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Oman Government




Oman    Government Top of Page
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
Capital: Muscat
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

 

Countryfacts Information Courtesy: CIA Worldbook








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