oliday: National Day, 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 Omani council, and guarantees
basic civil liberties for Omani citizens

Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate
appeal to the sultan; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: limited to approximately 50,000 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 sultan 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 sultan is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the sultan
elections: none; the sultan is a hereditary monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber
or Majlis ad-Dawla (41 seats; members appointed by the Sultan; has
advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis ash-Shura (82
seats; members elected by limited suffrage, however, the Sultan 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 October 1997 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: NA

Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil
court system, administered by region

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF,
ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM,
OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
(applicant)

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 1982, 1988
FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Frances D. COOK
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al