Oman

A revolution of sorts has been taking place in Oman over the past decade. Around 8% of the country’s population was using the internet in the latter half of the 2000s, at a time when the countries of the OECD had averages hovering between 40% and 60%. By 2011, however, the percentage of internet users had soared, reaching nearly 70%, according to data collected by the...

Located on the coast, roughly halfway between Muscat and Salalah, the port of Duqm is the sultanate’s newest maritime trade facility. It could also become one of its most important centres for ship repair and shipbuilding, as well as for the Omani – and regional – oil industries, and ultimately take a key role in the sultanate’s maritime...

Given Oman’s maritime history, it is perhaps unsurprising that it has turned to the sea for inspiration in its bid to provide new opportunities for its youthful population. Oman Sail’s core purpose is to act as a national initiative that will contribute to the development of young Omanis through sport, and its ambitious goal to teach 70,000...

In recent years, a confluence of factors like broadband infrastructure, social awareness and mobile penetration have given the ICT sector a major boost in the Middle East. The region as a whole is set to spend over $20bn on information technology in 2012, a 10% increase compared to 2011, according to US-based market research firm Frost &...

Oman’s cultural heritage is renowned throughout the region and beyond, and much of the government’s effort in relation to it has been exerted on its preservation and ensuring that the sultanate’s young population is imbued with the richness of its past. The nation’s youth are also the principal target of a drive to enhance Oman’s sporting...