Oman Country Overview
Where is Oman located? The Sultanate of Oman is a country found in the east of the Arabian Peninsula. It is ruled by an absolutist ruler, the Sultan Quabus. The time zone map places Oman in a world time zone called “Gulf Standard Time”. In this time zone there is a time difference of 4 hours to the coordinated world time. Clocks in Oman are 4 hours ahead of the world clock (UTC+4). This difference stays the same throughout the year as there is no daylight saving time change.
Population Distribution
As of 2023, the latest population of Oman is 4,664,844, based on our calculation of the current data from UN (United Nations).
| Total population | 4,664,844 |
| Population growth rate | 1.96% |
| Birth rate | 24.00 births per 1,000 people |
| Life expectancy | |
| Overall life expectancy | 74.72 years |
| Men life expectancy | 72.84 years |
| Women life expectancy | 76.70 years |
| Age structure | |
| 0-14 years | 30.10% |
| 15-64 years | 66.35% |
| 65 years and above | 3.55% |
| Median age | 25.10 years |
| Gender ratio (Male to Female) | 1.22 |
| Population density | 15.07 residents per km² |
| Urbanization | 77.60% |
| Ethnicities | |
| 72% Omanis, 28% foreigners | |
| Religions | |
| Ibadhi Muslims 75%, Sunnis, Shiites, Hindus | |
| Human Development Index (HDI) | 0.834 |
| HDI ranking | 47th out of 194 |
People in Oman
Most of the Omanis are Arabs and come from the Arab world. Tribes from southern and central Arabia immigrated in the pre- Islamic period. But the different tribes fought bitterly for a long time. The Arabs were followed by Indians, Persians and Africans.
Who are the guest workers and why are they in Oman?
Guest workers come to the locals, mainly from India and Pakistan. These immigrated mainly at the time of the oil boom that hit the country in the 70s of the last century. But many workers from abroad are now employed in construction or in the field of tourism. Mean jobs are mostly taken over by these people, who are often completely without rights and exploited. Better paid skilled workers come from Arab countries or from Europe, such as England.
Who are the Bedouins?
Even if their number is small, some residents still live as Bedouins in Oman. They move through the country with their herds of animals and whenever the pastures are grazed, they move on. About two out of 100 people living in Oman are still Bedouin. You can find more about the life of the Beduins under Everyday life / Beduins.
Languages in Oman
Most of the people in Oman speak Arabic.
Religions in Oman
Oman is a Muslim country. 88 out of 100 people are Muslims of the Ibadi Islamic denomination. They see neither the Sunnis nor the Shiites as legitimate representatives of Islam and have their own interpretation.