The sultanate’s economy continues to enjoy the benefits of petroleum wealth, which has provided budget surpluses in most years and served as a backbone for growth. However, planning is well under way for an era in which oil will not be the main economic driver, with the twin goals of diversification and creating an increased number of private sector jobs at the top of the government’s current agenda. Indeed, in recent years, the non-OPEC oil exporter’s economy has been undergoing a steady transformation, reorienting from oil toward a more diverse set of service and industry-based economic activities. So far, progress has been promising. In 2011 oil and gas accounted for 38.8% of GDP. With the continuation of higher-than-expected energy prices in 2012, the government has increased economic investments accordingly. These investments, which include infrastructure, social programmes and small-business development, are aimed toward better preparing the country for its post-fossil fuel future.

Oman’s economy contracted by 13.8% in nominal terms in 2015 as the ongoing low oil price environment squeezed growth and led to the largest budget deficit in over a decade. In a bid to tackle the shortfall the government is taking a number of revenue-raising measures such as cutting subsidies and increasing corporation tax, while remaining focused on its long-term diversification goals. Though hydrocarbons still account for 33.9% of GDP and 78.7% of state revenues, non-oil sectors are playing an increasingly prominent role in the country’s economic profile. Authorities are targeting heavy industries in particular with plans to boost their GDP contribution to from 19.8% today to 29% by 2020. Meanwhile annual growth of 6% is being targeted in the mining sector, with a host of regulatory initiatives being implemented as the government seeks to boost investor interest. Start reading

This book discusses the scope of science education research and practice in Asia. It is divided into five sections: the first consists of nine chapters providing overviews of science education in Asia (China, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Oman, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand). The second section offers chapters on content analysis of research articles, while the third includes three chapters on assessment and curriculum. The fourth section includes four chapters on innovative technology in science education; and the fifth section consists of four chapters on professional development, and informal learning. Each section also has additional chapters providing specific comments on the content. This collection of works provides readers with a starting point to better understand the current state of science education in Asia.

Qatar’s sizable oil and natural gas reserves have underpinned its rapid economic growth over the past two decades. Home to the world’s largest non-associated gas field, the country is the world’s fourth-largest producer of dry natural gas and the largest producer of liquefied natural gas, with hydrocarbons revenues forming the bulk of national income as a result. Although the drop in global energy prices has impacted export revenues, rigorous economic diversification drives in recent years have paid dividends, and in 2015 non-hydrocarbons growth reached 7.7%, compared to a 0.1% contraction for hydrocarbons growth during the same period. The country’s financial sector has continued to evolve; Islamic banking in particular has witnessed significant progress. Meanwhile, as the country gears up to host several important sporting events in the coming years, most notably the 2022 FIFA World Cup, numerous big-ticket infrastructure builds continue to expand the construction sector.

The Sultanate of Oman is one of the few "good news" stories to have emerged from the Middle East in recent memory. This book traces the narrative of a little-known and relatively stable Arab country whose history of independence, legacy of interaction with diverse cultures, and enlightened modern leadership have transformed it in less than fifty years from an isolated medieval-style potentate to a stable, dynamic, and largely optimistic country. At the heart of this fascinating story is Oman’s sultan, Qaboos bin Sa’id, friend to both East and West, whose unique leadership style has resulted in both domestic and foreign policy achievements during more than four decades in office. Exploring Oman from a historical perspective, Funsch examines how the country’s unique blend of tradition and modernization has enabled it to succeed while others in the region have failed. Accounts of the author’s own experiences with Oman’s transformation add rich layers of depth, texture, and personality to the narrative.

An irreversible transformation is taking place in the lives of many thousands of university educated professional women in the United Arab Emirates, Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Drawing on eight years' participative research and extensive secondary sources, Nick Forster introduces the first extensive study to document this development in the Middle East. This book documents the emerging economic and political power of women, and how they are beginning to challenge ancient and deeply-held beliefs about the 'correct' roles of men and women in conservative Islamic societies, and in public and private sector organisations. It also describes the vital role that women could play in the economic development and diversification of these countries, and the broader MENA region, in the future. It is an essential read for professionals, scholars and students, in fields as diverse as economic development, international management, gender studies, and Middle Eastern studies.

Optimal Design and Retrofit of Energy Efficient Buildings, Communities, and Urban Centers presents current techniques and technologies for energy efficiency in buildings. Cases introduce and demonstrate applications in both the design of new buildings and retrofit of existing structures. The book begins with an introduction that includes energy consumption statistics, building energy efficiency codes, and standards and labels from around the world. It then highlights the need for integrated and comprehensive energy analysis approaches. Subsequent sections present an overview of advanced energy efficiency technologies for buildings, including dynamic insulation materials, phase change materials, LED lighting and daylight controls, Life Cycle Analysis, and more. This book provides researchers and professionals with a coherent set of tools and techniques for enhancing energy efficiency in new and existing buildings. The case studies presented help practitioners implement the techniques and technologies in their own projects. - Introduces a holistic analysis approach to energy efficiency for buildings using the concept of energy productivity - Provides coverage of individual buildings, communities and urban centers - Includes both the design of new buildings and retrofitting of existing structures to improve energy efficiency - Describes state-of-the-art energy efficiency technologies - Presents several cases studies and examples that illustrate the analysis techniques and impact of energy efficiency technologies and controls