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Oman

Middle East

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Following President Martin Van Buren’s signing of a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce in 1840 with the Sultanate of Oman, the Imam of Muscat presented him with 148 pearls as token of gratitude. The pearls, originating from the Persian Gulf, were fashioned into a necklace for the president’s daughter-in-law who was the acting first lady since Van Buren was a widower. Upon leaving office, the president returned the pearls to the United States Government and they are on display in the First Ladies Exhibit in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Pearls are unique among gems as they are the only one formed entirely within a living creature-an oyster. Natural pearls occur when an irritant enters the oyster’s shell and the mollusk protects itself from the foreign body by secreting layers of nacre. The formation of a cultured pearl utilizes the same process with the exception that a shell bead is surgically implanted into the oyster to induce nacre production. (Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History)
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Geography

Area

comparison ranking: total 72

Area - comparative

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People and Society

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Age structure

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Median age

comparison ranking: total 159

Population growth rate

comparison ranking: 52

Birth rate

comparison ranking: 62

Death rate

comparison ranking: 224

Net migration rate

comparison ranking: 121

Maternal mortality ratio

comparison ranking: 132

Infant mortality rate

comparison ranking: total 100

Total fertility rate

comparison ranking: 64

Tobacco use

comparison ranking: total 150

Education expenditures

comparison ranking: 61

Environment

Revenue from coal

comparison ranking: 167

Government

Economy

Real GDP growth rate

comparison ranking: 158

Real GDP per capita

comparison ranking: 62

Labor force

comparison ranking: 123

Unemployment rate

comparison ranking: 14

Public debt

comparison ranking: 116

Taxes and other revenues

comparison ranking: 21

Current account balance

comparison ranking: 33

Exports

comparison ranking: 56

Imports

comparison ranking: 71

Energy

Energy consumption per capita

comparison ranking: 9

Communications

Internet users

comparison ranking: total 105

Transportation

Airports

comparison ranking: 110

Roadways

comparison ranking: total 78

Merchant marine

comparison ranking: total 117

Military and Security

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comparison ranking: 6

Terrorism

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