Short facts about the government of Oman
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Sultanate of Oman
conventional short
form: Oman
local long form: Saltanat Uman
local
short form: Uman
former: Muscat and
Oman |
| Government
type: |
monarchy |
| Administrative divisions: |
6 regions (mintaqat, singular -
mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah,
Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*; note
- the US Embassy in Oman reports that Masqat is a governorate, but this has not
been confirmed by the US Board of Geographic Names
(BGN) |
| Independence: |
1650 (expulsion of the
Portuguese) |
| National
holiday: |
Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November
(1940) |
| Constitution: |
none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan
QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other
things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars
ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the
government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil
liberties for Omani citizens |
| Legal
system: |
based on English common law and Islamic
law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
in Oman's most recent elections in
2000, limited to approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote
in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July
1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS
bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the
monarch
elections: none; the monarch is
hereditary |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an
upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (48 seats; members appointed by the monarch;
has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;
members elected by limited suffrage, however, the monarch makes final selections
and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose
legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers)
elections:
last held NA September 2000 (next to be held NA September
2003)
election results: NA; note - two women were elected for the
first time to Majlis al-Shura, about 100,000 people
voted |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court
note: the
nascent civil court system, administered by region, has non-Islamic judges as
well as traditional Islamic judges |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
none |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
none |
| International organization participation: |
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO,
G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil
al-DHAHAB
chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981,
1988
FAX: [1] (202)
745-4933 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador John B. CRAIG
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al
Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
mailing address:
international: P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat Al-Sultan Qaboos,
Muscat
telephone: [968] 698989
FAX: [968]
699189 |
| Flag
description: |
three horizontal bands of white, red,
and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the
national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed
swords in scabbards) in white is centered at the top of the vertical band | Source: World Factbook |
