and cultivated; largely subsistence farming (dates, limes,
bananas, alfalfa, vegetables, camels, cattle); not self-sufficient in food;
annual fish catch averages 100,000 metric tons
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $137 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $148 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $797 million
Currency:
1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza
Exchange rates:
Omani rials (RO) per US$1 - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

*Oman, Communications

Highways:
26,000 km total; 6,000 km paved, 20,000 km motorable track
Pipelines:
crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km
Ports:
Mina' Qabus, Mina' Raysut, Mina' al Fahl
Merchant marine:
1 passenger ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,442 GRT/1,320 DWT
Airports:
total:
138
usable:
130
with permanent-surface runways:
6
with runways over 3,659 m:
1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
9
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
74
Telecommunications:
modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radio communications
stations; limited coaxial cable; 50,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2
AM, 3 FM, 7 TV; satellite earth stations - 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1
ARABSAT, and 8 domestic

*Oman, Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Royal Oman Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 370,548; fit for military service 210,544; reach military
age (14) annually 20,810 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $1.6 billion, 16% of GDP (1993 est.)

*Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau), Header

Affiliation:
(UN trusteeship administered by the US)

*Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau), Geography

Location:
in the North Pacific Ocean, 850 km southeast of the Philippines
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total area:
458 km2
land area:
458 km2
comparative area:
slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,519 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 m or depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
wet season May to November; hot and humid
Terrain:
about 200 islands varying geologically from the high, mountainous main
island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringe