Country explorer: Oman

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Overview

Oman is a arid, high-income country in the Middle East with a small population. Its economy has been volatile in recent decades, and is based on oil, tourism and fisheries.

Oman boasts the ancient trading port of Muscat.

Economy

Oman has seen steady economic growth with increases in GDP per capita and relatively low inflation rates, paralleling the economic stability of high-income countries, while maintaining a consistently lower unemployment rate compared to its regional peers.

Demographics

Oman has experienced notable demographic shifts characterized by a significant population increase, fluctuations in net migration, a declining fertility rate, and improvements in life expectancy, reflecting broader socio-economic transformations common to rapidly developing nations.

Basic needs

Oman has notably improved basic needs for its population, achieving universal access to clean cooking fuels and electricity, and significantly increasing access to safely managed drinking water, aligning it closely with high-income countries and regional peers in terms of infrastructural development in basic needs.

Human development

Oman has shown significant improvements in human development, reflected by marked progress in its Human Development Index, reductions in child mortality rates, substantial increases in literacy rates, and enhancements in learning-adjusted years of schooling, illustrating Oman's focused efforts on education and health as foundations for societal advancement, aligning with trends observed in high-income countries yet demonstrating notable strides surpassing several regional peers.

Environment & energy

Oman has made early strides in diversifying its energy production with slight increases in solar and wind power, while still heavily relying on gas and oil, amidst challenges of decreasing per capita renewable freshwater resources and maintaining its limited forest area, reflecting a broader regional struggle with resource management and environmental sustainability common among its Gulf counterparts.

Technology & innovation

Oman has seen significant advancements in its technology and innovation sector, marked by substantial increases in internet usage, mobile phone subscriptions, and scientific publications, reflecting a strong commitment to integrating modern technologies and research within its society, akin to its high-income peers.

Culture & society

Oman has experienced a notable increase in the expatriate population, improvements in life satisfaction, progress in reducing gender inequality, and shifts in its age dependency ratio, highlighting its evolving cultural and societal landscape in ways that both distinguish it from and align it with regional and high-income country trends.

Governance

Oman has shown modest improvements in governance indicators like the Rule of Law and Corruption Perception, reflecting gradual societal transformations and governance reforms, positioning it distinctively among its regional peers with a consistent yet cautious approach to enhancing legal transparency and reducing corruption.

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