Oman

 

Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs                                                
June 2007                                                                     
                                                                       
  Background Note: Oman                                                       
                                                     
  A mosque in Muscat, Oman, June 9,                                           
  2007. [© AP Images]                                                         
                                                                       
  Flag of Oman is three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal    
  width with a broad, vertical, red band on hoist side; the national emblem in
  white is centered near top of vertical band.                                
                                                                       
  PROFILE                                                                     
                                                                       
  OFFICIAL NAME:                                                              
  Sultanate of Oman                                                           
                                                                       
  Geography                                                                   
  Area: About 309,500 sq. km. (approximately the size of the State of New     
  Mexico). It is bordered on the north by the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), on
  the northwest by Saudi Arabia, and on the southwest by the Republic of Yemen.
  The Omani coastline stretches 3,165 km.                                     
  Cities: Capital--Muscat. Other cities--Salalah, Nizwa, Sohar, Sur.          
  Terrain: Mountains, plains, and arid plateau.                               
  Climate: Hot and humid along the coast; hot and dry in the interior; summer 
  monsoon in the far south.                                                   
                                                                       
  People                                                                      
  Nationality: Noun--Oman. Adjective--Omani(s).                               
  Population (2006 est.): 3.20 million (includes 577,000 non-nationals).      
  Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 3.2%.                                       
  Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, East African (Zanzabari), South Asian (Indian,
  Pakistani, Bangladeshi).                                                    
  Religions: Ibadhi; Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim, Hindu, Christian.             
  Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Swahili, Hindi and    
  Indian dialects.                                                            
  Education: Literacy--approx. 80% (total population).                        
  Health (2006 est.): Infant mortality rate--18.28 deaths/1,000 live births.  
  Life expectancy--73.62 years.                                               
  Work force: 920,000 total; Agriculture and fishing--approx. 50%.            
                                                                       
  Government                                                                  
  Type: Monarchy.                                                             
  Constitution: None. On November 6, 1996, Sultan Qaboos issued a royal decree
  promulgating the Basic Statute which clarifies the royal succession, provides
  for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies    
  doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral parliament, and 
  guarantees basic rights and responsibilities for Omani citizens.            
  Branches: Executive--Sultan. Legislative--Majlis Oman (bicameral: State     
  Council and Consultative Council). Judicial--Civil courts are divided into  
  four departments: Criminal courts handle cases under the penal code; Shari'a
  (Islamic law) courts oversee personal status and family law issues;         
  Commercial courts adjudicate business and commercial matters; Labor courts  
  oversee labor and employment cases.                                         
  Political parties: None.                                                    
  Suffrage: Universal adult.                                                  
  Administrative subdivisions: Eight administrative regions--Muscat           
  Governorate, Dhofar Governorate, Musandam Governorate, Al-Buraimi           
  Governorate, Al Batinah, Al Dhahirah, Al Dakhliya, Al Shariqiya, Al Wusta.  
  There are 61 districts (wilayats).                                          
                                                                       
  Economy                                                                     
  GDP (2006 est.): $39.50 billion.                                            
  Per capita GDP (2006 est.): $13,845.                                        
  Real GDP growth rate (2006 est.): 6.6%.                                     
  Natural resources: Oil, natural gas, copper, marble, limestone, gypsum,     
  chromium.                                                                   
  Agriculture and fisheries: (2.1% of GDP). Products--dates, bananas, mangoes,
  alfalfa, other fruits and vegetables. Fisheries--kingfish, tuna, other fish,
  shrimp, lobster, abalone.                                                   
  Industry: Types--crude petroleum (not including gas liquids) about 750,000  
  barrels per day; construction, petroleum refinery, copper mines and smelter,
  cement and various light industries.                                        
  Trade (2006 est.): Exports--$18.69 billion. Major markets--Japan (22.1%),   
  China (15.2%), Thailand (12.6%), South Korea (19.9%), U.A.E. (9.4%).        
  Imports--$8.83 billion: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured   
  goods, food, livestock, lubricants. Major suppliers--U.A.E. 27.6%, Japan    
  16.7%, U.K. 7.4%, U.S. 6.9%, Germany 5%.                                    
                                                                       
  PEOPLE                                                                      
  About 55% of the population lives in Muscat and the Batinah coastal plain   
  northwest of the capital; about 215,000 live in the Dhofar (southern) region,
  and about 30,000 live in the remote Musandam Peninsula on the Strait of     
  Hormuz. Some 660,000 expatriates live in Oman, most of whom are guest workers
  from South Asia, Egypt, Jordan, and the Philippines.                        
                                                                       
