Oman

In the mature telecommunications markets of North America and Europe, internet services generally grew out of existing telephone networks. During the 1990s, early adopters around the world can still recall the odd noises of their 56-K dial-up modems. As technologies developed, operators used copper phone, cable television and other fixed...

While Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Manama and other port cities in the Gulf developed on relatively flat, sandy terrain, the ancient port settlement of Muscat grew around several peaks, which continue to define the city’s unique appearance. The country’s interior is ever more rugged. To the north, the Hajjar Mountains, which separate Oman from the UAE, dwarf the peaks of Muscat...

As the Ministry of Health (MOH) establishes its long-term development strategy for the sector, the question of alternative funding sources has risen to the fore – and a recent health care summit in Muscat provided a useful forum for discussion on the subject.

The provision of employment opportunities for Oman’s young population has become a primary concern of the government in recent years. While the sultanate has escaped the recent political turbulence that has afflicted other parts of the region, Oman’s median age of 24.1 (compared, for example, to a median age of 40.2 in the UK) underlines the...

After many years of building up the transport system – and with over $11bn in the budget for hard infrastructure projects during the 2011-2015 period – the next few years promise significant transformation. New and expanded roads, a handful of new airports and airport extensions, and major port developments are under way, with opportunities for...