Knowledge Report considers Oman's population growth by 2040

Muscat: Knowledge report, which was released recently, is based on a predicted population rise of almost 67 per cent by 2040, an official revealed.
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The second edition of Knowledge Oman, published by the National Centre for Statistics and Information, has assessed the needs of every governorate in Oman for the next 25 years. Analysts looked at how many extra jobs, homes, teachers, classrooms, doctors and nurses will be required by 2040.
An official within the NSCI spoke to the Times of Oman, and explained that 2nd edition of the Knowledge Report was building on the first report’s predicted population data.
“The first edition of the Knowledge report talked about the Sultanate’s projected population numbers by 2040, both with Omanis and expats, as well as the services the country provides and is in need for. We used that report, along with another former report, Scenarios of Population Growth of Oman to predict those essential needed services that will have to be accounted for,” they said.
According to the NCSI, Oman’s population is expected to reach almost 5.7 million residents by 2040.
This is divided into the expected population boom of Omani citizens, at 3,799,760 by 2040, and expats, at 1,897,032 by 2040.
The projected increase is notably higher with Omani citizens, with an expected 65.7% increase from 2015 numbers, than with expats, with only a predicted 1.1% increase in population numbers.
The NCSI source also explained that the reports go through multiple stages and arduous challenges in order to be published.
“These reports are extensive to write, because the researchers rely on one another. We need to be sure of very line of data and number, because a mistake would create error in the whole process.”
“Our team dedicated most of their time towards preparing this issue, even though they had other tasks while working on the report. We have three or four people prepare the statistics, two or three people compile the report, and another person working on the design. We have another person who revises the report. The report is checked for language and revised by our media as well,” they explained. The second edition of the Knowledge report also drew some resident hopes with regards to the country’s future endeavours.
“More open industrialisation can take advantage of Oman’s connectivity and natural resources without exploiting them. More open administrative structure, more locals in every strata of jobs with fair competitions with people from other parts of the world, which generates better skilled and educated persons on whom the country can thrive for longer run,” said Harsh Anjaria.
Another resident, Mir Khan, commended the report and Oman’s progress in technology and education.
“Oman will have definitely have skilled graduates to overtake maximum market in all professional fields. I hope the government will definitely cooperate with them and encourage them to be qualified,” he said.
Emily Shotter, a resident, thought that diversifying the economy would be key, as well as encouraging foreign investment.
“While there are many contentious conversations about expats and Omanisation, I do believe that most economies thrive from having a multicultural workforce, but Omanisation at graduate and lower white collar levels is also important for employing young people coming out of universities,” she said.