Economy - overview:
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 liberalize its markets and
joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000. GDP
growth improved in 2001 despite the global slowdown and then fell
back to 2.2% in 2002. In order to reduce unemployment, the
government is trying to replace expatriate workers with local
workers. Another government objective is the development of the
nation's gas resources.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $22.4 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 55%
services: 42% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.5% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
920,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues: $9.2 billion
expenditures: $6.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)
Industries:
crude oil production and refining, natural gas production,
construction, cement, copper
Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:
9.274 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
8.625 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
963,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
53,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
5.703 billion bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:
13.77 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
6.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
7.43 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
846.4 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:
dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
Exports:
$10.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
Exports - partners:
Japan 20.5%, South Korea 18.5%, China 14.1%, Thailand 11.7%, UAE
9.2%, Singapore 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)
Imports:
$5.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
livestock, lubricants
Imports - partners:
UAE 27.5%, Japan 16.7%, UK 7.4%, US 6.9%, Germany 5% (2002)
Debt - external:
$5.7 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$76.4 million (1995)
Currency:
Omani rial (OMR)
Currency code:
OMR
Exchange rates:
Omani rials per US dollar - 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001), 0.38 (2000),
0.38 (1999), 0.38 (1998)
Fiscal year:
calendar year