n in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani al-KHUSSAIBY
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 Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos,
Muscat
telephone: [968] 24-698989
FAX: [968] 24-699771

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 near the top of the vertical band

Economy Oman

Economy - overview:
Oman is a small, well-off middle Eastern economy with large oil and
gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation. The
government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities, the
development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign
investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to
liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO)
in November 2000. In order to reduce unemployment and limit
dependence on foreign countries, the government is encouraging the
replacement of expatriate workers with local people, i.e., the
process of Omanization. Training in information technology, business
management, and English support this objective. Industrial
development plans focus on gas resources.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $36.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $13,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 42.1%
services: 54.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
13% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
920,000 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $8.218 billion
expenditures: $7.766 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
15.6% of GDP (2003)

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