Oman - Tips
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.
***********************************************************
See http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/ for all
Background
notes
************************************************************
To
change your subscription, go to
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Oman
