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

_#_Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and
pastures 5%; forest and woodland 0%; other 95%; includes
irrigated NEGL%

_#_Environment: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and
duststorms in interior; sparse natural freshwater resources

_#_Note: strategic location with small foothold on Musandam
Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz (17% of world's oil production
transits this point going from Persian Gulf to Arabian Sea)

_*_People
_#_Population: 1,534,011 (July 1991), growth rate 3.5% (1991)

_#_Birth rate: 41 births/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Infant mortality rate: 40 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 68 years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: 6.7 children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Omani(s); adjective--Omani

_#_Ethnic divisions: mostly Arab, with small Balochi,
Zanzibari, and South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi) groups

_#_Religion: Ibadhi Muslim 75%; remainder Sunni Muslim, Shia
Muslim, some Hindu

_#_Language: Arabic (official); English, Balochi, Urdu, Indian
dialects

_#_Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

_#_Labor force: 430,000; agriculture (est.) 60%; 58% are non-Omani

_#_Organized labor: trade unions are illegal

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Sultanate of Oman

_#_Type: absolute monarchy; independent, with residual UK influence

_#_Capital: Muscat

_#_Administrative divisions: there are no first-order administrative
divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 7 planning
regions (manatiq takhtitiyah, singular--mintaqah
takhtitiyah) that include 1 governorate* (muhafazah)
and 50 districts (wilayat, singular--wilayah);

al-Batinah--Awabi, Barka, Khabura, Liwa, Musanaa, Nakhl, Rustaq,
Saham, Shinas, Sohar, Suwaiq, Wadi al-Maawil;

al-Dakhiliah--Adam, al-Hamra, Bahla, Bidbid, Haima, Izki, Manah,
Nizwa, Sumail;

al-Dhahirah--al-Buraimi, Dhank, Ibri, Mhadha, Yanqul;

al-Janubiah--Dhalqut, Mirbat, Rokhyut, Sadah, Salalah, Shalim,
Taqa, Thamrait;

al-Sharqiya--al Kamil and al-Wafi, al-Mudhaiby, al-Qabil,
Bidiya, Dimaa and Tayin, Ibra, Jaalan Bani Bu Ali,
Jaalan Bani Bu Hassan, Masirah, Sur, Wadi Bani Khalid;

Musandam--Daba al-Biya, Bukha, Khasab, Madha