Simple directory > Regional > Oman

Country : Oman Official name: Sultanatu Oman (Saltanat Uman) (Sultanate of Oman) Head of State: Sultan Qaboos bin Said Head of government: Sultan Qaboos bin Said Ruling party: Political parties are not permitted. Area: 320,000 square km (including Kuria Muria Islands) Population: 3.23 million (2004) Capital: Muscat (Masqat) Official language: Arabic Currency: Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza Exchange rate: RO0.39 per US$ (pegged to US$) GDP per capita: US$7,876 (2003) GDP real growth: 6.30% (2003) Labour force: 920,000 (2003) Inflation: 0.30% (2003) Oil production: 823,000 bpd (2003) Balance of trade: US$4.40 billion (2003) Foreign debt: US$5.70 billion (2003)

Historical profile

1507 The Portuguese occupied Muscat and established a garrison there.

1650 The Portuguese were expelled by Imam Sultan bin Saif.

1798 The first treaty of friendship was signed between Oman and Britain.

1856 Sultan Sayyid bin Sultan (known as Said the Great) died and his empire was divided. One son became Sultan of Zanzibar and the other the Sultan of Muscat and Oman.

1913 Uprising against the Sultanate by tribesmen from the interior. Britain lent support to the Sultan.

1930s Oil was discovered.

1932 Said bin Taimur became Sultan

1964 Rebellion in southern Dhofar, led by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman (PFLO).

1967 Oil came on stream.

1970 Qaboos bin Said, aged 30, overthrew his father Sultan Said bin Taimur and became Sultan of Oman. He started to open up the country and, using money from oil, built roads, schools and hospitals and gave homes to people and boats to fishermen. He set in place strict environmental laws.

1971 Oman joined the Arab League.

1975 The uprising in the Dhofar region was finally crushed with foreign assistance.

1978 Sultan Qaboos was active in helping implement the Camp David Accords, signed by Israel and Egypt

1981 Oman helped found the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC).

1985 Oman established full diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union for the first time.

1991 During the Gulf War, Oman was used as a base for forces fighting Iraq. Sultan Qaboos established the Majlis Ash Shura (Consultative Council), which represents 59 wilayat (regions).

1996 Sultan Qaboos issued a decree promulgating a new basic law that clarified the royal succession, provided for a legislature and a prime minister and guaranteed basic civil liberties for Omani citizens.

2000 Elections involving just 25 per cent of the adult population and no parties were allowed, with candidates hand-picked by the Sultan. Oman joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

2001 Oman became an important base for international military operations against the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

2002 Voting rights were extended to all citizens over the age of 21.

2003 The 83-seat Majlis Ash Shura was freely elected for the first time.

2004 Sultan Qaboos appointed Oman's first female minister with portfolio.

2005 In May, a state security court convicted 31 people of plotting to overthrow the Sultan and install an Islamist government.

 

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