Huge jump in number of active businesses in Oman

Muscat: The number of active businesses in the Sultanate stood at more than 152,000 in the third quarter of 2017 according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Statistics Department.
The total number stood at 152,539, a growth of 1,603 per cent compared to 8,957 during the same period in 2016,
Most of them were focused in the Governorate of Muscat with 34.3 per cent, followed by the Governorate of North Al Batinah with 15.6 per cent and the Governorate of Dhofar with 12.2 per cent.
In absolute terms, the Governorate of Muscat had 52,340, active business followed by the Governorate of North Al Batinah with 23,866, the Governorate of Dhofar with 18,591, the A’Dakhiliyah with 12,411, North A’Sharqiyah with 11,648, South Al Batinah with 10,257, South A’Sharqiyah with 9,169, A’Dhahirah with 6,181, Al Buraimi with 4,784, Al Wusta with 1,712 and the Governorate of Musandam with 1,580.
The Ministry affirmed that it continues in its efforts to encourage the private sector and enhance its efforts to contribute to the growth of the Sultanate’s national economy.