Oman (2005) | Malta (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | 5 regions (manaatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 3 governorates* (muhaafazaat, singular - muhaafaza) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar* | none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders |
Age structure | 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.) |
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 34,559/female 32,707)
15-64 years: 69.5% (male 141,265/female 137,951) 65 years and over: 13.8% (male 23,802/female 31,596) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish | potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs |
Airports | 136 (2004 est.) | 1 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | 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: 212,460 sq km
land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 316 sq km
land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Kansas | slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004. |
Birth rate | 36.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 10.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $9.291 billion
expenditures: $8.747 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
revenues: $2.851 billion
expenditures: $2.998 billion (2005 est.) |
Capital | Muscat | name: Valletta
geographic coordinates: 35 53 N, 14 30 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south | Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers |
Coastline | 2,092 km | 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo) |
Constitution | 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 | 1964 constitution; amended many times |
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: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta local short form: Malta |
Death rate | 3.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 8.19 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $4.814 billion (2004 est.) | $188.8 million (2005) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Molly BORDONARO
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, VLT 01 mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01 telephone: [356] 2561 4000 FAX: [356] 21 243229 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612 FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470 consulate(s): New York |
Disputes - international | 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 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $76.4 million (1995) | $NA (2004) |
Economy - overview | 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. | Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and pharmaceuticals), and tourism. Continued sluggishness in the European economy is holding back exports, tourism, and overall growth. |
Electricity - consumption | 9.792 billion kWh (2003) | 1.959 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 9.896 billion kWh (2003) | 2.106 billion kWh (2005) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m |
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli) |
Environment - current issues | rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources | very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination |
Environment - international agreements | 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 |
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African | Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock) |
Exchange rates | Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002), 0.3845 (2001), 0.3845 (2000) | Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003), 0.43362 (2002) |
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 Edward FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 March 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes |
Exports | 721,000 bbl/day (2004) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles | machinery and transport equipment, manufactures |
Exports - partners | China 29.5%, South Korea 17.5%, Japan 11.5%, Thailand 10.6%, UAE 7.2% (2004) | France 15.3%, Singapore 13.2%, US 13%, Germany 12.5%, UK 9.5%, Japan 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.2% (2006) |
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 near the top of the vertical band | two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 41.1% services: 55.8% (2004 est.) |
agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 22.3% services: 74.9% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $13,100 (2004 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.2% (2004 est.) | 2.9% (2006 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 21 00 N, 57 00 E | 35 50 N, 14 35 E |
Geography - note | strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil | the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration |
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 | - | minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe |
Imports | NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco |
Imports - partners | UAE 21.2%, Japan 16.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 6%, Germany 5.1%, US 4.7% (2004) | Italy 28%, UK 10.5%, France 8.7%, Germany 7.6%, Singapore 6.8%, US 5.6% (2006) |
Independence | 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese) | 21 September 1964 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | -1.2% (2004 est.) | NA% |
Industries | crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber | tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco |
Infant mortality rate | 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.) |
total: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.2% (2004 est.) | 2.8% (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | 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 | Australia Group, C, CE, CPLP (associate), EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 620 sq km (1998 est.) | 20 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court
note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Sharia (Islamic) law |
Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister |
Labor force | 920,000 (2002 est.) | 164,000 (2006 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA | agriculture: 3%
industry: 22% services: 75% (2005 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 1,374 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.12%
permanent crops: 0.14% other: 99.74% (2001) |
arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (2005) |
Languages | Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects | Maltese (official), English (official) |
Legal system | based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
Legislative branch | 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 |
unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; note - additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority)
elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by August 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.8%, MLP 47.5%, AD 0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.13 years
male: 70.92 years female: 75.46 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 79.15 years
male: 76.95 years female: 81.47 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.) |
Location | Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE | Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) |
Map references | Middle East | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 15,430 GRT/6,360 DWT
by type: passenger 1 (2005) |
total: 1,281 ships (1000 GRT or over) 25,213,650 GRT/41,033,203 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 439, cargo 382, chemical tanker 125, combination ore/oil 2, container 65, liquefied gas 15, livestock carrier 1, passenger 15, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 132, refrigerated cargo 41, roll on/roll off 31, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 17 foreign-owned: 1,197 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 3, Bangladesh 3, Belgium 10, Bulgaria 15, Canada 15, China 13, Croatia 12, Cyprus 15, Denmark 10, Estonia 7, France 4, Germany 67, Greece 448, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 7, India 3, Iran 24, Israel 21, Italy 45, Japan 3, South Korea 3, Latvia 36, Lebanon 12, Libya 3, Monaco 1, Netherlands 3, Norway 71, Pakistan 2, Poland 25, Portugal 3, Romania 10, Russia 66, Slovenia 3, Spain 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 22, Syria 4, Turkey 143, Ukraine 28, UAE 10, UK 12, US 11) registered in other countries: 4 (Panama 2, Portugal 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007) |
Military branches | Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (2005) | Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2005) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $252.99 million (2004) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 11.4% (2003) | 0.7% (2006 est.) |
National holiday | Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940) | Independence Day, 21 September (1964) |
Nationality | noun: Omani(s)
adjective: Omani |
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese |
Natural hazards | summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts | NA |
Natural resources | petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas | limestone, salt, arable land |
Net migration rate | 0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 3,754 km; oil 3,212 km (2004) | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 3,001,583
note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2005 est.) |
401,880 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 3.32% (2005 est.) | 0.413% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mina' Qabus, Salalah | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) | AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999) |
Religions | Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu | Roman Catholic 98% |
Sex ratio | 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.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.753 male(s)/female total population: 0.987 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 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 | 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: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 233,900 (2002) | 202,300 (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 464,900 (2002) | 346,800 (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999) | 5 (2006) |
Terrain | central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south | mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs |
Total fertility rate | 5.84 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.51 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 15% (2004 est.) | 6.8% (2005 est.) |