  Since 1970, the government has given high priority to education in order to 
  develop a domestic work force, which the government considers a vital factor
  in the country's economic and social progress. In 1986, Oman's first        
  university, Sultan Qaboos University, opened. It has continued to expand,   
  recently adding a law college, and remains the country's only major public  
  university. In total, there are about 20 public post-secondary education    
  institutions in Oman, including technical colleges, teacher training        
  colleges, and health institutes. More than 300 full and partial scholarships
  are awarded each year for study abroad.                                     
                                                                       
  There are three private universities and 20 private post-secondary education
  institutions in Oman, including a banking college, a fire and safety college,
  a dentistry college, and business and management colleges. Most of these    
  public and private post-secondary education institutions offer four-year    
  degrees, while the remainder provide two-year post-secondary diplomas. Since
  1999, the government has embarked on reforms in higher education designed to
  meet the needs of a growing population. Approximately 40% of Omani high     
  school graduates pursue some type of post-secondary education.              
                                                                       
  HISTORY                                                                     
  Oman adopted Islam in the seventh century A.D., during the lifetime of the  
  Prophet Muhammad. Ibadhism, a form of Islam distinct from Shiaism and the   
  "Orthodox" schools of Sunnism, became the dominant religious sect in Oman by
  the eighth century A.D. Oman is the only country in the Islamic world with a
  majority Ibadhi population. Ibadhism is known for its "moderate             
  conservatism." One distinguishing feature of Ibadhism is the choice of ruler
  by communal consensus and consent.                                          
                                                                       
  Contact with Europe was established in 1508, when the Portuguese conquered  
  parts of Oman's coastal region. Portugal's influence predominated for more  
  than a century. Fortifications built during the Portuguese occupation can   
  still be seen at Muscat.                                                    
                                                                       
  Except for a period when Persia conquered parts of Oman, Oman has been an   
  independent nation. After the Portuguese were expelled in 1650 and while    
  resisting Persian attempts to establish hegemony, the Sultan of Oman extended
  his conquests to Zanzibar, other parts of the eastern coast of Africa, and  
  portions of the southern Arabian Peninsula. During this period, political   
  leadership shifted from the Ibadhi imams, who were elected religious leaders,
  to hereditary sultans who established their capital in Muscat. The Muscat   
  rulers established trading posts on the Persian coast and also exercised a  
  measure of control over the Makran coast (now Pakistan). By the early 19th  
  century, Oman was the most powerful state in Arabia and had a major presence
  on the East African coast.                                                  
                                                                       
  Oman was the object of Franco-British rivalry throughout the 18th century.  
  During the 19th century, Oman and the United Kingdom concluded several      
  treaties of friendship and commerce. In 1908, the British entered into an   
  agreement of friendship. Their traditional association was confirmed in 1951
  through a new treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation by which the   
  United Kingdom recognized the Sultanate of Oman as a fully independent state.
                                                                       
  When Sultan Sa'id bin Sultan Al-Busaid died in 1856, his sons quarreled over
  his succession. As a result of this struggle, the Omani empire--through the 
  mediation of the British Government under the "Canning Award"--was divided in
  1861 into two separate principalities--Zanzibar, with its East African      
  dependencies, and Muscat and Oman. Zanzibar paid an annual subsidy to Muscat
  and Oman until its independence in early 1964.                              
                                                                       
  During the late 19th and early to mid-20th centuries, the sultan in Muscat  
  faced a rebellion by members of the Ibadhi sect residing in the interior of 
  Oman, centered around the town of Nizwa, who wanted to be ruled exclusively 
  by their religious leader, the Imam of Oman. This conflict was resolved     
  temporarily by the Treaty of Seeb in 1920, which granted the imam autonomous
  rule in the interior, while recognizing the sovereignty of the sultan       
  elsewhere.                                                                  
                                                                       
  Following the discovery of oil in the interior, the conflict flared up again
  in 1954, when the new imam led a sporadic 5-year rebellion against the      
  sultan's efforts to extend government control into the interior. The        
  insurgents were defeated in 1959 with British help. The sultan then         
  terminated the Treaty of Seeb and eliminated the office of the imam. In the 
  early 1960s, the imam, exiled to Saudi Arabia, obtained support from his    
  hosts and other Arab governments, but this support ended in the 1980s.      
                                                                       
