Youthful Oman
In Oman there is a total population of 2.9 million of which about 900,000 are foreigners, mostly from India and the Far East. The average age in Oman is 19 years. In Western Europe it is around 40 years.
Over half of the Omanis are children and adolescents. It is quite common for families to have 6 or 8 children, as is customary in rural areas. The state has stated a goal for an average three-child family.
The birth rate is decreasing from year to year, but is still quite high. In Germany, for comparison, the mortality rate has been higher than the birth rate since 1973. This demographic characteristic challenges the country to provide training and jobs in sufficient numbers for today's youth.
Oman has been heavily investing in education and training steadily since the early 1970's, and for almost two decades has regulated the allocation of jobs to Omani nationals, gradually increasing rates. This "Omanization" means that in some industries, where twenty years ago there were mainly foreign workers, now up to 100% of the positions can be filled by appropriately qualified Omani nationals.
Georg Popp
What makes this travel guide so special? This book is a product of the long-term personal friendship between the authors, Mr Georg Popp and Mr Juma Al-Maskari and their continuing fascination with the Sultanate of Oman. Combining their insights from European and Omani perspectives, they have produced a guide which is as much about culture and history as it is a practical guide for planning your itinerary.
