The Sultanate of Oman is a country in Southwest Asia, on the southeast coast
of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates in the northwest,
Saudi Arabia in the west, and Yemen in the southwest. The coast is formed by the
Arabian Sea in the south and east, and the Gulf of Oman in the northeast. The
country also has an enclave enclosed by the United Arab Emirates.
Chief of state and government is the hereditary sultān, Qabūs ibn Saˤīd as-Saˤīd,
who appoints a cabinet to assist him. In the early 1990s, the sultan instituted
an elected advisory council, the Majlis ash-Shura, though few Omanis were
eligible to vote.
Universal suffrage for those over 21 was instituted on 4 October 2003. Over
190,000 people (74% of those registered) voted to elect the 83 seats. Two women
were elected to seats.
The sultan functions as an absolute ruler.
Oman is the world's easternmost Arabian country. The majority of Omanis are
Arabs, although there are sizable Baloch and Swahili minorities. As in most
other Arab countries, a large number of foreign workers live here, mostly from
India and Pakistan. The official language is Arabic, but the minorities speak
their own languages. A non-Arabic Semitic language Bathari is spoken in Dhofar.
Islam is the predominant religion, mostly Ibādiyya, with a Sunni population in
Dhofar. Exact numbers are not certain.The largest religious minority are the
Hindus which account for 13% of the population.