  In 1964, a separatist revolt began in Dhofar Province. Aided by communist and
  leftist governments such as the former South Yemen (People's Democratic     
  Republic of Yemen), the rebels formed the Dhofar Liberation Front, which    
  later merged with the Marxist-dominated Popular Front for the Liberation of 
  Oman and the Arab Gulf (PFLOAG). The PFLOAG's declared intention was to     
  overthrow all traditional Arab Gulf regimes. In mid-1974, PFLOAG shortened  
  its name to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman (PFLO) and embarked
  on a political rather than a military approach to gain power in the other   
  Gulf states, while continuing the guerrilla war in Dhofar.                  
                                                                       
  With the help of British advisors, Sultan Qaboos bin Sa'id assumed power on 
  July 23, 1970, in a palace coup directed against his father, Sa'id bin      
  Taymur, who later died in exile in London. The new sultan was confronted with
  insurgency in a country plagued by endemic disease, illiteracy, and poverty.
  One of the new sultan's first measures was to abolish many of his father's  
  harsh restrictions, which had caused thousands of Omanis to leave the       
  country, and to offer amnesty to opponents of the previous regime, many of  
  whom returned to Oman. He also established a modern government structure and
  launched a major development program to upgrade educational and health      
  facilities, build a modern infrastructure, and develop the country's natural
  resources.                                                                  
                                                                       
  In an effort to end the Dhofar insurgency, Sultan Qaboos expanded and       
  re-equipped the armed forces and granted amnesty to all surrendered rebels  
  while vigorously prosecuting the war in Dhofar. He obtained direct military 
  support from the U.K., Iran, and Jordan. By early 1975, the guerrillas were 
  confined to a 50-square kilometer (20-sq. mi.) area near the Yemen border and
  shortly thereafter were defeated. As the war drew to a close, civil action  
  programs were given priority throughout Dhofar and helped win the allegiance
  of the people. The PFLO threat diminished further with the establishment of 
  diplomatic relations in October 1983 between South Yemen and Oman, and South
  Yemen subsequently lessened propaganda and subversive activities against    
  Oman. In late-1987, Oman opened an embassy in Aden, South Yemen, and        
  appointed its first resident ambassador to the country.                     
                                                                       
  Since his accession in 1970, Sultan Qaboos has balanced tribal, regional, and
  ethnic interests in composing the national administration. The Council of   
  Ministers, which functions as a cabinet, consists of 30 ministers (but only 
  28 ministries), all directly appointed by Qaboos. The bicameral Majlis Oman's
  mandate is to review legislation pertaining to economic development and     
  social services prior to its becoming law. The elected Majlis al-Shura      
  (Consultative Council) may request ministers to appear before it. In early  
  2003, Sultan Qaboos declared universal suffrage for the October 2003 Majlis 
  al-Shura elections. Two women were elected to sit with 81 male colleagues in
  those elections, which were observed to be free and fair. Roughly 194,000   
  Omani men and women, or 74% of registered voters, participated in the       
  elections. Since 2003, Sultan Qaboos has also expanded the Majlis al-Dawla, 
  or State Council, to 59 members from 53, including nine women. The State    
  Council acts as the upper chamber in Oman's bicameral representative body.  
                                                                       
  In November 1996, Sultan Qaboos presented his people with the "Basic Statute
  of the State," Oman's first written "constitution." It guarantees various   
  rights within the framework of Shariah and customary law. It partially      
  resuscitated long dormant conflict-of-interest measures by banning cabinet  
  ministers from being officers of public shareholding firms. Perhaps most    
  importantly, the Basic Statute provides rules for the royal succession.     
                                                                       
  The northern tip of Oman, called the Musandam Peninsula, is strategically   
  located on the Strait of Hormuz, the entrance to the Gulf, 35 miles directly
  opposite Iran. Oman is concerned with regional stability and security, given
  tensions in the region, the proximity of Iran and Iraq, and the potential   
  threat of political Islam. Oman maintained its diplomatic relations with Iraq
  throughout the Gulf War while supporting the UN allies by sending a         
  contingent of troops to join coalition forces and by opening up to          
  prepositioning of weapons and supplies. In addition, since 1980 Oman and the
  U.S. have been parties to a military cooperation agreement, which was revised
  and renewed in 2000. Oman also has long been an active participant in efforts
  to achieve Middle East peace.                                               
                                                                       
