|
Country
|
Oman | 
Lesotho |
|
Leader
|
Sultan, prime minister, foreign minister: Qaboos Bin Said Al Said
|
Head of state: King Letsie III
|
|
Population
|
3,090,150
| 1,930,493
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
74.470 years
| 51.860 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Muscat
| Maseru
|
|
Largest city
|
| Muscat (population: 797,000) | Maseru (population: 118,355) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.839
| 0.496
|
| GDP per capita |
$26,900 US
| $2,000 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
81.4%
| 84.8%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
5.5
| 3.2
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
9.1%
| 25.8%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
15.000%
| 45.000%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
monarchy
| parliamentary constitutional monarchy
|
|
Independence date
|
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
| 4 October 1966 (from UK)
|
| Religions |
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu) 25%
| Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
|
| Languages |
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
| Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
|
| Exports |
petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
| manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
|
| External Debt |
$9,054,000,000 $
| $729,900,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar - 0.3845 (2008 est.), 0.3845 (2007), 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004)
| maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
11.400%
| 2.600%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
| Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
|
| Area |
309,500 km sq
| 30,355 km sq
|
| Coastline |
2,092 km
| 0 km
|
| Climate |
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
| temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
|
|
|
|
