Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Oman (2006) - Lesotho (2003) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Oman (2006) - Lesotho (2003)

Compare Oman (2006) z Lesotho (2003)

 Oman (2006)Lesotho (2003)
 OmanLesotho
Administrative divisions 5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)* 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.7% (male 675,423/female 648,963)


15-64 years: 54.7% (male 1,001,917/female 695,578)


65 years and over: 2.6% (male 44,300/female 36,048) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 37.7% (male 353,554; female 349,092)


15-64 years: 56.8% (male 516,017; female 541,694)


65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,735; female 59,867) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports 137 (2006) 28 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 6


over 3,047 m: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 131


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 52


914 to 1,523 m: 35


under 914 m: 35 (2006)
total: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Area total: 212,460 sq km


land: 212,460 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Kansas slightly smaller than Maryland
Background The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, but it never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said al-Said overthrew the restrictive rule of his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries. Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002.
Birth rate 36.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 27.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $14.36 billion


expenditures: $10.61 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
revenues: $76 million


expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY 99/00 est.)
Capital name: Muscat


geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E


time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Maseru
Climate dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline 2,092 km 0 km (landlocked)
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 2 April 1993
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: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
Currency - loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Death rate 3.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 24.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $4.361 billion (2005 est.) $735 million (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO


embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat


mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Muscat


telephone: [968] 24-698989


FAX: [968] 24-699771
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS


embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)


mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho


telephone: [266] 312666


FAX: [266] 310116
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI


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 Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI


chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536


FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
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 - donor - ODA $4.4 million
Economic aid - recipient $76.4 million (1995) $41.5 million (2000)
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. Work on a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility progressed in 2005 and will contribute to slightly higher oil and gas exports in 2006. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in November 2000. To reduce unemployment and limit dependence on foreign labor, the government is encouraging the replacement of foreign expatriate workers with local workers. 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. In 2005, Oman signed agreements with several foreign investors to boost oil reserves, build and operate a power plant, and develop a second mobile phone network in the country. Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.
Electricity - consumption 9.582 billion kWh (2003) 40 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Electricity - production 10.3 billion kWh (2003) 0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m


highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Environment - current issues rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Ethnic groups Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Exchange rates Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002), 0.3845 (2001) maloti per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94 (2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); 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 (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); 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: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile


head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998)


cabinet: Cabinet


elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution, which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may even depose the monarch
Exports 721,000 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners China 21.7%, South Korea 19.5%, Japan 14.3%, Thailand 12.7%, UAE 7.1%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005) US 97.5%, Canada 0.9%, France 0.6% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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 divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner
GDP - purchasing power parity - $5.106 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2.7%


industry: 39%


services: 58.3% (2005 est.)
agriculture: 20%


industry: 46%


services: 34% (2001)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.6% (2005 est.) 4% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 21 00 N, 57 00 E 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Geography - note strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
Heliports 1 (2006) -
Highways - total: 5,940 km


paved: 1,087 km


unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4%
Imports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000)
Imports - partners UAE 22.4%, Japan 15.7%, UK 7.7%, US 6.7%, Germany 5.8%, India 4.2% (2005) Hong Kong 51.9%, China 25%, France 3.9% (2002)
Independence 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese) 4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4.1% (2005 est.) 15.5% (1999)
Industries crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 18.89 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 86.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 91.28 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 80.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.2% (2005 est.) 10% (2002 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 ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 720 sq km (2003) 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court


note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Shari'a law
High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Labor force 920,000 (2002 est.) 838,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Land boundaries total: 1,374 km


border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
Land use arable land: 0.12%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 99.74% (2005)
arable land: 10.71%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
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-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 popular vote for four-year terms; 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
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120 in the May 2002 election


elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC 7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.37 years


male: 71.14 years


female: 75.72 years (2006 est.)
total population: 36.94 years


male: 36.76 years


female: 37.13 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: 75.8%


male: 83.1%


female: 67.2%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.8%


male: 74.5%


female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Map references Middle East Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 10,797 GRT/5,040 DWT


by type: passenger 1


registered in other countries: 2 (Kazakhstan 2) (2006)
-
Military - note - the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs
Military branches Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat Oman, RAFO) (2006) Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure $252.99 million (2004) $34 million (1999)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 11.4% (2003) NA%
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 459,723 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 250,560 (2003 est.)
National holiday Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940) Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality noun: Omani(s)


adjective: Omani
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
Natural hazards summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts periodic droughts
Natural resources petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals
Net migration rate 0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines gas 4,072 km; oil 3,405 km (2006) -
Political parties and leaders none Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; Pakalitha MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance [Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]
Political pressure groups and leaders none NA
Population 3,102,229


note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)
1,861,959


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 49% (1999)
Population growth rate 3.28% (2006 est.) 0.19% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - none
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways - total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa


narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)
Religions Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.44 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.23 male(s)/female


total population: 1.25 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 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: rudimentary system


domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 265,200 (2005) 22,200 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.333 million (2005) 21,600 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999) 1 (2000)
Terrain central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate 5.77 children born/woman (2006 est.) 3.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 15% (2004 est.) 45% (2002)
Waterways - none
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.