  Following the terrorist attacks on the United States in September 2001, the 
  Omani Government at all levels pledged and provided impressive support to the
  U.S.-led coalition against terrorism. Oman is a signatory of most           
  UN-sponsored anti-terrorism treaties.                                       
                                                                       
  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS                                         
  Sultan Qaboos bin Sa'id rules with the aid of his ministers. His dynasty, the
  Al Sa'id, was founded about 250 years ago by Imam Ahmed bin Sa'id Al Bu Said.
  Sultan Qaboos is a direct descendant of the 19th century ruler, Sa'id bin   
  Sultan, who first opened relations with the United States in 1833. The      
  Sultanate has neither political parties nor legislature, although the       
  bicameral representative bodies provide the government with advice.         
                                                                       
  Oman's judicial system traditionally has been based on the Shari'a--the     
  Quranic laws and the oral teachings of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.        
  Traditionally, Shari'a courts fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of
  Justice, Awqaf, and Islamic Affairs (since divided into the Ministry of     
  Justice and the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs). Oman's first 
  criminal code was not enacted until 1974.                                   
                                                                       
  In 1999, royal decrees placed the entire court system under the financial   
  supervision of the Ministry of Justice, though the 1996 Basic Law ensures the
  independence of the judiciary. An independent Office of the Public Prosecutor
  also has been created (formerly a part of the Royal Oman Police), as has a  
  supreme court. Regional court complexes are envisioned to house the various 
  courts, including the courts of first instance for criminal cases and Shariah
  cases (family law and inheritance).                                         
                                                                       
  The country is divided into 61 administrative districts (wilayats), presided
  over by appointed executives (walis) responsible for settling local disputes,
  collecting taxes, and maintaining peace. Most wilayats are small in area, but
  can vary considerably in population. The 61 wilayats are divided into eight 
  regions. Four of those regions (Muscat, Dhofar, Musandam, and Buraimi) have 
  been accorded a special status as governorates. The governors of those four 
  regions are appointed directly by the Sultan and hold Minister of State or  
  Under Secretary rank. Walis, however, are appointed by the Minister of      
  Interior.                                                                   
                                                                       
  In November 1991, Sultan Qaboos established the Majlis al-Shura (Consultative
  Council), which replaced the 10-year-old State Consultative Council, in an  
  effort to systematize and broaden public participation in government.       
  Representatives were chosen in the following manner: Local caucuses in each 
  of the 59 districts sent forward the names of three nominees, whose         
  credentials were reviewed by a cabinet committee. These names were then     
  forwarded to the Sultan, who made the final selection. Since then, reforms  
  have permitted Omanis to freely run for office in contested elections       
  featuring universal adult suffrage. The Consultative Council serves as a    
  conduit of information between the people and the government ministries. It 
  is empowered to review drafts of and provide recommendations on economic and
  social legislation prepared by service ministries, such as communications and
  housing, and to approve state financial plans. Service ministers also may be
  summoned before the Majlis to respond to representatives' questions. It has 
  no authority in the areas of foreign affairs, defense, security, and finance.
                                                                       
  Although Oman enjoys a high degree of internal stability, regional tensions 
  in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf war, the Iran-Iraq war, and Operations 
  Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom continue to necessitate large defense    
  expenditures. In 2006, Oman spent roughly $3.84 billion for defense and     
  national security--over 33% of its public expenditures. Oman maintains a    
  small but professional and effective military, supplied mainly with British 
  equipment in addition to items from the United States, France, and other    
  countries. British officers, on loan or on contract to the Sultanate, help  
  staff the armed forces, although a program of "Omanization" has steadily    
  increased the proportion of Omani officers over the past several years.     
                                                                       
  After North and South Yemen merged in May 1990, Oman settled its border     
  disputes with the new Republic of Yemen on October 1, 1992. The two neighbors
  have cooperative bilateral relations. Oman's borders with all neighbors are 
  demarcated, including a 2002 demarcation of the Oman-U.A.E. border that was 
  ratified in 2003.                                                           
                                                                       
