Sultanat Uman

Political Status: Independent sultanate recognized December 20, 1951; present regime instituted July 23, 1970; new “basic law” decreed on November 6, 1996.

Area: 119,500 sq. mi. (309,500 sq. km).

Population: 4,438,000 (2020E—World Bank); 3,634,689 (2020E—U.S. Census).

Major Urban Center (2020E—World Population Review): MUSCAT (797,000, urban area), Seeb (237,816), Salalah (163,140), Bawshar (159,487), Sohar (108,274), As Suwayq (107,143).

Official Language: Arabic.

Monetary Unit: Oman Rial (official rate September 30, 2020: 0.39 rial = $1US).

Head of State and Government: Sultan HAITHAM bin Tariq al-Said; ascended to position on January 11, 2020, the day after the death of Sultan Qabus bin Said al-SAID, who assumed power on July 23, 1970, in a coup d’état that deposed his father, Sultan Said bin Taymur al-SAID.