Sultan, prime minister, foreign minister: Qaboos Bin Said Al Said
Population
21,481,334
3,090,150
Life Expectancy
75.940 years
74.470 years
Capital City
Colombo
Muscat
Largest city
Colombo (population: 648,034)
Muscat (population: 797,000)
Human Development Index
0.742
0.839
GDP per capita
$5,700 US
$26,900 US
Literacy Rate
90.7%
81.4%
Corruption Perception Index
3.2
5.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
5.8%
9.1%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
4.200%
15.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
Legal
Political System
republic
monarchy
Independence date
4 February 1948 (from UK)
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Religions
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu) 25%
Languages
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Exports
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
External Debt
$22,810,000,000 $
$9,054,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar - 108.33 (2008), 110.78 (2007), 103.99 (2006), 100.498 (2005), 101.194 (2004)
Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar - 0.3845 (2008 est.), 0.3845 (2007), 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.600%
11.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
Area
65,610 km sq
309,500 km sq
Coastline
1,340 km
2,092 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