  Principal Government Officials                                              
  Sultan, Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense, Foreign Affairs, and       
  Finance--Qaboos bin Sa'id Al Said                                           
  Minister of Royal Office Affairs--Ali bin Majid al-Ma'amari                 
  Deputy Prime Minister for Cabinet Affairs--Sayyid Fahad bin Mahmud al-Said  
  Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs--Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah      
  Minister of National Economy--Ahmad bin Abd al-Nabi Makki                   
  Minister Responsible for Defense Affairs--Badr bin Saud bin Harib al-Busaidi
  Inspector General of Police and Customs--Major General Malik bin Sulaiman   
  al-Ma'mari                                                                  
                                                                       
  Ambassador to the United States--Hunaina Sultan al-Mughairy                 
  Permanent Representative to the UN--Fuad bin Mubarak al-Hinai               
                                                                       
  Oman maintains an embassy in the United States at 2535 Belmont Rd. NW,      
  Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/387-1980)                                    
                                                                       
  ECONOMY                                                                     
  When Oman declined as an entrepot for arms and slaves in the mid-19th       
  century, much of its former prosperity was lost, and the economy turned     
  almost exclusively to agriculture, camel and goat herding, fishing, and     
  traditional handicrafts. Today, oil and gas fuel the economy, and revenues  
  from petroleum products have enabled Oman's dramatic development over the   
  past 36 years.                                                              
                                                                       
  Oil was first discovered in the interior near Fahud in the western desert in
  1964. Petroleum Development (Oman) Ltd. (PDO) began production in August    
  1967. The Omani Government owns 60% of PDO, and foreign interests own 40%   
  (Royal Dutch Shell owns 34%; the remaining 6% is owned by Compagnie Francaise
  des Petroles [Total] and Partex). In 1976, Oman's oil production rose to    
  366,000 barrels per day (b/d) but declined gradually to about 285,000 b/d in
  late 1980 due to the depletion of recoverable reserves. From 1981 to 1986,  
  Oman compensated for declining oil prices by increasing production levels to
  600,000 b/d. With the collapse of oil prices in 1986, however, revenues     
  dropped dramatically. Production was cut back temporarily in coordination   
  with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)--of which Oman
  is not a member--and production levels again reached 600,000 b/d by mid-1987,
  which helped increase revenues. By 2000, production had climbed to more than
  900,000 b/d; however, it declined to roughly 750,000 b/d for 2006.          
                                                                       
  Natural gas reserves, which will increasingly provide the fuel for industrial
  projects in Sohar and power generation and desalination plants throughout the
  Sultanate, stand at 24 trillion cubic feet. A liquefied natural gas (LNG)   
  processing plant located in Sur was opened in 2000, with production capacity
  of 6.6 million tons per year (tons/yr), as well as unsubstantial gas liquids,
  including condensates. The completion of the plant's expansion in December  
  2005 has increased capacity to 10.3 million tons/yr.                        
                                                                       
  Oman does not have the immense oil resources of some of its neighbors. Total
  proven reserves are about 4.8 billion barrels. Oman's complex geology makes 
  exploration and production an expensive challenge. Recent improvements in   
  technology, however, have enhanced recovery.                                
                                                                       
  Agriculture and fishing are the traditional way of life in Oman. Dates, grown
  extensively in the Batinah coastal plain and the highlands, make up most of 
  the country's agricultural exports. Coconut palms, wheat, and bananas also  
  are grown, and cattle are raised in Dhofar. Other areas grow cereals and    
  forage crops. Poultry production is steadily rising. Fish and shellfish     
  exports totaled $104.7 million in 2006.                                     
                                                                       
  The government is undertaking many development projects to modernize the    
  economy, improve the standard of living, and become a more active player in 
  the global marketplace. Oman became a member of the World Trade Organization
  in October 2000, and continues to amend its financial and commercial        
  practices to conform to international standards. Oman signed a Free Trade   
  Agreement with the United States in January 2006, and continues to pursue,  
  through the Gulf Cooperation Council, free trade agreements with a number of
  other key trading partners, including the EU and India.                     
                                                                       
