Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Terrain: vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and
south
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble,
limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: less than 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 5%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 93%
Irrigated land: 410 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills;
very limited natural fresh water resources
natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and
duststorms in interior; periodic droughts
international agreements: party to - Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity,
Climate Change
Note: strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
@Oman:People
Population: 2,125,089 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (female 480,974; male 498,619)
15-64 years: 51% (female 493,685; male 593,740)
65 years and over: 3% (female 31,826; male 26,245) (July 1995 est.)