Sultan Qabus University, near Masqat, opened in 1986. Agriculture is dominated by the cultivation of export crops, primarily dates and limes. Some grains and vegetables are grown for local consumption, but most food must be imported. In the late 1980s petroleum production totaled about 212.5 million barrels annually. A road-building program was undertaken in the 1970s and '80s, and most settlements are linked by a network of graded roads.
Oman is ruled by a sultan, who is advised by an appointed cabinet.
The country has no constitution, legislature, or political parties. The judicial system is based on Islamic law. A chief court and court of appeals are located in Masqat. In the early 3rd century AD an Arab chief from Hira in Mesopotamia founded a kingdom in Oman that retained its independence until the first caliphate. The Omanis accepted Islam in the 7th century and elected their first imam in 751.