Oman Education

Oman, independent state, extending about 1610 km (about 1000 mi) along the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered on the north by the Gulf of Oman, on the east and south by the Arabian Sea, on the southwest by the Republic of Yemen, on the west by the Rub al-Khali (Empty Quarter) of Saudi Arabia, and on the northwest by the United Arab Emirates. The country's territory also includes the northern tip of the strategic Ras (cape) Musandam, which juts between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman; this portion is separated from the rest of the country by territory of the United Arab Emirates. The country's interior boundaries are not demarcated. Oman has an area of about 212,457 sq km (about 82,030 sq mi).

Land and Resources
Oman falls naturally into three physical divisions: a narrow coastal plain, ranges of mountains and hills, and an interior plateau. The coastal plain along the Gulf of Oman is known as al-Batinah and is the country's principal agricultural region. Inland from the plain lies al-Jabal al-Akhdar (Green Mountains), where some peaks reach elevations in excess of 3000 m (9843 ft). The coastal plain extending south along the Arabian Sea is largely barren, although some cultivation takes place in the Dhofar region of the extreme southwest. The climate is generally hot and arid; however, the humidity along the coast is high. The average annual temperature is about 28.3° C (about 83° F). The average annual rainfall is generally less than 102 mm (less than 4 in). The principal natural resource is petroleum. Other known mineral resources include copper, asbestos, and marble.

Population
The total population of Oman (1993 estimate) was 1,643,579. The overall population density was only about 8 people per sq km (about 20 per sq mi). The capital is Masqat (Muscat); the adjacent town of Matrah is a leading port (combined population, 1981 estimate, 50,000). The population is overwhelmingly Arab, but significant minorities of Indians, Pakistanis, and East Africans are found in the principal ports. The majority of the population is Ibadhi Muslim; Sunni Muslims form the other major religious group. Arabic is the official language. The national educational program expanded rapidly during the 1970s and the 1980s; in the late 1980s about 275,000 students attended some 700 schools. Sultan Qabus University, near Masqat, opened in 1986.

Economy and Government
In the late 1980s estimated annual national budget figures showed $3.1 billion in revenue and $4.2 billion in expenditure. The gross domestic product was $7.5 billion, or about $6110 per capita. Agriculture is dominated by the cultivation of export crops, primarily dates and limes. Some grains and vegetables are grown for local consumption, but most food must be imported. In the late 1980s petroleum production totaled about 212.5 million barrels annually. The output of natural gas was 2.2 billion cu m (78 billion cu ft). A road-building program was undertaken in the 1970s and '80s, and most settlements are linked by a network of graded roads. Port facilities are near Masqat and Raysut; Mina al-Fahl is the leading oil terminal. The unit of currency is the rial Omani, divided into 1000 baiza (384 baiza equal U.S.$1; 1990).
Oman is ruled by a sultan, who is advised by an appointed cabinet. The country has no constitution, legislature, or political parties. The judicial system is based on Islamic law. A chief court and court of appeals are located in Masqat.

History
In ancient times the Dhofar region was famous for its incense, which was sold throughout the Old World. In the early 3rd century AD an Arab chief from Hira in Mesopotamia founded a kingdom in Oman that retained its independence until the first caliphate. The Omanis accepted Islam in the 7th century and elected their first imam in 751. In the 10th century the Qarmatians conquered the country, and it was later occupied by the Seljuks.
The Portuguese in 1507 were the first Europeans to arrive. They captured Muscat but were contested by the British, the Dutch, and the Iranians. The Portuguese were driven out of Muscat in 1650, and in 1741 Imam Ahmed bin Said, founder of the present dynasty, expelled the Iranians. In 1861 the ruler took the title of sultan. Special relations with Great Britain were established in the late 19th century.
In 1913 rivalry between imam and sultan broke out in rebellion by inland tribes supporting the imam. Peace was restored in 1920 and lasted until 1954, when a succeeding imam began a new rebellion, aided by Egypt and Saudi Arabia. With British help, however, the sultan's forces put down the rebellion by 1959.
The ruling sultan, Said bin Taimur, who acceded to the throne in 1932, was overthrown by his son, Qabus bin Said, in a palace coup in 1970. The new ruler liberalized the regime and increased spending on development. He changed the name of the country from Muscat and Oman to Oman to symbolize its unity, but was long plagued by a divisive guerrilla war by Marxist rebels in the Dhofar. Concerned about the country's safety after the Iranian revolution and the invasion of Afghanistan by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1979, and faced with growing Soviet influence in the area, the sultan in 1980 signed an agreement with the United States providing for military assistance in return for U.S. access to Omani bases. Defense agreements with neighboring Arab states were made in 1982. Oman was part of the United Nations-led, 28-nation allied forces that defeated Iraq in the Persian Gulf War in 1991.