Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
@Oman:People
Population: 2,264,590 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 527,091; female 507,849) 15-64 years: 51% (male 632,647; female 535,149) 65 years and over: 3% (male 27,974; female 33,880) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.49% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 37.85 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.39 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)