Compare Argentina (2006) - Oman (2005)

Compare Argentina (2006) z Oman (2005)

	Argentina (2006)	Oman (2005)

Administrative divisions	23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur, Tucuman note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica	5 regions (manaatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 3 governorates* (muhaafazaat, singular - muhaafaza) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam, Zufar*
Age structure	0-14 years: 25.2% (male 5,153,164/female 4,921,625) 15-64 years: 64.1% (male 12,804,376/female 12,798,731) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 1,740,118/female 2,503,819) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 42.6% (male 652,028/female 626,698) 15-64 years: 54.9% (male 978,183/female 668,814) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 41,366/female 34,494) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock	dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
Airports	1,381 (2006)	136 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 154 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 65 914 to 1,523 m: 50 under 914 m: 9 (2006)	total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 1,227 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 49 914 to 1,523 m: 587 under 914 m: 587 (2006)	total: 130 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 52 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 2,766,890 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water: 30,200 sq km	total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US	slightly smaller than Kansas
Background	In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. Eventually, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their own way, but the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were subsequently heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and Spain, which provided the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict between conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era of Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the resignation of several interim presidents. Successful negotiations with the IMF allowed Argentina to sidestep some fiscal discipline measures normally imposed in such circumstances. Since 2003, the government's efforts to stem the crisis have led to rapid economic recovery.	In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.
Birth rate	16.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	36.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $42.63 billion expenditures: $39.98 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)	revenues: $9.291 billion expenditures: $8.747 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital	name: Buenos Aires geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 27 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Muscat
Climate	mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest	dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Coastline	4,989 km	2,092 km
Constitution	1 May 1853; revised August 1994	none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens
Country name	conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina	conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman
Death rate	7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	3.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$118.2 billion (2005 est.)	$4.814 billion (2004 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNE embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires mailing address: international mail: use street address; APO address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533 FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240	chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 24-698989 FAX: [968] 24-699771
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio BORDON chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York	chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani al-KHUSSAIBY chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933
Disputes - international	Argentina continues to assert its claims to the UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in its constitution, forcibly occupying the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no longer to seek settlement by force; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims (see Antarctic disputes); unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; action by the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001, for mapping and demarcating the disputed boundary in the Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur) remains pending	boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details have not been made public
Economic aid - recipient	$10 billion (2001 est.)	$76.4 million (1995)
Economy - overview	Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Over the past decade, however, the country has suffered problems of inflation, external debt, capital flight, and budget deficits. Growth in 2000 was a negative 0.8%, as both domestic and foreign investors remained skeptical of the government's ability to pay debts and maintain the peso's fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic situation worsened in 2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine bonds, massive withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in consumer and investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a "zero deficit," to stabilize the banking system, and to restore economic growth proved inadequate in the face of the mounting economic problems. The peso's peg to the dollar was abandoned in January 2002, and the peso was floated in February. The exchange rate plunged and real GDP fell by 10.9% in 2002, but by mid-year the economy had stabilized, albeit at a lower level. GDP expanded by about 9% per year from 2003 to 2005. Growth is being led by a revival in domestic demand, solid exports, and favorable external conditions. The government boosted spending ahead of the October 2005 midterm congressional elections, but strong revenue performance allowed Argentina to maintain a budget surplus. Inflation has been rising steadily and reached 12.3 percent in 2005.	Oman is a middle-income economy in the Middle East with notable oil and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation. The government is privatizing its utilities and diversifying its economy to attract foreign investment. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in November 2000. To reduce unemployment and limit dependence on foreign countries, the government is encouraging the replacement of expatriate workers with local people, i.e., Omanization. Training in information technology, business management, and English support this objective. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports.
Electricity - consumption	82.97 billion kWh (2004)	9.792 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports	2.07 billion kWh (2004)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	1.561 billion kWh (2004)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	87.16 billion kWh (2004)	9.896 billion kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz) highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza)	lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m
Environment - current issues	environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, air pollution, and water pollution note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas targets	rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements	party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%	Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
Exchange rates	Argentine pesos per US dollar - 2.9037 (2005), 2.9233 (2004), 2.9006 (2003), 3.0633 (2002), 0.9995 (2001)	Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002), 0.3845 (2001), 0.3845 (2000)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 27 April 2003 (next election to be held in 2007) election results: results of the presidential election of 27 April 2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other 8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on the eve of the election	chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Exports	NA bbl/day	721,000 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor vehicles	petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
Exports - partners	Brazil 15.3%, US 10.8%, Chile 10.5%, China 8.3% (2005)	China 29.5%, South Korea 17.5%, Japan 11.5%, Thailand 10.6%, UAE 7.2% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May	three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 9.5% industry: 35.8% services: 54.7% (2004 est.)	agriculture: 3.1% industry: 41.1% services: 55.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $13,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	9.2% (2005 est.)	1.2% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	34 00 S, 64 00 W	21 00 N, 57 00 E
