Population in the Sultanate of Oman exceeded 4.5mn at the end of 2021, reaching a total of 4,527,446 people when compared with 4,481,042 people by the end of 2020.

As per the data issued in the annual report by the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the rate of citizens to expatriates stood strong at 61.94 per cent to 38.06 per cent, with Omanis constituting 2,804,117 people and expats at 1,723,329.

The Governorate of Muscat reportedly hosts the largest number of residents at a rate of about 29 per cent, and its population touched 1,311,686 people, including 758,309 expatriates at 57.8 per cent of the total population.

Omanis are in the highest concentration in the Governorate of North Al Batinah – which includes six Wilayats, including Sohar, Shinas, Liwa, Saham, Al Khaboura and Al Suwaiq – representing 20.1 per cent of the total population, which translates to 563,662 people.

This was followed by the Governorate of Muscat at 19.7 per cent with 553,377 people in total; and the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah at 13.38 per cent with 375,288 Omanis. The Governorate of South Al Batinah came in fourth with 361,473 Omanis.

Meanwhile, the total number of Omanis in the Governorate of Dhofar touched 220,457. The citizens to expats ratio in the region touched 52.4 to 47.6 per cent (total expatriates in the Governorate come in at 199,867).

In December of 2021, Al Buraimi Governorate recorded a decrease in its population by 1.37 per cent compared to November 2021. This, as per NCSI, arises from a decrease in the number of arrivals, which amounted to 46,421 expatriates, or 38.56 per cent of the total population in the province – which in total hit 120,372 people.

As Duqm increases its footprint in the Sultanate and its economy, the population in the region has also witnessed a sharp increase over the last year.

The data reveals that 51.8 per cent of the total population of the Governorate of Al Wusta (which is home to Duqm) are expatriates. This amounts to an expatriate count of 27,416, and 25,551 Omanis living in the four Wilayats of the Governorate.