Oman

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Located in the Arabian Gulf, Oman has an area of 212,460 square kilometers (81,715 square miles), with Muscat as its capital. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and the Arabian Sea. In 2005 its population numbered just over 3 million people. Oman is mainly composed of desert and some mountains, which is reflected in its hot and dry weather.

Oman is a rich country; oil, natural gas, cement, and copper are among its chief exports. Its economic situation has improved with the rise in oil prices. Purchasing power parity (an indicator used to measure the power to buy the same commodities in different countries) is U.S.$8,300. Life expectancy is good, estimated to be seventy-three for the entire population (seventy for males and seventy-five for females). Oman is not very diverse religiously: Ibadhi Muslims account for 75 percent of the population while the rest are Sunni, Shi'a, and Hindu.

Oman received its independence from the Portuguese, who controlled Mascat, in 1650 and signed a treaty of friendship and protection with the British in 1798. From 1744 until 2004 several sultans of Bin Tamur have governed Oman. Qaboos ibn Sa'id Al Bu Sa'id (b. 1940) ousted his father from power in 1970 and remained in power in 2004. During his rule Sultan Qaboos has dominated the political life of Oman without challenge, except in 1970 when Marxists staged a rebellion that Qaboos quickly supressed, thereby reasserting his authority.

The government in Oman is a monarchy. The country does not have a constitution; it essentially follows a royal decree that describes the principal duties of the state and citizens' rights. The sultan, who is equivalent to a king, is the ruler of the country. He is the head of the state and the cabinet. A bicameral legislature serves at his directive. The upper house, Majilis al Dawla, is composed of forty-eight seats, all appointed by the sultan to provide advice. The lower chamber, Majlis el Shura, has eighty-three seats; its members are elected directly by the people. However, the power of the lower house remains very limited, given the strong control that the sultan exerts over the state as a whole. The citizens that elect members to the Majlis el Shura are chosen by the state; thus, the electoral process is not open to all citizens. According to one estimate by the U.S. Department of State, voter turnout for the 2000 election to the lower chamber was approximately 74 percent. The government of Oman has not reported any official results.

Oman's bureaucracy does not play an important role in the country's political life; Oman's bureaucrats do not intervene in the political life of the country. Moreover, the judiciary is a separate branch with different divisions and areas of specialization that do not directly affect the political climate of the country, and the sultan retains the right to intercede in cases, although during his rule, Sultan Qaboos has not intervened to refute any court decision. Oman does not have political parties; the main loyalties in the country fall along tribal lines.

In terms of human rights in Oman, there have been no public reports of religious prosecution in this multireligious society. Moreover, other human rights violations, including prosecution, torture, imprisonment, or forced disappearances, have not been reported. Freedom of speech is protected by royal decree, but the government does censor what it deems politically, culturally, and socially unsuitable.

Shari'a.

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