Checking out some figures for Buraimi
I had one or two thoughts subsequent to posting about the elevation of Al Buraimi to governorate status yesterday.
Rummaging for a few facts and figures, I came across an excellent website hosted by the Ministry of National Economy which provides summaries of the census data for both censuses of 1993 and 2003. It's possible to view figures down to each wilayat in the Sultanate, showing the divisions between Omani and expatriate, male and female, and population by age, plus many other indicators. I recommend it as a source, particularly as the counter at the bottom said that it had received only 462 visitors.
I was interested in the population of Al Buraimi, and noted that the population rose overall by 6% between 1993 and 2003, whereas the population of Ibri, which is the major town in the region of Ad Dahirah region, to which Al Buraimi belonged until its elevation to governorate status on 16th October, declined by 4%. This doesn't mean that people moved from Ibri. In fact, the total population of Ibri increased from approximately 93,512 in 1993 to 97,504 in 2003. But the proportional rate of increase is much greater in Al Buraimi. Significantly, the rate of increase of the expatriate population in Ad Dahirah as a whole increased from 12.8% in 1993 to 16.2% in the less than 15 years age group, while it decreased for the same age group in the Omani population.
The percentage population in Mahdah dropped by just 0.3% in the same period, relative to Ad Dahirah, although the overall numbers had gone up by just under 600.
This suggests an insurge of population to the border town of Al Buraimi, where trade with UAE is likely to stimulate the economy. Some expatriates who work in UAE choose to live just over the border in Oman where rents are cheaper, and some expatriate residents of Oman prefer to send their children to school in Al Ain. At least, I recall hearing that.
The new governorate of Al Buraimi should enjoy more autonomy in organising its affairs but it will also come under more direct scrutiny from the Ministry of the Interior.
I'm also curious as to how these changes might impact on the Supreme Committee for Town Planning. After all, if the governor of Dhofar and the president of Muscat Municipality are members, why not the governor of Al Buraimi? I note that the governor of Musandam is not on the committee, but then most of mountainous Musandam would probably be classified as rural.
The creation of the wilayats of Al Sinainah and of Al Mazyounah in Dhofar will affect the constitution of the Majlis ash Shura, for which elections are in preparation for next year.
Rummaging for a few facts and figures, I came across an excellent website hosted by the Ministry of National Economy which provides summaries of the census data for both censuses of 1993 and 2003. It's possible to view figures down to each wilayat in the Sultanate, showing the divisions between Omani and expatriate, male and female, and population by age, plus many other indicators. I recommend it as a source, particularly as the counter at the bottom said that it had received only 462 visitors.
I was interested in the population of Al Buraimi, and noted that the population rose overall by 6% between 1993 and 2003, whereas the population of Ibri, which is the major town in the region of Ad Dahirah region, to which Al Buraimi belonged until its elevation to governorate status on 16th October, declined by 4%. This doesn't mean that people moved from Ibri. In fact, the total population of Ibri increased from approximately 93,512 in 1993 to 97,504 in 2003. But the proportional rate of increase is much greater in Al Buraimi. Significantly, the rate of increase of the expatriate population in Ad Dahirah as a whole increased from 12.8% in 1993 to 16.2% in the less than 15 years age group, while it decreased for the same age group in the Omani population.
The percentage population in Mahdah dropped by just 0.3% in the same period, relative to Ad Dahirah, although the overall numbers had gone up by just under 600.
This suggests an insurge of population to the border town of Al Buraimi, where trade with UAE is likely to stimulate the economy. Some expatriates who work in UAE choose to live just over the border in Oman where rents are cheaper, and some expatriate residents of Oman prefer to send their children to school in Al Ain. At least, I recall hearing that.
The new governorate of Al Buraimi should enjoy more autonomy in organising its affairs but it will also come under more direct scrutiny from the Ministry of the Interior.
I'm also curious as to how these changes might impact on the Supreme Committee for Town Planning. After all, if the governor of Dhofar and the president of Muscat Municipality are members, why not the governor of Al Buraimi? I note that the governor of Musandam is not on the committee, but then most of mountainous Musandam would probably be classified as rural.
The creation of the wilayats of Al Sinainah and of Al Mazyounah in Dhofar will affect the constitution of the Majlis ash Shura, for which elections are in preparation for next year.
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