Economy - overview: | Oman is a middle-income economy in the Middle East with notable oil and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation. Work on a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility progressed in 2005 and will contribute to slightly higher oil and gas exports in 2006. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in November 2000. To reduce unemployment and limit dependence on foreign labor, the government is encouraging the replacement of foreign expatriate workers with local workers, i.e., Omanization. Training in information technology, business management, and English support this objective. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports. In 2005 Oman signed agreements with several foreign investors to boost oil reserves, build and operate a power plant, and develop a second mobile phone network in the country. |
GDP - per capita | $13,400 (2005 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate (%) | 1.9% (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish |
GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 2.8%, industry: 40%, services: 57.1% (2005 est.) |
Industries | crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber |
Economic aid - recipient | $76.4 million (1995) |
Debt - external | $4.586 billion (2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line (%) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA |