Oman
Asia Β· Capital: Muscat
How it is run: Oman is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Oman is home to 5.5 million people in Western Asia, where people speak Arabic.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
5.5 million people
That is about 678 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
309,500 kmΒ²
Bigger than Texas β a long road trip from one side to the other.
ποΈ How crowded
Only about 18 people per square kilometre β lots of wide open space between towns.
π Size in its region
37th most people in Asia
21st largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Arabic
π° Money
Omani rial (Ψ±.ΨΉ.)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
80.2 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$19,947
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
79.5% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
24.3% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+968
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.om
π§ People here are called
Omani
π·οΈ Name at home
ΨΉΩ Ψ§Ω
Also written: Sultanate of Oman, SalαΉanat Κ»UmΔn.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Oman touches 3 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
OmΓ‘n
French
Oman
Arabic
ΨΉΩ Ψ§Ω
Chinese
ιΏζΌ
Japanese
γͺγγΌγ³
Russian
ΠΠΌΠ°Π½
Portuguese
OmΓ£
German
Oman
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 266.4Γ as many people as Oman.
- Oman covers roughly 2,948 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Oman lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 2,747 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Oman is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
π·οΈ Official name
Sultanate of Oman
ποΈ Capital
Muscat
π Region
Asia Β· Western Asia
π€ Country code
OM
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Oman π
π§ Where on the map
21.0Β° N, 57.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+4 β when it is noon in London it is about 16:00 in Muscat.
- The capital of Oman is Muscat β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Oman sits in Western Asia, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- Oman is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Oman is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Oman lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Oman has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Oman can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Oman spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Oman?
Muscat
Which money do people spend in Oman?
Omani rial (Ψ±.ΨΉ.)
How many countries share a land border with Oman?
3 β Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
Roughly how many people live in Oman?
5.5 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.