Compare Oman (2008) - Kuwait (2008)

Compare Oman (2008) z Kuwait (2008)

	Oman (2008)	Kuwait (2008)

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)	6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak Al Kabir
Age structure	0-14 years: 42.7% (male 698,461/female 670,793) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,026,686/female 723,712) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 47,534/female 37,711) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 26.7% (male 340,814/female 328,663) 15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,128,231/female 636,967) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 44,542/female 26,342) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish	practically no crops; fish
Airports	137 (2007)	7 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)	total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 130 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 34 (2007)	total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Area	total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Kansas	slightly smaller than New Jersey
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.	Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991, and reestablished an elected legislature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive.
Birth rate	35.76 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	21.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $13.82 billion expenditures: $13.67 billion (2007 est.)	revenues: $66.92 billion expenditures: $36.39 billion (2007 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)	name: Kuwait geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south	dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Coastline	2,092 km	499 km
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	approved and promulgated 11 November 1962
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: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt
Death rate	3.78 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	2.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$3.483 billion (31 December 2007 est.)	$33.61 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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] 24-643-400 FAX: [968] 24-699771	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Alan MISENHEIMER embassy: Bayan 36302, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 259-1001 FAX: [965] 538-0282
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 SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517
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 of the alignment have not been made public	Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf
Economic aid - recipient	$30.68 million (2005)	$2.6 million (2004)
Economy - overview	Oman is a middle-income economy that is heavily dependent on dwindling oil resources, but sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped build Oman's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Oman joined the World Trade Organization in November 2000 and continues to liberalize its markets. It ratified a free trade agreement with the US in September 2006, and, through the Gulf Cooperation Council, seeks similar agreements with the EU, China and Japan. As a result of its dwindling oil resources, Oman is actively pursuing a development plan that focuses on diversification, industrialization, and privatization, with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP to 9 percent by 2020. Muscat is attempting to "Omanize" the labor force by replacing foreign expatriate workers with local workers. Oman actively seeks private foreign investors, especially in the industrial, information technology, tourism, and higher education fields. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports.	Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 104 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. High oil prices in recent years have helped build Kuwait's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. As a result of this positive fiscal situation, the need for economic reforms is less urgent and the government has not earnestly pushed through new initiatives. Despite its vast oil reserves, Kuwait experienced power outages during the summer months in 2006 and 2007 because demand exceeded power generating capacity. Power outages are likely to worsen, given its high population growth rates, unless the government can increase generating capacity. In May 2007 Kuwait changed its currency peg from the US dollar to a basket of currencies in order to curb inflation and to reduce its vulnerability to external shocks.
Electricity - consumption	8.661 billion kWh (2005)	36.28 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	11.89 billion kWh (2005)	41.11 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m	lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m
Environment - current issues	rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources	limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification
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, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping
Ethnic groups	Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African	Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%
Exchange rates	Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2007), 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003)	Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003)
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) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary	chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah head of government: Prime Minister NASIR MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006) and Faysal al-HAJJI (since 5 April 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the amir elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime minister and deputy prime ministers
Exports	733,100 bbl/day (2004)	2.2 million bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles	oil and refined products, fertilizers
Exports - partners	China 23.6%, South Korea 17.9%, Japan 10.9%, Thailand 10.7%, South Africa 7.7%, UAE 6.3% (2006)	Japan 20.4%, South Korea 16.2%, Taiwan 10.8%, Singapore 9.7%, US 9%, Netherlands 5.3%, China 4.1% (2006)
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	three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 2.2% industry: 38.3% services: 59.5% (2007 est.)	agriculture: 0.4% industry: 54.7% services: 44.9% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.3% (2007 est.)	5.6% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates	21 00 N, 57 00 E	29 30 N, 45 45 E
Geography - note	strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil	strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
Heliports	2 (2007)	4 (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	15,440 bbl/day (2004)	2,611 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants	food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
Imports - partners	UAE 22.4%, Japan 16.4%, US 8.1%, Germany 5.5%, India 4.3% (2006)	US 14.1%, Germany 7.9%, Japan 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, China 5.7%, UK 5.4%, Italy 4.6% (2006)
Independence	1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)	19 June 1961 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	3.2% (2007 est.)	0.8% (2007 est.)
Industries	crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber	petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials
Infant mortality rate	total: 18.28 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.96 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	4% (2007 est.)	3.9% (2007 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land	720 sq km (2003)	130 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Shari'a law	High Court of Appeal
Labor force	920,000 (2002 est.)	1.167 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Land boundaries	total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km	total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
Land use	arable land: 0.12% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 99.74% (2005)	arable land: 0.84% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.99% (2005)
Languages	Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects	Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Legal system	based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla or upper chamber (70 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and Majlis al-Shura or lower chamber (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held 27 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: new candidates won 46 seats and 38 members of the outgoing Majlis kept their positions; none of the 20 female candidates were elected	unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National Assembly) elections: last held 29 June 2006 (next election to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc - Islamic Bloc (Sunni) 17, Popular Bloc 9, National Action Bloc (liberals) 8, independents 16
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 73.62 years male: 71.37 years female: 75.99 years (2007 est.)	total population: 77.36 years male: 76.25 years female: 78.52 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: NA total population: 81.4% male: 86.8% female: 73.5% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 94.4% female: 91% (2005 census)
Location	Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE	Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
Map references	Middle East	Middle East
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm
Merchant marine	total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,155 GRT/7,244 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1 registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2007)	total: 38 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,195,831 GRT/3,566,308 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 3, petroleum tanker 21 registered in other countries: 28 (Bahrain 3, Comoros 1, Liberia 1, Libya 1, Panama 1, Qatar 7, Saudi Arabia 6, UAE 8) (2007)
Military branches	Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat Oman, RAFO) (2007)	Land Forces, Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), National Guard (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	11.4% (2005 est.)	5.3% (2006)
National holiday	Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)	National Day, 25 February (1950)
Nationality	noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani	noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti
Natural hazards	summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts	sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August
Natural resources	petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas	petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Net migration rate	0.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	16.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines	gas 4,126 km; oil 3,558 km (2007)	gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders	none	none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal, but is not forbidden by law
Political pressure groups and leaders	none	a number of political groups act as de facto parties; several legislative blocs operate in the National Assembly: tribal groups, merchants, Shi'a activists, Islamists, secular liberals and pro-government deputies; in mid-2006, a coalition of Islamists, liberals, and Shia campaigned successfully for electoral reform to reduce corruption
Population	3,204,897 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)	2,505,559 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	3.234% (2007 est.)	3.561% note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)	AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)
Religions	Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu) 25%	Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.419 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.26 male(s)/female total population: 1.238 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.037 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.771 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.691 male(s)/female total population: 1.526 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces are not allowed to vote	NA years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years
Telephone system	general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership both increasing; open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: country code - 968; the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat	general assessment: the quality of service is excellent domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: country code - 965; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat
Telephones - main lines in use	278,300 (2006)	510,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1.818 million (2006)	2.536 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations	13 (plus 25 repeaters) (1999)	13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)
Terrain	central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south	flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Total fertility rate	5.7 children born/woman (2007 est.)	2.86 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	15% (2004 est.)	2.2% (2004 est.)

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