionist arguments regarding labor rights and national security. Regarding labor rights, the Government of Oman made numerous commitments to revise its labor laws to satisfy Congressional concerns. With respect to the assertions that the Agreement threatend the ability of the United States Government to protect its essential national security, the Congressional Research Service prepared several papers explaining that such was not the case. A recent State Department report criticized Oman for not taking enough action to reduce human trafficking but also acknowledged that the country "is making significant efforts to do so." The treaty will immediately end all duties on trade in industrial and consumer goods and give American farmers duty-free access to Oman's market for 87 percent of their products. [
4]
US President
George W. Bush is expected to sign it, and implementation may come shortly. Proponents of the deal claim that the pact will help liberalise the Omani market and open it to U.S. goods.[
5]
Oman is the world's easternmost Arabian country. The majority of Omanis are
Arabs, although there are sizable
Baloch and
Swahili minorities. As in most other Arab countries, a large number of foreign laborers live here, mostly from
India and
Pakistan. The official language is
Arabic, but the minorities speak their own languages. A non-Arabic
Semitic language is spoken in Dhofar.
Islam is the predominant religion, mostly
Ibādiyya, with a
Sunni population in Dhofar. Exact numbers are not certain.
Unfotunately you have not enough information about OMAN, what you mention here that there is a minority of swahili people, That are not quite true, there is people speaking swahili, who came from East Africa, but they are originaly Omani's who went there in the last century. (Please read first the history of Oman)
Even though Oman is a modern country, western influences are quite restricted. The
Ibādī form of Islam is fairly liberal in comparison with
Sunni Islam and
Shi'a Islam. In common with most Middle Eastern countries, alcohol is only available in some hotels and few restaurants.
Although Arabic is Oman's official language, there are native speakers of different dialects, as well as Baloochi, or offshoots of
Southern Arabian, a Semitic language only distantly related to Arabic. However, the dominant indigenous language is a dialect of Arabic. However, the country has adopted a second language which is widely spoken, English, and is on almost all signs and writings that you see.
Oman is famous for its
khanjar knives.
*
Islam in Oman*
Music of OmanThe Bush administration State Department's 2006 Trafficking in Human Persons report downgraded Oman to a "Tier 2 Watch List" country. [
6] Among the ways that the report found that human trafficking is a problem in Oman:
• "Oman is a destination country for men and women primarily from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India who migrate willingly, but may subsequently become victims of trafficking when subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers."(p. 196)
• "There have been reports from foreign entities that expatriate children engaged in camel racing may transit or reside in Omani territory." (p. 197)
• "The Government of Oman does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking…Over the last year, Oman did not prosecute any trafficking cases and it failed to conduct anti-trafficking public awareness campaigns. The government lacks an adequate screening procedure to differentiate trafficking victims from the large number of foreigners it deports annually…""…the Omani government did not report any prosecutions in the last 12 months and has taken no active measures to investigate trafficking in persons…."(p. 197)
• "During the reporting period, the Omani government did not improve its minimal efforts to provide protection to expatriate workers who may fall victim to involuntary servitude. Foreigners illegally in Oman are housed in detention facilities and immigration officials have no screening procedure to distinguish illegal migrants from trafficking victims… Although the government pays for illegal migrants' repatriation, it has not established a system of protective services for victims of trafficking. Rather, it relies primarily on foreign embassies and charitable groups to tend to foreign nationals requiring assistance. The embassies of the Philippines and Sri Lanka, for instance, manage halfway houses for domestic workers. No formal referral mechanism exists to transfer potential trafficking victims to such organizations." (p. 197)
*
Communications in Oman*
Foreign relations of Oman*
List of cities in Oman*
Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces*
Transportation in Oman*
Education in Oman*
Sports in Oman*
The National Organisation for Scouts and GuidesGovernment*
Omani Ministry of InformationGeneral information*
al-Bab - Oman*
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Oman - Country Page*
BBC News Country Profile - Oman*[https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mu.html CIA World Factbook -
Oman]
*
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Oman*
Lonely Planet - Oman*
Nizwa.NET*
Open Directory Project - Oman directory category
*
US State Department - Oman includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
*
Yahoo! - Oman directory category
Other*
Andy Carvin's Oman Photo Gallery*
Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA)*
Petroleum Development Oman*
newsBriefsOman*
Oman Photo Gallery
