Embassy of Italy in Mascate

INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE AND POPULATION

DATA BASE

Surface                         309.500 Km (82% desert, 15% mountains, 3% plains)

Capital Muscat

Other main cities Sohar, Nizwa, Salalah, Sur.

Official name Sultanate of Oman

Government form Monarchy

Head of the state H.M. Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said (from 23 July 1970)

Head of the Government Qaboos bin Said Al Said

Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yussuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah

Legislative System
The Government exercises the legislative power. There are also two other advisory assemblies: "the State Council" (Majlis Al-Dawla), whose members are appointed by the Sultan, and "the Consultative Council" (Mailis Al-Shura), elected by general vote on 4 October 2003.

Legal system Based on the Egyptian Model that assimilates the Napoleonic Code, on the British Common Law and the Muslim Law; possibility of appeal to the Sultan.

Vote
Since 2003, elections of "the Consultative Council" (Majlis Al-Shura) are carried out with general vote. All the Omani citizens, who have completed 21 years of age and are previously registered, have the right to vote.

Population and Social indicators

Population                         2.340.815 inhabitants (data defined by Census of December 2003).

Rate of growth 1,5% (annual average rate 1993-2003).

Aspects of life to the birth 73,8 years (72,2 for men, 75,4 for women).

Ethnic groups
Omani citizens constitute 76% of the population. Omanis are Arabs. Part of the population comes from East Africa (particularly from Zanzibar) and from the Indian Sub-continent (Balucistan, Sind...). The remaining 24% are expatriates, mainly Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan. More than 8000 EU citizens (mainly British) also reside in the Country.

Religions           Oman is a Muslim Country. The Ibadhi, Sunni and Shiite rituals are spread.

Languages Arabic is the official language of the Country. Knowledge of English is widely spread. Local minorities speak Swahili, Urdu and Baluci.

Link correlato (in inglese)

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Surface	309.500 Km (82% desert, 15% mountains, 3% plains)
Capital	Muscat
Other main cities	Sohar, Nizwa, Salalah, Sur.
Official name	Sultanate of Oman
Government form	Monarchy
Head of the state	H.M. Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said (from 23 July 1970)
Head of the Government	Qaboos bin Said Al Said
Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs	Yussuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah
Legislative System	The Government exercises the legislative power. There are also two other advisory assemblies: "the State Council" (Majlis Al-Dawla), whose members are appointed by the Sultan, and "the Consultative Council" (Mailis Al-Shura), elected by general vote on 4 October 2003.
Legal system	Based on the Egyptian Model that assimilates the Napoleonic Code, on the British Common Law and the Muslim Law; possibility of appeal to the Sultan.
Vote	Since 2003, elections of "the Consultative Council" (Majlis Al-Shura) are carried out with general vote. All the Omani citizens, who have completed 21 years of age and are previously registered, have the right to vote.

Population	2.340.815 inhabitants (data defined by Census of December 2003).
Rate of growth	1,5% (annual average rate 1993-2003).
Aspects of life to the birth	73,8 years (72,2 for men, 75,4 for women).
Ethnic groups	Omani citizens constitute 76% of the population. Omanis are Arabs. Part of the population comes from East Africa (particularly from Zanzibar) and from the Indian Sub-continent (Balucistan, Sind...). The remaining 24% are expatriates, mainly Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan. More than 8000 EU citizens (mainly British) also reside in the Country.
Religions	Oman is a Muslim Country. The Ibadhi, Sunni and Shiite rituals are spread.
Languages	Arabic is the official language of the Country. Knowledge of English is widely spread. Local minorities speak Swahili, Urdu and Baluci.