Capital: Muscat
Administrative divisions: there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 governorates (muhafazah, singular - muhafazat); Masqat, Musandam, Zufar

Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
National holiday: National Day, 18 November (1940)

Constitution: none

Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the sultan; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: none

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970)
cabinet: Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral Consultative Council

Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system

Political parties and leaders: none
Other political or pressure groups: NA
Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Ahmad bin Muhammad al-RASBI
chancery: 2342 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 387-1980 through 1982
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador David J. DUNFORD
embassy: address NA, Muscat
mailing address: P. O. Box 202 Code No. 115, Muscat
telephone: [968] 698-989
FAX: [968] 604-316

Flag: three horizontal bands of white (top, double width), red, and green (double 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 at the top of the vertical band

NOTE: The information regarding Oman on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Oman Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Oman Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.