Oman's population crosses 4.5 million

Muscat: The Sultanate’s population became 4,527,446 by the end of December 2021 compared to 4,481,042 during the same period in 2020, an increase of 1.04 per cent, according to the annual bulletin on population statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The statistics showed an increase in citizens by 2.49 per cent compared to the same period in 2020. The number of Omanis stood at 2,804,117 representing 62 per cent of the total population against 1,723,329 expatriates representing 38 per cent, a decrease of 1.25 per cent.

North Al Batinah Governorate topped the five governorates with the highest population where the Omanis amounted to 20.1 per cent, followed by Muscat Governorate (19.7 per cent), Al Dakhiliyah Governorate (13.4 per cent), South Al Batinah Governorate (12.9 per cent) and South Al Sharqiyah Governorate (8.3 per cent), respectively.

The population density in the Sultanate amounted to 14.6 person per square kilometre by the end of December 2021. Muscat Governorate has the highest density of population with 327 persons,. 5 persons for each square kilometre, while Al Wusta Governorate has the lowest population density with 0.6 persons for each square kilometre.

The population in the urban areas represented 79.5 per cent while the rural areas’ population represented 20.5 per cent of the total population.

The categories of the youth and children (29 years and below) represented the biggest sector of the population forming two-thirds of the Omani population (63 per cent) while children aged less than 5 years represented 14 per cent of the total Omani population.

The age group 18-29 years is the biggest sector of expatriates’ population with 22.1 per cent males and 17.4 per cent females.