Oman People - 2024

Population

3,833,465 (2023 est.)

note: immigrants make up approximately 46% of the total population (2019)

Nationality

noun: Omani(s)

adjective: Omani

Ethnic groups

Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African

Languages

Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Swahili, Urdu, Indian dialects

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Arabic audio sample:

Religions

Muslim 85.9%, Christian 6.4%, Hindu 5.7%, other and unaffiliated 2% (2020 est.)

note: Omani citizens represent approximately 56.4% of the population and are overwhelming Muslim (Ibadhi and Sunni sects each constitute about 45% and Shia about 5%); Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists account for roughly 5% of Omani citizens

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.88% (male 586,608/female 558,770)

15-64 years: 66.17% (male 1,404,289/female 1,132,250)

65 years and over: 3.95% (2023 est.) (male 70,976/female 80,572)

2023 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 42

youth dependency ratio: 38

elderly dependency ratio: 4

potential support ratio: 25.2 (2021 est.)

Median age

total: 27.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 27.9 years

female: 26 years

Population growth rate

1.8% (2023 est.)

Birth rate

21.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

3.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate

-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

the vast majority of the population is located in and around the Al Hagar Mountains in the north of the country; another smaller cluster is found around the city of Salalah in the far south; most of the country remains sparsely poplulated

Urbanization

urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.650 million MUSCAT (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.24 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1.16 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

17 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 14.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 75.2 years

female: 79.2 years

Total fertility rate

2.67 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.3 (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

29.7% (2014)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 97.9% of population

total: 99.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 2.1% of population

total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

5.3% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density

1.77 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density

1.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

27% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 0.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 8% (2020 est.)

male: 15.5% (2020 est.)

female: 0.4% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.2% (2016/17)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

56.4% (2023 est.)

Education expenditures

5.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.7%

male: 97%

female: 92.7% (2018)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 15 years (2021)