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General
Information
Oman is a
chameleon of a country: whatever you want it to be, it will
become. If you are seeking a modern country, you will spot its
cosmopolitan shopping malls and well-equipped water sports
facilities. If you are seeking antiquity and tradition, you will
observe ancient trading towns and smell the aroma of
frankincense. Very much still an Islamic country, resplendent
mosques jostle alongside large hotel complexes. Oman is a
beautiful country, and, moreover, very unspoiled – whatever you
are looking for, you are sure to find it here.
Area
309,500 sq km
(119,500 sq miles).
Population
Oman's population of
between 1.5 million and 2 million is an Arab one. Because of the
country's history, however, there has been a great deal of
intermingling between Omanis and other groups
For over
200 years, there has been an Indian merchant community in Muscat
and in the north it is usual to find people who are at least
partly of Persian or Baluchi ancestry.
Capital
Muscat
Geography
The Sultanate
of Oman occupies the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula
with almost 1700km (1062 miles) of coastline stretching along
the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf. It is bordered by the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west and the Republic of Yemen to
the south. The United Arab Emirates lies to the northwest of
Oman and to the east lies the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
Top
Administrative Regions
The Sultanate
is divided into eight administrative regions
3 Governorates:
and
5
Regions:
Muscat Al-Batinah
Dhofar
Al-Dhahirah
Musandam Al-Dakhliyah
Al-Sharqiyah
Al-Wusta
Each of these
is subdivided into smaller districts called
Wilayats,
which are governed by the
Wali,
the person responsible for administrating the area and reports
to the Minister of the Interior.
Muscat is the capital of Oman; a
cosmopolitan, but relaxed city, free from the hustle and bustle
found in many of Arabia's other capital cities. In the south of
the Sultanate, is
Salalah; the administrative capital of
the Dhofar region.
Language
Arabic is the
official language. English is widely spoken. Swahili is also
spoken by the population from East Africa. German and French are
spoken by some hotel staff.
Social
Conventions
Shaking hands
is the usual form of greeting. A small gift, either promoting
your company or country, is well received. As far as dress code
is concerned, it is preferable that women dress modestly and
that men should wear trousers. Shorts should not be worn in
public and beachwear is prohibited anywhere except the beach.
Collecting sea shells, abalone, corals, crayfish and turtle eggs
is prohibited by law. Dumping litter is forbidden. It is polite
not to smoke in public, but generally no-smoking signs are
posted where appropriate.
Photography
Visitors should ask permission before attempting to photograph people or
their property. ‘No Photography’ signs exist in certain places
and must be observed.
Climate
The months
between May and August are particularly hot. The climate is best
from September through to April. Rainfall varies according to
the region. During the period June to September there is a light
monsoon rain in Salalah.
Required
Clothing
Lightweights
are worn throughout the year, with a warm wrap for cooler winter
evenings. Light rainwear is advisable.
Time
GMT + 4.
Electricity
220/240
volts AC, 50Hz.
Head
of State
Sultan
Qaboos bin Sa’id since 1970.
Economy
Prior to
the discovery and exploitation of oil and natural gas in the
Sultanate of Oman in the mid-1960’s, its economy used to consist
mostly of fishing, agriculture and traditional crafts such as
boat-making. However, Oman's economy today maintains a largely
traditional sector based on agriculture and the country had also
managed to develop a modern economic sector based on oil.
In the
mid-1990s, oil production accounted for almost half the
country's gross domestic product (GDP) [the total value of goods
and services produced]. In 1998, however, the GDP was $15
billion. The government controls the oil and gas sector and
therefore dominates the economy. The government has encouraged
job growth in the private sector to reduce unemployment .
Despite the large contribution of the oil and gas sector to the
economy, it employs only about 2% of the workforce.
Agriculture, by contrast, makes up 40% of the workforce.
Government services employ 24%, social and personal services
18%, manufacturing, construction as well as other jobs 16%.
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Education
Since the
time of the accession of Sultan Qaboos in July 1970, providing
education to both young people and adults has been given a top
priority in the development of the Sultanate of Oman. The task
of establishing an education system in those days was indeed
enormous. There were only three boys’ schools in the whole
Sultanate, in Muscat,
Muttrah and Salalah,
with 909 pupils and 909. According to recent statistics, there
are now 947 schools for both boys and girls, with 247,006 male
and 227,282 female students as well as more than 20000 teachers.
In the
early stages of process of developing the Sultanate’s
educational systems, the number of Omani teachers was much less
than expatriate Arab teachers, most of whom are Egyptians. The
last quarter of a century saw a significant development and
achievement in the field of education; as a result young Omani
have all been offered education from the elementary school
through to University within the country.
Adult education had also been paid special attention during the
same period. The government established than 245 literacy
centres with over 8,500 adult students, as well as 176 adult
centres with about 10000 students; moreover, there are over
9,000 individuals who are learning from home.
In addition to the state schools, there is a number of private
schools in the country and the private sector is actively
participating in the country’s educational development.
Flora & fauna
Despite its arid nature, Oman
is home to various types of plants and of plants and animals.
Shrubs, grasses, hardy trees like the acacia grow naturally.
Grapes and apricots are grown on the slopes of Al Jabal al
Akhdar; coconut palms are also grown on the south side of the
mountains in the Dhofar
area as well as frankincense trees in the north. The Sultanate
of Oman lacks truly fertile agricultural soils. However, the
best soils available are the alluvial soils washed down from the
mountains in the interior and along the coast alike.
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Working hours
Government hours
7:30/8:00am-2:00pm
Saturday through Wednesday.
Thursday:
7:30/8:00am-1:00pm.
Business hours
8:00am-1:00pm and
4:00pm-7:00/7:30pm, except Friday evening.
Most businesses are
closed on Thursday afternoon.
Some shops in Muscat
open in the evening on Friday.
Bank opening hours
8:00am-noon Saturday
to Wednesday.
8:00am-11:00am
Thursday.
Moneychangers keep
roughly the same hours and in addition, are usually open from
around 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Some moneychangers may also be open on
Friday afternoon from 4:30 or 5:00 for an hour or two
Infrastructure
When the
Sultan took power in 1970, his country was less developed than
others in the Gulf. At that time there were only 5km of surfaced
road in the entire country. There were only three primary
schools and no secondary schools. One hospital was run by
American missionaries.
Today
however, Oman has a system of roads, housing, health care and
schools to equal that of any other Gulf state.
When
to visit
Oman is a
country with dramatic mountain scenery and long pristine
beaches, and it is well worth a visit.
The best
time to visit Oman is between mid-October and mid-March. In the
south the monsoon is from June to September, and so a visit in
October when everything is lush and green will show the country
at its very best
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