  Increases in agriculture and especially fish production are believed possible
  with the application of modern technology. The Muscat capital area has both 
  an international airport at Seeb and a deepwater port at Mina Qaboos. The   
  large-scale modern container port at Salalah, capital of the Dhofar         
  Governorate, continues to operate at near-capacity levels. The government in
  early 2004 approved a project worth over $250 million to add two berths and 
  extend the breakwater at the port. Port expansion is underway at Mina Qaboos,
  and a large industrial and container port is under construction in Sohar. A 
  national road network includes a $400 million highway linking the northern  
  and southern regions. The government will also expand passenger and cargo   
  capacity at its main international airports at Seeb (Muscat) and Salalah, and
  will construct new airports at Sohar, Ras al-Hadd, and Duqm. In an effort to
  diversify the economy, in the early 1980s, the government built a           
  $200-million copper mining and refining plant at Sohar. Other large         
  industrial projects underway or being considered include an 80,000 b/d oil  
  refinery, a large petrochemical complex, fertilizer and methanol plants, an 
  aluminum smelter, and two cement factories. Industrial zones at Rusayl,     
  Sohar, and several other locations showcase the country's modest light      
  industries. Marble, limestone, and gypsum may prove commercially viable in  
  the future.                                                                 
                                                                       
  The Omani Government embarked on its seventh 5-year plan in 2006. In its    
  efforts to reduce its dependence on oil and expatriate labor, the government
  projects significant increases in spending on industrial and tourism-related
  projects to foster income diversification, job creation for Omanis in the   
  private sector, and development of Oman's interior. Government programs offer
  soft loans and propose the building of new industrial estates in population 
  centers outside the capital area. The government is giving greater emphasis 
  to "Omanization" of the labor force, particularly in banking, hotels, and   
  municipally sponsored shops benefiting from government subsidies. Currently,
  efforts are underway to liberalize investment opportunities in order to     
  attract foreign capital.                                                    
                                                                       
  Some of the largest budgetary outlays are in the areas of health services and
  basic education. The number of schools, hospitals, and clinics has risen    
  exponentially since the accession of Sultan Qaboos in 1970.                 
                                                                       
  U.S. firms face a small and highly competitive market dominated by trade with
  Japan and Britain and re-exports from the United Arab Emirates. The sale of 
  U.S. products also is hampered by higher transportation costs and the lack of
  familiarity with Oman on the part of U.S. exporters. However, the traditional
  U.S. market in Oman, oil field supplies and services, should grow as the    
  country's major oil producer continues a major expansion of fields and wells.
  Major new U.S. investments in oil production, industry, and tourism projects
  in 2005 totaled several billion dollars. Moreover, negotiations on the      
  U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA) were successfully concluded in October 
  2005; the FTA was ratified by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Bush
  in 2006 and is currently awaiting implementation. Once implemented, the FTA 
  should provide further impetus to bilateral trade and investment.           
                                                                       
  FOREIGN RELATIONS                                                           
  When Sultan Qaboos assumed power in 1970, Oman had limited contacts with the
  outside world, including neighboring Arab states. Only two countries, the   
  United Kingdom and India, maintained a diplomatic presence in the country. A
  special treaty relationship permitted the United Kingdom close involvement in
  Oman's civil and military affairs. Ties with the United Kingdom have remained
  very close under Sultan Qaboos.                                             
                                                                       
  Since 1970, Oman has pursued a moderate foreign policy and expanded its     
  diplomatic relations dramatically. It supported the 1979 Camp David accords 
  and was one of three Arab League states, along with Somalia and Sudan, which
  did not break relations with Egypt after the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli
  Peace Treaty in 1979. During the Iran-Iraq war, Oman maintained diplomatic  
  relations with both sides while strongly backing UN Security Council        
  resolutions calling for an end to the war. Oman has developed close ties to 
  its neighbors; it joined the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council when it was
  established in 1981.                                                        
                                                                       
  Oman has traditionally supported Middle East peace initiatives, as it did   
  those in 1983. In April 1994, Oman hosted the plenary meeting of the Water  
  Working Group of the peace process, the first Gulf state to do so. From     
  1996-2000, Oman and Israel exchanged trade offices. Oman closed the Israeli 
  Trade Office in October 2000 in the wake of public demonstrations against   
  Israel at the start of the second intifada.                                 
                                                                       
  During the Cold War period, Oman avoided relations with communist countries 
  because of the communist support for the insurgency in Dhofar. In recent    
  years, Oman has undertaken diplomatic initiatives in the Central Asian      
  republics, particularly in Kazakhstan, where it is involved in a joint oil  
  pipeline project. In addition, Oman maintains good relations with Iran, and 
  the two countries regularly exchange delegations. Oman is an active member in
  international and regional organizations, notably the Arab League and the   
  GCC.                                                                        
                                                                       