Geography - note	second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere	strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Heliports	-	1 (2004 est.)
Highways	-	total: 34,965 km paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs	used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is increasing	-
Imports	NA bbl/day	NA
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal manufactures, plastics	machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Imports - partners	Brazil 34.6%, US 16.8%, China 5.4%, Germany 5.3% (2005)	UAE 21.2%, Japan 16.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 6%, Germany 5.1%, US 4.7% (2004)
Independence	9 July 1816 (from Spain)	1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Industrial production growth rate	7.7% (2005 est.)	-1.2% (2004 est.)
Industries	food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel	crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber
Infant mortality rate	total: 14.73 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	total: 19.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	9.6% (2005 est.)	0.2% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC	ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO
Irrigated land	15,500 sq km (2003)	620 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval by the Senate)	Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Sharia (Islamic) law
Labor force	15.34 million (2005 est.)	920,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Land boundaries	total: 9,665 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km	total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Land use	arable land: 10.03% permanent crops: 0.36% other: 89.61% (2005)	arable land: 0.12% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 99.74% (2001)
Languages	Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French	Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Legal system	mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently one-third of the members elected every two years to a six-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to a four-year term) elections: Senate - last held 23 October 2005 (next to be held in 2007); Chamber of Deputies - last held last held 23 October 2005 (next to be held in 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - FV 45.1%, FJ 17.2%, UCR 7.5%, other 30.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV 14, FJ 3, UCR 2, other 5; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - FV 29.9%, UCR 8.9%, ARI 7.2%, PJ 6.7%, PRO 6.2%, FJ 3.9%, other 37.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV 50, UCR 10, ARI 8, PJ 9, PRO 9, FJ 7, other 34	bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats; members elected by universal suffrage for four-year term; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: NA
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 76.12 years male: 72.38 years female: 80.05 years (2006 est.)	total population: 73.13 years male: 70.92 years female: 75.46 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.1% male: 97.1% female: 97.1% (2003 est.)	definition: NA total population: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (2003 est.)
Location	Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay	Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
Map references	South America	Middle East
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 435,969 GRT/707,767 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 11 (Chile 6, UK 4, Uruguay 1) registered in other countries: 24 (Bolivia 1, Chile 1, Liberia 7, Panama 9, Paraguay 3, Uruguay 3) (2006)	total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 15,430 GRT/6,360 DWT by type: passenger 1 (2005)
Military - note	the Argentine military is a well-organized force constrained by the country's prolonged economic hardship; the country has recently experienced a strong recovery, and the military is now implementing "Plan 2000," aimed at making the ground forces lighter and more responsive (2005)	-
Military branches	Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes naval aviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA) (2005)	Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$4.3 billion (FY99)	$252.99 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.3% (FY00)	11.4% (2003)
National holiday	Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)	Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)
Nationality	noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine	noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani
Natural hazards	San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding	summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
Natural resources	fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium	petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Net migration rate	0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines	gas 29,804 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 10,373 km; refined products 8,540 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2006)	gas 3,754 km; oil 3,212 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	Alternative for a Republic of Equals or ARI [Elisa CARRIO]; Front for Victory or FV [Nestor KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of approximately 12 parties including RECREAR); Justicialist Front or FJ [Eduardo DUHALDE]; Justicialist Party or PJ (Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical Civic Union or UCR [Roberto IGLESIAS]; Republican Initiative Alliance or PRO (including Federal Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY] and Commitment for Change or CPC [Mauricio MACRI]); Socialist Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]; several provincial parties	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; Central of Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical union for employed and unemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Peronist-dominated labor movement; Piquetero groups (popular protest organizations that can be either pro or anti-government); Roman Catholic Church; students	none
Population	39,921,833 (July 2006 est.)	3,001,583 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	38.5% (June 2005)	NA
Population growth rate	0.96% (2006 est.)	3.32% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Mina' Qabus, Salalah
Radio broadcast stations	AM 260 (including 10 inactive stations), FM NA (probably more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)	AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Railways	total: 31,902 km broad gauge: 20,858 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified) standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified) narrow gauge: 7,922 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)	-
Religions	nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%	Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.46 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal and compulsory	in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003, suffrage was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members of the military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura elections are scheduled for 2007
Telephone system	general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of modern telecommunications technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is improving; however, telephone density is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally available will take time domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network; more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding international: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 112; Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international gateways near Buenos Aires (2005)	general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Telephones - main lines in use	8.8 million (2005)	233,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	22.1 million (2005)	464,900 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)	13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)
Terrain	rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border	central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Total fertility rate	2.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)	5.84 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	11.6% (2005 est.)	15% (2004 est.)
Waterways	11,000 km (2005)	-

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