Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 212,460 sq km

land: 212,460 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km

border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline: 2,092 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior;
strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain: central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m

highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble,
limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 5%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 95% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 580 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust
storms in interior; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution
from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent
to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Oman People

Population: 2,622,198

note: includes 527,078 non-nationals (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.51% (male 554,727; female 533,627)

15-64 years: 56.12% (male 894,978; female 576,672)

65 years and over: 2.37% (male 32,863; female 29,331) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.43% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 37.96 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 4.1 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.55 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female

total population: 1.3 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 22.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total po