Oman (2001) | French Polynesia (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 6 regions (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*; note - the US Embassy in Oman reports that Masqat is a governorate, but this has not been confirmed by the US Board of Geographic Names (BGN) | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
41.51% (male 554,727; female 533,627) 15-64 years: 56.12% (male 894,978; female 576,672) 65 years and over: 2.37% (male 32,863; female 29,331) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
29.74% (male 38,473; female 36,925) 15-64 years: 65.17% (male 86,128; female 79,076) 65 years and over: 5.09% (male 6,481; female 6,423) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products |
Airports | 143 (2000 est.) | 45 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
32 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
137 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 56 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 36 (2000 est.) |
total:
13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Kansas | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut |
Background | 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. | The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. |
Birth rate | 37.96 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 18.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$4.7 billion expenditures: $5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $490 million (1999) |
revenues:
$1 billion expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) |
Capital | Muscat | Papeete |
Climate | dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south | tropical, but moderate |
Coastline | 2,092 km | 2,525 km |
Constitution | none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law 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 | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form:
Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman |
conventional long form:
Territory of French Polynesia conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania |
Currency | Omani rial (OMR) | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) |
Death rate | 4.1 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $4.5 billion (2000 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of France since 1946 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador John B. CRAIG embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: international: P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 698989 FAX: [968] 699189 |
none (overseas territory of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933 |
none (overseas territory of France) |
Disputes - international | boundary with the UAE has not been bilaterally defined; northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $76.4 million (1995) | $367 million (1997) |
Economy - overview | Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 2000 due largely to the upturn in oil prices. The government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities, the development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000. | Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefited from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs. |
Electricity - consumption | 8.026 billion kWh (1999) | 399.9 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 8.63 billion kWh (1999) | 430 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
51.16% hydro: 48.84% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
Environment - current issues | rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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 | Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
Exchange rates | Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986) | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
Executive branch | 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 |
chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since NA 1994) head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly |
Exports | $11.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $205 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles | cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) |
Exports - partners | Japan 27%, China 12%, Thailand 18%, UAE 12%, South Korea 12%, US (1999) | Japan 62%, US 21% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | 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 at the top of the vertical band | two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $19.6 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2.6 billion (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
3% industry: 40% services: 57% (1999 est.) |
agriculture:
4% industry: 18% services: 78% (1997) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10,800 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.6% (2000 est.) | 2.5% (1997 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 21 00 N, 57 00 E | 15 00 S, 140 00 W |
Geography - note | strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil | includes five archipelagoes; Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru |
Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
32,800 km paved: 9,840 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,960 km (1996) |
total:
792 km paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $4.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $749 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants | fuels, foodstuffs, equipment |
Imports - partners | UAE 26% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 9%, Italy 7%, Germany 6%, US (1999) | France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999) |
Independence | 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | 22.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -0.8% (2000 est.) | 1.5% (1994) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 580 sq km (1993 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court
note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has non-Islamic judges as well as traditional Islamic judges |
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif |
Labor force | 850,000 (1997 est.) | 70,000 (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) |
Land boundaries | total:
1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 0% other: 95% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 31% other: 57% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects | French (official), Tahitian (official) |
Legal system | based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on French system |
Legislative branch | bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (48 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats; members elected by limited suffrage, however, the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers)
elections: last held NA September 2000 (next to be held NA September 2003) election results: NA; note - two women were elected for the first time to Majlis al-Shura, about 100,000 people voted |
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
72.04 years male: 69.9 years female: 74.29 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
75.01 years male: 72.67 years female: 77.46 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
NA total population: approaching 80% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
Location | Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
Map references | Middle East | Oceania |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,167 GRT/11,307 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Royal Oman Police) | French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $2.4 billion (FY00) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 13% (FY00) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
771,919 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
429,811 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 14 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
26,469 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun:
Omani(s) adjective: Omani |
noun:
French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian |
Natural hazards | summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts | occasional cyclonic storms in January |
Natural resources | petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 3.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | Centrist Union or UC [leader NA]; Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 2,622,198
note: includes 527,078 non-nationals (July 2001 est.) |
253,506 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 3.43% (2001 est.) | 1.72% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut | Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 1.4 million (1997) | 128,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.55 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1.3 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | 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: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 201,000 (1997) | 52,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 59,822 (1997) | 5,427 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999) | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
Total fertility rate | 6.04 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.23 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 15% (1992 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |