Oman (Sultanate of Oman)

https://www.humantruth.info/oman.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2025

Oman Sultanate of Oman
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	110th best
Capital	Muscat
Land Area	309 500km²₁
Location	Asia, The Middle East
Population	4.8m₂
Life Expectancy	72.54yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$27 054 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	OM, OMN, 512₅
Internet Domain	.om₆
Currency	Rial (OMR)₇
Telephone	+968₈

1. Overview

“The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, but it never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al-Said overthrew his father, and he has since ruled as sultan. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries. Inspired by the popular uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa beginning in January 2011, Omanis began staging marches and demonstrations to demand economic benefits, an end to corruption, and greater political rights. In response to protester demands, QABOOS in 2011 pledged to implement economic and political reforms, such as granting legislative and regulatory powers to the Majlis al-Shura and introducing unemployment benefits. In August 2012, the Sultan announced a royal directive mandating the speedy implementation of a national job creation plan for thousands of public and private sector jobs. As part of the government's efforts to decentralize authority and allow greater citizen participation in local governance, Oman successfully conducted its first municipal council elections in December 2012. Announced by the Sultan in 2011, the municipal councils will have the power to advise the Royal Court on the needs of local districts across Oman's 11 governorates.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Oman is the obvious choice for those seeking out the modern face of Arabia while still wanting to sense its ancient soul. The sultanate of Oman could be the Arabian Peninsula´s most rewarding destination. More accessible than Saudi Arabia, safer than Yemen and more traditional than the Gulf emirates, Oman nonetheless has plenty to rival these countries´ attractions and more. A stirring past that combines the great sweep of Bedouin history with a proud seafaring tradition has bequeathed to the country some extraordinary forts and other traditional architecture. And Mutrah Souq in Muscat is a fantasy of an Arabian bazaar come to life, with glittering gold and clouds of incense. But it´s Oman´s diverse natural beauty that is the main drawcard. Here you´ll find beautiful beaches, the jagged ramparts of mountain ranges and the perfectly sculpted sands of the fabled Empty Quarter.
Oman is an understated presence among the glitzy states of the Gulf. What it does boast, with its rich heritage and embracing society, is a strong sense of identity, a pride in an ancient frankincense-trading past and confidence in a highly educated future.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Oman National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₁
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
51	Brunei	0.829
52	Russia	0.822
53	Romania	0.821
54	Oman	0.816
55	Bahamas	0.812
56	Kazakhstan	0.811
57	Trinidad & Tobago	0.810
58=	Costa Rica	0.809
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₁
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
49	Romania	$30 027
50	Greece	$29 002
51	Russia	$27 166
52	Oman	$27 054
53	Panama	$26 957
54	Malaysia	$26 658
55	Seychelles	$25 831
56	Chile	$24 563
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₂
1	Denmark	27.2
2	Norway	29.2
3	Sweden	30.2
	...
107	St Lucia	92.6
108	Honduras	92.6
109	Maldives	92.6
110	Oman	92.9
111	India	93.4
112	Botswana	94.6
113	Kyrgyzstan	94.7
114	Nicaragua	95.4
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	89.2
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Oman's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Oman's population is predicted to fall to 3 603 000 by 2030. Developed countries with falling populations face a pension's crises, whereby an increasingly ageing population must be cared for by fewer and fewer workers. Economic stability can be maintained by increasing foreign workers from younger countries. This country has a fertility rate of 2.57. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₃. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population₂
Pos.		2018 Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
118	Congo, (Brazzaville)	5.2m
119	Costa Rica	5.0m
120	Palestine	4.9m
121	Oman	4.8m
122	Liberia	4.8m
123	Ireland	4.8m
124	New Zealand	4.7m
125	Central African Rep.	4.7m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₁
Pos.		2021 Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
86	Samoa	72.8
87	Brazil	72.8
88	Dominican Rep.	72.6
89	Oman	72.5
90	Belarus	72.4
91	Bangladesh	72.4
92	Peru	72.4
93	Syria	72.1
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
96	Guam	2.55
97	Cuba	1.45
98	UAE	1.44
99	Oman	2.57
100=	Greece	1.43
100=	Portugal	1.43
102	Bolivia	2.58
103	Russia	1.42
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better₁₆
Pos.		2016 Per 100₁₆
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
49	Namibia	07.4
50=	Botswana	07.7
50=	UAE	07.7
52	Oman	07.8
53	Jordan	08.0
54	Laos	08.1
55	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	08.2
56	Belize	08.3
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants₁₇
Pos.		2017 %₁₇
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
7	Bahrain	48.4%
8	Singapore	46.0%
9	Luxembourg	45.3%
10	Oman	44.7%
11	Hong Kong	39.1%
12	Saudi Arabia	37.0%
13	Jordan	33.3%
14	Nauru	32.7%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants₁₈
Pos.		2010 %₁₈
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
185	Qatar	0.7%
186	Nigeria	0.6%
187	Maldives	0.6%
188	China	0.6%
189	Japan	0.6%
190	Oman	0.5%
191	Madagascar	0.4%
192	Montenegro	0.0%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender #gender_equality #human_rights #misogyny #morals #oman #oman_gender #politics #prejudice #tolerance #women

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉
1	Sweden	7.5
2	Netherlands	8.6
3	Denmark	9.0
	...
164	Egypt	125.4
165	Chad	127.2
166	Zimbabwe	127.2
167	Oman	127.7
168	Zambia	128.2
169	Nigeria	128.2
	Asia Avg	110.11
	World Avg	90.04
q=198.

Oman is amongst the worst places in the world at ensuring human rights and freedom, and it has severe cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Oman does better than average in opposing gender inequality₂₀. However Oman performs less well in most areas. It does worse than average in commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₁, combatting modern slavery₂₂, supporting press freedom₂₃, its average Freedom in the World rating, freethought₂₄, its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₅ and in LGBT equality in the 2020s₂₆. And finally, it sits amongst the bottom 20 for its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₇. Free speech is routinely denied, even on independent social media platforms where saying that that displeases the government can result in arrests and detainment₂₈. Migrant workers, especially, are often abused and are poorly protected₂₈.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Human Rights and Freedom in Oman

5. Oman's Health

#health

Compared to Asia (2025)₂₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₉
1	Japan	40.8
2	Singapore	43.3
3	S. Korea	53.7
	...
15	UAE	75.9
16	Vietnam	77.5
17	Qatar	77.9
18	Oman	80.7
19	Iran	80.8
20	Maldives	82.2
21	Armenia	85.3
22	Russia	86.8
23	Saudi Arabia	88.6
	Asia Avg	90.68
q=50.

Health (2025)₂₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₉
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	40.8
	...
65	Macedonia	78.5
66	Belarus	80.2
67	Dominica	80.4
68	Oman	80.7
69	Iran	80.8
70	Grenada	81.1
71	Uruguay	82.1
72	Maldives	82.2
	World Avg	97.39
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₀. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₀.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₀, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Melanesia₃₀.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#2010s #alcohol #birth_control #children's_health #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #oman #overpopulation #smoking #suicide #vaccines

Public health in Oman is very good. Oman does the best when it comes to delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₁. It comes in the best 20 when it comes to delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₃₂ and in its suicide rate₃₃. And finally, it does better than average when it comes to its smoking rate₃₄, its alcohol consumption rate₃₅, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₆, its adolescent birth rate₃₇, childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₈, the prevalence of overweight adults₃₉, its average life expectancy₁₁ and in its fertility rate₁₅. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Oman improved by +8.2yrs in the 30 years from 1990, just over the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. Oman is amongst only 41 countries who have seen their fertility rate drop by more than 4 since the 1960s. Its peak fertility rate was 8.13 in 1981.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₁
Pos.		2021 Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
86	Samoa	72.8
87	Brazil	72.8
88	Dominican Rep.	72.6
89	Oman	72.5
90	Belarus	72.4
91	Bangladesh	72.4
92	Peru	72.4
93	Syria	72.1
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better₃₅
Pos.		2016 Per Capita₃₅
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
19=	Morocco	0.6
20=	Jordan	0.7
20=	Senegal	0.7
22=	Oman	0.8
22=	Indonesia	0.8
22=	Azerbaijan	0.8
25=	Algeria	0.9
25=	Malaysia	0.9
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
96	Guam	2.55
97	Cuba	1.45
98	UAE	1.44
99	Oman	2.57
100=	Greece	1.43
100=	Portugal	1.43
102	Bolivia	2.58
103	Russia	1.42
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better₃₄
Pos.		Smoking in the 2020s %₃₄
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
18	Colombia	8.2%
19=	Liberia	8.3%
19=	Guinea-Bissau	8.3%
21	Oman	8.4%
22	Belize	8.8%
23	Ivory Coast	8.8%
24	Costa Rica	8.9%
25	El Salvador	8.9%
	Asia Avg	22.8%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

In the 2000s, Oman was one of only 7 countries whose average smoking rate was less than 10%, although it has been slowly increasing each decade since then.

Suicide Rate in the 2010s Lower is better₃₃
Pos.		Suicide Rate in the 2010s Per 100k₃₃
1=	Jordan	1.00
1=	Sao Tome & Principe	1.00
1=	Antigua & Barbuda	1.00
	...
13	Indonesia	1.66
14	Brunei	1.78
15	Papua New Guinea	1.88
16	Oman	1.94
17	Azerbaijan	2.18
18	Algeria	2.26
19	UAE	2.53
20	Maldives	2.55
	Asia Avg	7.22
	World Avg	9.24
q=185. Also scored for 2000s-2010s.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₆
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
23	France	23
24	Italy	24
25	Qatar	25
26	Oman	26
27	Estonia	27
28	Austria	28
29	Greece	29
30	Nicaragua	30
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better₃₉
Pos.		1976 %₃₉
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
84	Uzbekistan	27.1
85	St Kitts & Nevis	27.2
86=	Dominican Rep.	27.3
86=	Oman	27.3
86=	Kyrgyzstan	27.3
89	Vanuatu	27.5
90=	Jamaica	28.0
90=	Dominica	28.0
	Asia Avg	23.1
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better₄₀
Pos.		2022 %₄₀
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
132	Latvia	29.8%
133	El Salvador	29.9%
134	S. Africa	30.0%
135	Oman	30.2%
136	Seychelles	30.3%
137	Slovakia	30.3%
138	Grenada	30.5%
139	Macedonia	30.6%
	Asia Avg	21.1%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #maldives #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better₃₇
Pos.		2022 Per 1000₃₇
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
43	Bosnia & Herzegovina	9.4
44	France	9.4
45	Brunei	9.5
46	Oman	9.7
47	Lithuania	9.7
48	Montenegro	9.7
49	UK	10.0
50	Latvia	10.5
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better₃₁
Pos.		Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Avg %₃₁
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
1=	French Polynesia	99.0
1=	Monaco	99.0
1=	Portugal	99.0
1=	Nicaragua	99.0
1=	Brunei	99.0
1=	Tonga	99.0
1=	Cuba	99.0
1=	Hungary	99.0
12	N. Korea	98.7
	Asia Avg	90.6
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better₃₂
Pos.		2015 Avg %₃₂
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
13	Finland	98.1
14	Saudi Arabia	98.0
15=	Luxembourg	98.0
15=	Oman	98.0
17	Antigua & Barbuda	98.0
18	Cuba	97.9
19	Belgium	97.8
20	Thailand	97.8
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		Infant Mortality (2020s) Per 1000₃₈
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
64	Albania	10.41
65	Antigua & Barbuda	11.08
66	Georgia	11.17
67	Oman	11.23
68	China	11.43
69	Tonga	12.05
70=	Argentina	12.18
70=	Thailand	12.18
	Asia Avg	23.58
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Oman in the 1960s had an awful infant mortality rate, but into the 1970s it improved more than any other country - by the 1990s rose into the top 50% globally₃₈.

In the 2000s, Oman made impressive improvements to its adolescent birth rate (only the Maldives were better improved), allowing future generations a much better quality of family and social life.

6. Oman's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #oman #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2025)₄₁
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₁
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Nepal	47.9
3	India	49.5
	...
34	Myanmar	99.9
35	Kuwait	100.5
36	Azerbaijan	101.2
37	Oman	101.8
38	Iraq	102.8
39	Lebanon	103.9
40	Bahrain	107.9
41	Mongolia	108.1
42	Armenia	108.2
	Asia Avg	88.09
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)₄₁
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₁
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
152	Bahamas	100.9
153	Azerbaijan	101.2
154	Mauritania	101.2
155	Oman	101.8
156	Iraq	102.8
157	Antigua & Barbuda	103.2
158	Seychelles	103.4
159	Bosnia & Herzegovina	103.5
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₄₂. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Oman is positioned 155th in the world when it comes to its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is calculated from 21 data sets. Oman does better than average when it comes to reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₃. But unfortunately Oman gets most other things wrong. It does worse than average for its environmental performance₄₄, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₅. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in terms of energy to GDP efficiency₄₆.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better₄₅
Pos.		Total₄₅
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
211	Argentina	-14.9%
212	Tanzania	-15.3%
213	Sudan	-16.6%
214	Oman	-16.7%
215	Guatemala	-16.8%
216	Pakistan	-18.2%
217	Namibia	-18.5%
218	Myanmar	-19.0%
	Asia Avg	3.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

After a period of stability, Oman destroyed 17% of its forest cover between 2010 and 2020, falling from 3000 hectares to 2500 hecatares.

Environmental Performance Higher is better₄₄
Pos.		2018₄₄
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
113	Botswana	51.7
114	Honduras	51.5
115	Sudan	51.5
116	Oman	51.3
117	Zambia	51.0
118	Grenada	50.9
119	Tanzania	50.8
120	China	50.7
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better₄₆
Pos.		2022 Avg₄₆
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
152	Kyrgyzstan	2.20
153	Iran	2.24
154	Russia	2.25
155	Oman	2.28
156	Canada	2.29
157	Malta	2.36
158	Mozambique	2.38
159	N. Korea	2.46
	Asia Avg	1.50
	World Avg	1.23
q=165. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

In the 1960s, Oman was using the least amount of energy per GDP per capital than any other country₄₇, but, from the 1960s to the 1970s, it then increased the amount of energy it used to maintain its GDP significantly more than any other country.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		International Accords on the Environment Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
152	Swaziland	50%
153	Kuwait	49%
154	Lebanon	49%
155	Oman	48%
156	Yemen	48%
157	Comoros	48%
158	USA	47%
159	Albania	47%
	Asia Avg	55.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Oman enacted the Rotterdam Convention on obtaining prior consent for transporting certain hazardous chemicals in 2000, whilst most others delayed it until subsequent years.

Meat Consumption Lower is better₄₃
Pos.		2021 kg₄₃
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
83	Congo, (Brazzaville)	46.0
84	Bosnia & Herzegovina	46.8
85	Chad	47.1
86	Oman	48.0
87	Ukraine	48.5
88	Cuba	49.6
89	Libya	50.0
90	Ecuador	50.9
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185. Also scored for 2010s.

In the 2010s, meat consumption per person in Oman reduced by over 10kgs per year (only 17 countries managed the same), reducing strain on water supplies and the environment.₄₃

7. Oman's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2025)₄₈
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₈
1	S. Korea	23.5
2	Taiwan	25.4
3	Japan	27.4
	...
31	Iran	89.6
32	Saudi Arabia	91.7
33	N. Korea	94.5
34	Oman	94.9
35	Sri Lanka	96.6
36	Mongolia	97.7
37	Indonesia	100.1
38	Maldives	107.2
39	Palestine	115.1
	Asia Avg	86.04
q=51.

Modernity & Learning (2025)₄₈
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₈
1	Finland	6.1
2	Iceland	8.1
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
115	Libya	92.8
116	Dominica	94.3
117	N. Korea	94.5
118	Oman	94.9
119	Sri Lanka	96.6
120	Honduras	97.5
121	Mongolia	97.7
122	St Vincent & Grenadines	98.7
	World Avg	84.96
q=197.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Iceland and Denmark₄₉. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₄₉. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₅₀.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)₅₁

27 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₄₉, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₄₉.

For more, see:

" Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#intelligence #metric #research #science

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.29₅₂
2	Israel	4.11₅₂
3	Japan	3.58₅₂
	...
93	Vietnam	0.19₅₃
94=	Panama	0.18₅₃
94=	Mauritius	0.18₅₄
96=	Oman	0.17₅₅
96=	Kazakhstan	0.17₅₅
98=	Bolivia	0.16₅₆
98=	Kyrgyzstan	0.16₅₃
98=	Sri Lanka	0.16₅₇
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₆
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
120	Niger	120
121	El Salvador	121
122	Dominican Rep.	122
123	Oman	123
124	Chad	124
125	Brunei	125
126	Ivory Coast	126
127	Kuwait	127
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better₅₈
Pos.		2025 %₅₈
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
143=	Rwanda	90
143=	Qatar	90
143=	Pakistan	90
143=	Oman	90
143=	Nigeria	90
143=	Niger	90
143=	Nepal	90
143=	Namibia	90
	Asia Avg	90
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Adopted metric in 1974. Progression:

1960 (40%): Traditional units dominant; metric limited in administration.
1970 (65%): Modernization accelerates metric adoption.
1980 (80%): Commerce/industry largely metric.
2000 (90%): Metric dominant officially.
2025 (90%).

IQ Higher is better₅₉
Pos.		2006₅₉
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
87=	Algeria	83
87=	Libya	83
87=	Tunisia	83
87=	Oman	83
87=	Syria	83
92=	India	82
92=	Bangladesh	82
92=	Lebanon	82
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

7.2. Education Datasets

#education

Secondary Education Higher is better₆₀
Pos.		2018₆₀
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
80	Venezuela	69.2%
81	Qatar	67.5%
82	Mauritius	66.9%
83	Oman	66.4%
84	Jamaica	66.3%
85	Egypt	65.3%
86	Argentina	64.8%
87	Greece	64.8%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better₆₁
Pos.		2021 Years₆₁
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
68	Algeria	14.6
69	Ecuador	14.6
70	Iran	14.6
71	Oman	14.6
72	Trinidad & Tobago	14.5
73	Slovakia	14.5
74	Dominican Rep.	14.5
75	Albania	14.4
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#it_security #modernity #technology #the_internet

Internet Users (2020s) Higher is better
Pos.		Internet Users (2020s)
1=	Iceland	99%
1=	Kuwait	99%
1=	UAE	99%
	...
17	UK	96%
18	Malaysia	96%
19	Ireland	95%
20	Oman	95%
21	Sweden	95%
22	Singapore	95%
23	Spain	95%
24	Hong Kong	94%
	Asia Avg	74.9%
	World Avg	67.8%
q=188. Also scored for 1990s-2020s.

IT Security Lower is better₆₂
Pos.		2013₆₂
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
72	China	1.59
73	Angola	1.61
74	Sri Lanka	1.67
75	Oman	1.72
76	Iraq	1.84
77	Bangladesh	1.87
78	Sudan	1.98
79	India	2.10
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better₆₃
Pos.		2017 Ratio₆₃
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
142=	Ivory Coast	0.0
142=	Mauritania	0.0
142=	Iraq	0.0
142=	Oman	0.0
142=	Papua New Guinea	0.0
142=	French Polynesia	0.0
142=	Palestine	0.0
142=	Lesotho	0.0
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better₆₄
Pos.		2024₆₄
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
53	Brazil	50.9%
54	Peru	49.9%
55	Colombia	49.8%
56	Oman	47.9%
57	Philippines	47.9%
58	Kazakhstan	47.6%
59	Indonesia	47.5%
60	India	47.0%
	Asia Avg	46.4%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Oman's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#charitability #culture #equality #human_development #inequality #peace

Compared to Asia (2025)₆₅
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₆₅
1	Singapore	16.8
2	Hong Kong	28.6
3	Japan	33.2
	...
7	Malaysia	47.3
8	UAE	49.1
9	Israel	56.6
10	Oman	62.0
11	Brunei	64.6
12	Qatar	65.3
13	Thailand	66.6
14=	Bhutan	67.2
15	Kuwait	68.7
	Asia Avg	84.07
q=50.

Culture, Peace & Inequality (2025)₆₅
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₆₅
1	Denmark	10.4
2	Netherlands	11.8
3	Finland	12.2
	...
46	Israel	56.6
47	Trinidad & Tobago	60.0
48	Bulgaria	60.4
49	Oman	62.0
50	Bahamas	62.1
51	Romania	62.2
52	Albania	63.3
53	Brunei	64.6
	World Avg	80.47
q=183.

This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 39 datasets, including multiple decades of data on resisting corruption, Creativity and Culture, overall happiness, Open Trading, Aid and Development, passport utility (so far), personal financial stability, World Giving Index, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, poverty (so far), life expectancy inequality, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.

For more, see:

"Which are the Countries for International Contributions, Creativity, Peace and Inequality?" by Vexen Crabtree (2026).

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#corruption #freedom #happiness #politics

Corruption Higher is better₆₆
Pos.		2022 Points₆₆
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
67=	Montenegro	45.0
67=	Cuba	45.0
69=	Jamaica	44.0
69=	Oman	44.0
69=	Bahrain	44.0
72=	Senegal	43.0
72=	S. Africa	43.0
72=	Bulgaria	43.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₆
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
123	Egypt	123
124	Burkina Faso	124
125	Dominican Rep.	125
126	Oman	126
127	Mozambique	127
128	Niger	128
129	Sierra Leone	129
130	Bangladesh	130
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Happiness Higher is better₆₇
Pos.		2024 Score₆₇
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
49	Thailand	6.2
50	Slovakia	6.2
51	Latvia	6.2
52	Oman	6.2
53	Uzbekistan	6.2
54	Paraguay	6.2
55	Japan	6.1
56	Bosnia & Herzegovina	6.1
	Asia Avg	5.41
	World Avg	5.58
q=147. Also scored for 2010s.

Note that Oman only had World Happiness Index data in the 2010s for 2012 and 2014, so the 'average' may be a little skewed.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₆
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
72	Ukraine	72
73	Chile	73
74	Macedonia	74
75	Oman	75
76	Dominican Rep.	76
77	Slovenia	77
78	Guatemala	78
79	Tonga	79
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Personal Financial Stability in the 2020s Higher is better₆₈
Pos.		Personal Financial Stability in the 2020s Score₆₈
1	Denmark	9.06
2	Switzerland	9.00
3	Finland	8.96
	...
64	Barbados	6.96
65	Trinidad & Tobago	6.95
66	Mongolia	6.93
67	Oman	6.91
68	Poland	6.90
69	Philippines	6.85
70	Bahrain	6.85
71	Rwanda	6.85
	Asia Avg	6.41
	World Avg	6.46
q=165.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

#human_development #peace #politics

Global Peace Index Lower is better₆₉
Pos.		2023 Score₆₉
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
45	Montenegro	1.77
46	Laos	1.78
47	Sierra Leone	1.79
48	Oman	1.79
49	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	1.80
50	Uruguay	1.80
51	Ghana	1.80
52	Senegal	1.83
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163. Also scored for 2010s.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₆
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
8	Brunei	8
9	Moldova	9
10	Morocco	10
11	Oman	11
12	Tanzania	12
13	Cameroon	13
14	Singapore	14
15	Colombia	15
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₆
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
116	Dominica	116
117	Saudi Arabia	117
118	Lesotho	118
119	Oman	119
120	Egypt	120
121	Colombia	121
122	Honduras	122
123	Guinea	123
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#health #inequality #life_expectancy

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better₇₀
Pos.		2019₇₀
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
51=	USA	6.30
51=	Romania	6.30
53	Saudi Arabia	6.40
54	Oman	6.70
55	Bahamas	6.80
56	Sri Lanka	7.00
57=	Costa Rica	7.10
57=	Russia	7.10
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism #oman

From 2010 to 2020, Oman saw significant change: a 8% drop in those describing themselves as Muslim, the biggest drop of all Muslim countries whilst Hinduism saw a +4.4% increase to 9.5% (the biggest such increase in the world in that period), and Christians by +3.7%, almost doubling their presence to 8.1% of the population. Often, rulers in Oman have been more liberal than the public, but generally Islamic radicalist and fundamentalist pressure groups are simply too powerful for the government to resist₇₁.

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₇₂:

	2010	2020
Muslim	90.1%	81.8%
Hindu	5.17%	9.53%
Christian	4.37%	8.07%
Other	0.19%	0.351%
Unaffiliated	<0.1%	0.14%
Buddhist	<0.1%	0.112%
Jewish	<0.1%	<0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Ibadhi Muslim (official) 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim, Hindu) 25%₇₃.

Links: