) and a lower chamber or Majlis
ash-Shura (82 seats; members elected by limited suffrage, however,
the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results;
body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise
has only advisory powers)
elections: last held NA October 1997 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: NA

Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent
civil court system, administered by region

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF,
ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB
chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John D. CRAIG
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
mailing address: international: P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat
Qaboos, Muscat

Flag description: three horizontal bands of white, red, and green
of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side;
the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on
two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered at the top of
the vertical band

Economy

Economy--overview: Economic performance is closely tied to the
fortunes of the oil industry. Petroleum accounts for 75% of export
earnings and government revenues and for roughly 40% of GDP. Oman
has proved oil reserves of 4 billion barrels, equivalent to about 20
years' production at the current rate of extraction. Agriculture is
carried on at a subsistence level and the general population depends
on imported food. The government is encouraging private investment,
both domestic and foreign, as a prime force for further economic
development. In 1998-99 the economy is suffering from weak world oil
prices.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$18.6 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: -8.5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$7,900 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 50%
services: 48% (1997 e