_#_Disputes: Administrative Line with Yemen; no defined boundary with
most of UAE, Administrative Line in far north
_#_Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior;
strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
_#_Terrain: vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and
south
_#_Natural resources: crude oil, copper, 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;