OMAN

MIGRATION

There is frequent movement of workers between Oman and neighboring states. In 2000 there were 682,000 migrants living in Oman, primarily foreign laborers. The net migration rate was 1.7 migrants per 1,000 population. The government views the immigration level as too high, but the emigration level as satisfactory.

ETHNIC GROUPS

The indigenous population is predominantly Arab except on the Batinah coast, where there is significant Baluchi, Iranian, and African representation, and in Muscat and Matrah, where there are Khojas and other Indians, Baluchis, and Pakistanis. Tribal groups are estimated to number over 200.

LANGUAGES

The official language is Arabic. Urdu, Baluchi, and several Indian dialects are also spoken, especially in the cities of Muscat and Matrah. English is taught as a second language.

POLITICAL PARTIES

There are no legal political parties nor, at present, any active opposition movement. As more and more young Omanis return from education abroad, it seems likely that the traditional, tribal-based political system will have to be adjusted.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The nation is divided into six regions, two governates (Musandam, Dhofar) and 59 wilayats (districts), governed by walis, who are responsible to the Ministry of the Interior. The Governate of the Capital is responsible for the administration of Muscat.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

On 7 October 1971, Oman gained membership in the UN; the nation belongs to ESCWA and all the nonregional specialized agencies except IAEA. Oman also participates in G-77, GCC, and the Arab League, as well as the Islamic Conference. Oman is a member of the WTO.

FORESTRY

Forest coverage is less than 1%. The use of wood as the sole fuel and overgrazing by goats have depleted the forests of Oman, but the interior of the country is fairly well wooded. Oman imported $17.1 million in forest products during 2000.

INSURANCE

By 1997, one national insurance firm, the Oman National Insurance Co. (SAOG), and around 17 foreign-owned firms were operating in Oman. Gross premiums for the Oman National Insurance Co. in 1995 were RO5.75 million. In 2001, $35 million in life insurance alone was written in Oman.

CUSTOMS AND DUTIES

General import duties are 5% ad valorem on the CIF (cost, insurance, and freight) value of the good. There are a number of exempt goods, including many imports from GCC member states. Protective tariffs are levied seasonably on a number of fruits and vegetables.

HOUSING

In May 1973, Sultan Qabus approved the Law of People's Housing to make housing loans to needy Omanis. By 1985, 5,300 low-income units had been built. In 1989, 34% of all housing units were traditional Arabic houses, 30% were flats, and 27% were villas. Owners occupied 70% of all dwellings, 20% were rented, and 9% were provided by employers. In 2002, the government dsitributed 210,329 plots of land for residential development.

ORGANIZATIONS

There is a Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Muscat. Among the social and cultural organizations are the Oman Women's Association, the Oman Cultural Club (for university graduates), the Omani National Organization for Scouts and Guides, the National Union of Oman Students, and the Omani Historical Association (open to non-Omanis).

FAMOUS OMANIS

Oman's great Islamic religious leader, whose followers are called Ibadhis, was 'Abdallah bin Ibad (fl.8th century); many of his teachings are still followed in Oman. Ahmad ibn Sa'id (r.1741–83), founder of the present dynasty, freed Muscat from Persian rule. Sultan Qabus bin Sa'id (b.1940) has ruled Oman since his removal of Sa'id bin Taymur (1910–72), his father, in 1970.

DEPENDENCIES

Oman has no territories or colonies.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Allen, Calvin H. Oman: the Modernization of the Sultanate. Boulder, Colo.: Westview; London: Croom Helm, 1987.

American University. Persian Gulf States: Country Studies. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1984.

Casey-Vine, Paula. (ed.) Oman in History. London: Immel Publishers, 1995.

Chatty, Dawn. Mobile Pastoralists: Development Planning and Social Change in Oman. New York: Columbia University Press, 1996.

Clements, Frank. Oman. (rev. ed.) Santa Barbara, Calif.: Clio, 1994.

——. Oman: The Reborn Land. New York: Longman, 1980.

Oman and the United Arab Emirates. London: Lonely Planet, 2000.

Pridham, B.R. (ed.). Oman: Economic, Social, and Strategic Developments. Wolfeboro, N.H.: Croom Helm, 1987.

Skeet, Ian. Oman: Politics and Development. New York: St. Martin's, 1992.

Stannard, Dorothy. (ed.) Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Singapore: APA Publications, 1998.

Townsend, John. Oman: The Making of the Modern State . London: Croom Helm, 1977.

Wilkinson, John Craven. The Imamate Tradition of Oman. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1987.