Middle East > Oman > Government

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Administrative divisions 5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat (Muscat)*, Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)*
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador	Martti Isoaro
Capital city	Muscat
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	23 37 N, 58 35 E
Capital city > Name	Muscat
Capital city > Time difference UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens
Copyright > Reference	Art. 7,
Corruption	6.3		[28th of 160]
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection	50 pma
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX	[968] 24-699771
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Muscat
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone	[968] 24-643-400
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX	[1] (202) 745-4933
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone	[1] (202) 387-1980
Executive branch > Cabinet Cabinet appointed by the monarch
Executive branch > Chief of state Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
Executive branch > Elections	the monarch is hereditary
Executive branch > Head of government Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972)
Flag description three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band
Flag modification	18		[92nd of 197]
Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment	January 21, 1977
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth	8.85 %		[15th of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$	5,296,590,000 constant 2000 US$		[52nd of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita)	2,090.339 constant 2000 US$ per c		[28th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU	1954830000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU	2125925000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$	5,529,062,000 $		[60th of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP)	0.228 $ per $1 of GDP		[24th of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita)	2,182.085 $ per capita		[35th of 184]
Government type	monarchy
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom	Noel Guckian
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom > Resident Heads of Missions > Type	Embassy
Independence 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
International organization participation ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch Supreme Court; note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Sharia law
Legal origin French
Legal system based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla or upper chamber (70 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and Majlis al-Shura or lower chamber (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers)
Legislative branch > Election results new candidates won 46 seats and 38 members of the outgoing Majlis kept their positions; none of the 20 female candidates were elected
Legislative branch > Elections last held 27 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
Management time dealing with officials > % of management time	6.88 %		[14th of 38]
National holiday Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November
Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint	20.47 %		[16th of 38]
Political parties and leaders	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	none
Procedures to build a warehouse > number	16		[101st of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita)	6.233 per 1 million people		[49th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number	41		[50th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita)	15.972 per 1 million people		[38th of 171]
Procedures to register property > number	2		[164th of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita)	779.125 per 1 billion people		[73rd of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > %	2.4 %		[166th of 174]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number	9		[100th of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita)	3.506 per 1 million people		[44th of 171]
Status	absolute monarchy
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces are not allowed to vote
Time required to build a warehouse > days	242 days		[50th of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days	598 days		[56th of 171]
Time required to register property > days	16 days		[140th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days	34 days		[92nd of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours	52 hours		[166th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years	4 years		[44th of 151]
Total businesses registered > number	141,175		[40th of 71]
Total businesses registered > number (per capita)	56.227 per 1 million people		[26th of 83]
Trademarks, nonresidents	1,418		[53rd of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita)	671.081 per 1 million people		[39th of 146]
Trademarks, residents	220		[76th of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita)	104.117 per 1 million people		[73rd of 142]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public
United Nations mission http://www.omanet.com/ http://www.etectonics.com/oman/omanworld_foreign.asp
Washington, D.C. embassies > Neighborhood	Kalorama Heights

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