  U.S.-OMANI RELATIONS                                                        
  The United States has maintained relations with the Sultanate since the early
  years of American independence. A treaty of friendship and navigation, one of
  the first agreements of its kind with an Arab state, was concluded between  
  the United States and Muscat in 1833. This treaty was replaced by the Treaty
  of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights signed at Salalah on      
  December 20, 1958.                                                          
                                                                       
  A U.S. consulate was maintained in Muscat from 1880 until 1915. Thereafter, 
  U.S. interests in Oman were handled by U.S. diplomats resident in other     
  countries. In 1972, the U.S. ambassador in Kuwait was accredited also as the
  first U.S. ambassador to Oman, and the U.S. embassy, headed by a resident   
  charge d'affaires, was opened. The first resident U.S. ambassador took up his
  post in July 1974. The Oman embassy was opened in Washington, DC, in 1973.  
                                                                       
  U.S.-Omani relations were deepened in 1980 by the conclusion of two important
  agreements. One provided access to Omani military facilities by U.S. forces 
  under agreed-upon conditions. The other agreement established a Joint       
  Commission for Economic and Technical Cooperation, located in Muscat, to    
  provide U.S. economic assistance to Oman. The Joint Commission continued in 
  existence until the mid-1990s. A Peace Corps program, which assisted Oman   
  mainly in the fields of health and education, was initiated in 1973 and     
  phased out in 1983. A team from the Federal Aviation Administration worked  
  with Oman's Civil Aviation Department on a reimbursable basis but was phased
  out in 1992.                                                                
                                                                       
  In March 2005, the U.S. and Oman launched negotiations on a Free Trade      
  Agreement that were successfully concluded in October 2005. The FTA was     
  signed on January 19, 2006, and is pending implementation.                  
                                                                       
  In 1974 and April 1983, Sultan Qaboos made state visits to the United States.
  Vice President George H. Bush visited Oman in 1984 and 1986, and President  
  Clinton visited briefly in March 2000. Vice President Cheney visited Oman in
  2002, 2005, and 2006.                                                       
                                                                       
  Principal U.S. Officials                                                    
  Ambassador--Gary A. Grappo                                                  
  Deputy Chief of Mission--Alfred F. Fonteneau                                
  Chief, Political/Economic Section--Eric Carlson                             
  Economic/Commercial Officer--Brian Grimm                                    
  Public Affairs Officer--Robert Arbuckle                                     
  Consular Chief--Bryce Isham                                                 
                                                                       
  Please visit the Embassy's Internet website at http://oman.usembassy.gov for
  more information.                                                           
                                                                       
  The international mailing address of the U.S. Embassy in Oman is:           
  P.O. Box 202, Postal Code No. 115, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.               
                                                                       
  The APO address is:                                                         
  American Embassy, Muscat                                                    
  Unit 73000, (General)                                                       
  APO AE 09890                                                                
  Tel: (011) (968) 24-698-989, 24-699-094. FAX: (011) (968) 24-696-928.       
                                                                       
  TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION                                             
  The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises Americans
  traveling and residing abroad through Consular Information Sheets, Public   
  Announcements, and Travel Warnings. Consular Information Sheets exist for all
  countries and include information on entry and exit requirements, currency  
  regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political       
  disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
  Public Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly about    
  terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas that  
  pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings
  are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel 
  to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or unstable.        
                                                                       
  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad  
  should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet
  web site at http://www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution,
  Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found. Consular Affairs    
  Publications, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a
  safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov. For    
  additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/     
  Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.                                  
                                                                       
  The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens who traveling or residing
  abroad to register via the State Department's travel registration website or
  at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your
  presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an 
  emergency and will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security 
  conditions.                                                                 
                                                                       
  Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained 
  by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular   
  toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.           
                                                                       
  The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of   
  State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport         
  information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer service   
  representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7:00 
  a.m. to 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.           
                                                                       
  Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for 
  Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP
  (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the
  most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements,
  and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A   
  booklet entitled "Health Information for International Travel" (HHS         
  publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government       
  Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.                 
                                                                       
  Further Electronic Information                                              
  Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://          
  www.state.gov, the Department of State web site provides timely, global     
  access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background    
  Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers of 
  Foreign Service posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
  provides security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies  
  working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov                      
                                                                       
  Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market    
  information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free
  export counseling, help with the export process, and more.                  
  STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides   
  authoritative economic, business, and international trade information from  
  the Federal government. The site includes current and historical            
  trade-related releases, international market research, trade opportunities, 
  and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data Bank.   

 

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