Is it possible for a developing country to transform itself dramatically into a modern nation in a very short-time frame? Yes, it is, as the Sultanate of Oman has proven in only two decades.

The third largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, the Sultanate of Oman is older than the United States by 33 years. As a political entity, Oman has been around longer than any other nation in the Gulf region.

Located at the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, the Sultanate of Oman is bordered by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on the west; the Republic of Yemen on the south; the Strait of Hormuz on the north and the Arabian Sea in the east. With a land as diverse as its people, Oman offers a widely varied topography, from desert oases and isolated mountain settlements to secluded fishing villages and fertile coastal plains.

Before 1970 Oman was one of the most technologically and educationally deprived countries in the world, until his Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al-Said took leadership and changed that around. His modernization efforts and accomplishments since then mark Oman as a model of social and economic growth for all developing nations. His Majesty continues in keeping up with the demands of the world economy into the new century.

At the time he assumed office in 1970, Sultan Qaboos took over a nation in need of a new direction. Many areas needed to be developed: a better schooling system, health care system, sanitary facilities for water purification, housing and communication systems. This new leader knew that to build an infrastructure in his country, he needed to establish political stability first. While facing stagnation, Oman also was struggling with a civil war being fought in his Majesty’s native Dhofar province. The Omani government was fighting a communist uprising there that was being supported by a hard-line Marxist government in South Yemen that had begun in the late 1960s. With help from Britain, Jordan and the Shah’s Iran, the civil war was contained in 1975. From this point, the focus was entirely on the development of Oman.

Education Development

In less than 20 years, educational facilities expanded from only three schools with about 900 students to 958 state schools out of which 318 are primary schools, 472 are preparatory and 168 are secondary schools with plans for the creation of 123 more schools. By the year 2001, state schools are expected to total 1,039. Private schools currently number 111 and are also expected to rise.The curriculum will also undergo major shifts. Learning periods will be longer so students can increase the number of hours they spend in class during the first 10 years of their educational lessons. The emphasis on their lessons will shift from the routine and will focus to develop scientific and logical thinking as well as acquiring skills of analysis and problem-solving.

The English language has become increasingly important recently. Soon, English will be taught from first grade, instead of the fourth, with five lessons a week.

Regarding post-secondary education, students have two options: vocational training and university education. There are five technical colleges and four vocational training centers in the country. Recently, enrollment has risen; however, the number of students at these institutes is still lower than expectations. The Sultan Qaboos University opened to students in 1986. Eight departments are incorporated into this university: medicine, engineering, science, agriculture, arts, commerce and economics, education and Islamic sciences.

The Omani government sends some of its students overseas for higher education and has licensed universities from the United States and United Kingdom to set up programs in Oman.

Recently speaking about education in the Sultanate, His Majesty said that the opening of the Sultan Qaboos University crowned the achievements in this sector. In a further bid to broaden the educational avenues, four private universities had been granted licenses. He expressed hope that those who obtained licenses to set up the universities would soon execute their plans. The establishment of a private university in Dhofar region is progressing well and the university would open soon, His Majesty said and urged others to set up similar universities in the other regions to enable Omani youth to receive higher level of education in their home land.

Because of the remarkable achievements in the educational system, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos last year was awarded the Shield of the Arab Education, Culture & Science Organization in recognition of his leadership particularly in the elimination of illiteracy and of the raising of education standards throughout his nation.

Health Development

In development of health services, Oman’s achievements are remarkable. In 1970, life expectancy was less than age 50; today it is more than age 70. Then, there was one main hospital, located in the capital of Muscat. Presently, 47 hospitals, 13 of them being classed as regional hospitals, and 115 health clinics are spread throughout the country. A new hospital is planned in the interior city of Nizwa, approximately 120 miles outside of the capital, and, another regional hospital will be built in Ibri, located in the Northwest region of the country.

Healthcare is provided free to all Omani citizens; however, nominal charges for services are being considered. In the capital area, health care tends to be very good, but, recruiting highly qualified medical staff is difficult in the more remote areas; in some cases, the Omani government will pay for special treatment either in the United Kingdom or India only for Omani citizens.

Most of the medical faculty are trained on their own grounds, mainly at the Sultan Qaboos University. Hundreds of new medically trained specialists graduate yearly and contribute to the health developments of their country.

Water Resources Development

Oman is located in a semi-arid climatic zone, so water is scarce. The government has built 48 dams at various sites in the nation to help reserve rainfall water. Seventeen of that 48 are recharge dams, 30 are small retention dams and one is a flood protection dam.

Rainfall is monitored regularly at several sites. The objective is to improve water use efficiency through water demand management and appropriate water resources development, which has been done so far through regulations and legislation. The latest series of amendments to these regulations was passed in 1995. Requests for construction and deepening of wells within the Sultanate are assessed according to these regulations, taking into account the water situation in the area.

A pilot project to decrease drinking water consumption by putting water savers on taps was successful, demonstrating that much urban water can be saved conjunction with active public awareness campaigns.

The government has completed a master plan for the supply of water to the capital area up to the year 2010. The plan includes extending distribution pipelines as well as commercial, industrial and house connections, which have reached a total of more than 70,000 connections to the main supply. Just this year, two new additional reservoirs were constructed in the capital area at a cost of about $3 million. Considerable progress has been made not only in the supply of water to the capital area and other major urban developments, but also to smaller communities throughout the country, such as Nizwa, Sohar, al-Buraimi, Mahdah and Sur – which all have major water distribution networks.

Housing Development

In the early eighties, a Ministry of Housing was established to take responsibility for town planning and land allocation from the Ministry of Lands and Municipal Affairs. His Majesty has directed that all Omanis be allocated one plot of land in the area where they work and another plot in the area where they live. The purpose is to provide housing for all by the new century. Despite the increase in population, this goal is being achieved through the effort of the Ministry of Housing, which attaches great importance to detailed planning for all regions of the country. The latest housing census estimates that nearly 90 percent of Omanis own their own homes.

In the Sultanate, land is divided into three categories: 1) government land, 2) religious endowments, 3) and individual ownership.

Before the Ministry of Housing was established as early as 1973, a low-cost housing scheme for those on limited incomes was introduced. In 1977 with the issue of the Social Housing Law, this scheme was updated. The government provided the basic infrastructure, such as access roads, water and electricity, while the residents only paid a monthly installment equivalent to $65.

In the early nineties, a new opportunity came up for those seeking a soft house loan. An interest- free loan is granted on condition that the borrower repays it in equal monthly installments before his/her retirement from either the public or private sector. The borrower cannot be older than 60 and the monthly deduction from his salary must not be detrimental to the family’s overall income.

Government grants are provided to those who have suffered in natural disasters, such as flood victims, and to those with insufficient living standard incomes.

Telecommunications Development

The government-owned General Telecommunications Organization (GTO), was established in 1980 and is now self-financed. A firm of consultants is calculating the current net worth of the GTO, which remains responsible for the infrastructure of the telecommunications network and the extension of a modern telephone system throughout the country. However, it is expected that a fully state-owned joint stock company will be established which, depending on market conditions, would gradually offer the company’s capital for sale to the private sector through the Muscat Securities Market.

Oman was the first country in the region to privatize all terminal equipment sales as well as maintenance and installation of equipment.

The GTO has played a leading role in the modernization and development of Oman. In 1970, the system was basic, served by only 500 analog lines covering the capital Muscat and nearby Muttrah, while international calls could only be made through three HF radio channels. Presently, nearly all the telephone exchanges are digital and calls can now be made all over the world.

The main objective of GTO is for every household in Oman to have a telephone as well as access to public services. GTO is continuously upgrading all its transmission facilities with fiber optic cable using all the latest technology.

Since 1970, The Sultanate of Oman, has had friendly diplomatic relations with a total of 134 countries representing all the continents. Although they have not broken off relations with any country, one of the most significant and enduring relationships is with the United States.

The Sultanate was the first Arab country to establish diplomatic contact with the United States, doing so in the first half of the 19th century. Diplomatic relations between the two countries began 166 years ago during Andrew Jackson’s presidency. But, informal ties were established more than 200 years ago when a U.S. ship sailed into Muscat Harbor in 1790. Thirty-eight years later, an American merchant named Edmund Robert opened talks with Sultan Said in Zanzibar, then the Western capital of the Omani Empire. This led to the signing of a formal treaty in Muscat in1833.

Although the relationship between the two countries began long ago, it really didn’t start to evolve until the early 1970s. In 1972, the first US ambassador was accredited to Oman. Numerous events have promoted the growth of the strong and cooperative relationship between Oman and the U.S., as both nations seek to promote their mutual interests in security, prosperity and stability in the Gulf region.

The United States and Oman are strategic partners with a long history of close relations and mutual cooperation on a broad spectrum of issues. A tradition of commercial relations dates back to the early days of American independence. The U.S. is Oman’s fourth largest trading partner and its companies are working in sectors from oil and natural gas to manufacturing to provide career opportunities for the young Omanis as part of ‘Omanization’ efforts. The most important pillar of the US-Oman partnership recently has been military cooperation. Oman, as long ago as World War II, has made aircraft facilities on Masirah Island and Salalah available to the American military.

As a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) since its formation in 1981, Oman is an essential partner in preserving freedom of navigation in the Gulf and a key participant in regional strategic planning. Its location, wrapped around the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, guards the southern approaches to the Strait of Hormuz across from Iran. Oman was the first Gulf country that negotiated a security cooperation agreement with the U.S.; it was signed in 1980 after the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and the fall of the Shah. This agreement was expanded and renewed in 1990 and is still in effect.

Regarding the Middle East region’s struggle with fundamentalists, Sultan Qaboos has publicly stood with the U.S. in condemning terrorism and violence. On numerous occasions, he has spoken out against those who would use terror or the religion of Islam to oppose the peace process or violently oppose stable governments.

These two nations strive to share knowledge and experience as they continue to respect and be concerned for the Gulf region’s security and stability. In all the years of the relationship, there has never been any major friction.