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Oman |
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| Area:
212,500sq km (82,000sq m) |
| Population:
2.5 million |
| Capital:
Muscat |
| Currency:
Oman Riyal (approx RO 0.380=US$1) |
| Local Time: GMT + 4hrs |
| Religion: Ibadi Muslim
(73%), Sunni Muslim, Shiite Muslim, Hindu |
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Climate:
Summer is between April and September when the
weather is hot and humid. The winter (Oct -March) is
much cooler and pleasant. |
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Geography
The Sultanate of Oman is the second largest country in
the Arabian Peninsula. It occupies the south eastern portion
of the peninsula with a coast line extending to 1,700km. It
is bordered to the west by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to the
south by Yemen. The east coast meets with the Arabian Sea
and the Gulf of Oman. Oman's terrain has a varied
topography, consisting of plains, desert, mountain ranges
and wadis. Approx. 82% of Oman consists of desert. The
capital of Oman is Muscat and in the south of the Sultanate
is Salalah, the administrative capital of the Dhofar region. |
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Language
The official language of Oman is Arabic. Other minority
languages spoken include Farsi, Urdu and Baluchi. English is
widely understood and spoken and is commonly used in
business communities and to some extent in the government.
Whilst there is no official policy discouraging the use of
other languages in speech or print, the government requires
Arabic to be used in official correspondence and public
legal documents. |
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Business Hours
Government: 7.30am-2.30pm (Sat-Wed)
Private Sector: 8.00am-1pm (Sat-Thurs), 4pm-7pm
(Sat-Wed)
Banking Hours: 8.00am-12noon (Sat-Wed), 8am-11am (Thurs)
During the holy month of Ramadan,
working hours are shorter with most offices closed in
the afternoon. Friday is the weekly official holiday.
Public holidays are given for all the major Muslim
festivals; a 3-4 day holiday is usually given for the
occasion of Eid Al Fitr & Eid Al Adha.
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Visa Requirements
Nationals of GCC countries may enter Oman without a
visa. All other foreign nationals wishing to enter the
Sultanate must obtain a visa from an Oman embassy or be
sponsored by an Omani national or business entity
registered in Oman. Tourist visas can be obtained from
an Oman embassy, with or without a sponsor, and are
valid for 3 weeks. Short visit visas are granted on
arrival at Seeb International Airport to nationals of
specified counties and the visa is valid for 14 days
only (for a list of specified counties, please check the
Oman Royal police website at the address given at the
end of this section).
Employment visas are granted at the
request of a local sponsor and are valid for staying in
the country for 2 years. They are renewable and valid
for multiple entries. A family joining visa is granted
to the wife of a foreigner who is resident in Oman and
also to their children (under 28yrs). This is also valid
for two years, renewable and valid for multiple entries.
Visa requirements are subject to
change and should be checked on the Royal Oman police
website (www.rop.gov.om) under the Passport and
Residence section of the Services page.
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Local Laws & Customs
Oman is a Muslim state and Islamic customs, in public,
are strictly observed. In public, general modesty of
behavior and dress is expected.
The import of narcotics, alcohol and
obscene material is forbidden and can lead to
imprisonment. There are severe penalties for drug
offences. Alcohol is available in large hotels and
restaurants, but only holders of permits issued by the
Royal Oman Police may by, alcohol for their private
consumption at home.
Regarding other religions, Oman is
very tolerant and there are a number of churches and
temples for worshippers of other faiths.
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Driving Licenses
An Omani driving license is obtained for the Royal Oman
Police, Traffic Department. An application for an Omani
driving license by a non Omani national must be completed in
Arabic, signed by the applicant's sponsor and accompanied by
a copy of their labour card and foreign driver's license. An
eye test is also required. Applicants whose driver's
licenses are not recognized by the ROP Traffic department
must undertake a driving test. A foreign tourist can use his
/ her own country's driving license or an international
license for a period of 3 months |
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| Useful links for further information on
Oman |
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www.lonelyplanet.com |
A short and concise overview of Oman
for the first time visitor. |
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www.cia.gov |
The CIA World Fact book provides in
depth facts and figures on all aspects of Oman. |
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www.omantel-www.yellowpages.com |
Business directory with an excellent
'General info on Oman' section. |
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www.ameinfo.com |
Middle East Business Portal. Contains
country profile of Oman but information appears to be
largely taken from the CIA Fact book mentioned above. |
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www.zawya.com |
Informative
Middle East Business Portal with links to country
specific news. |
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www.rop.gov.om |
Official site
for the Royal Oman Police. Amongst many other things, it
provides essential up-to-date information on visa ,
residence and driving licence issues. |
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www.timesofoman.com |
English language daily
newspaper in Oman. |
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www.omanobserver.com |
English language daily
newspaper in Oman. |
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www.omanet.com |
An information packed site created by Oman's ministry of
information with multiple links to other helpful
resources. |
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www.hsbc.com |
HSBC bank provides an excellent business oriented profile
on Oman for the traveler on expiate to be. |
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www.bbc.co.uk |
The BBC provide good quality profiles on a range of
countries including Oman. Good general background
information on Oman with emphasis on media within the
country (television, Radio, Newspapers, Internet use). |
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www.omandaily.com |
Arabic language daily newspaper in Oman. |
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www.alwatan.com |
Arabic language daily newspaper in Oman. |
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