Languages spoken in Oman
Asia · Capital: Muscat · Population 5.3 million
The official language of Oman is Arabic. An estimated 81% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 4.3 million people. After Arabic, the most widely spoken are Baluchi at 4.9% and Persian at 0.9%. Arabic belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family. Arabic is also spoken in all three of its neighbours. In total, three languages are recorded in Oman, and their shares add up to 86.8% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 0.9 of them.
What languages are spoken in Oman?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArabicAfro-Asiatic | 81% | Official | 4.3 million |
| Baluchi | 4.9% | Spoken | 261,838 |
| PersianIndo-European | 0.9% | Spoken | 50,230 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Oman?
The official language of Oman is Arabic. Arabic is spoken by an estimated 81% of the population, or roughly 4.3 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Arabic in Oman?
An estimated 81% of Oman's 5.3 million people speak Arabic, which works out at roughly 4.3 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Oman
- Capital
- Muscat
- Population
- 5.3 million
- Continent
- Asia
- Area
- 309,500 km²
- Currency
- OMR
- Languages recorded
- 3
- Land borders
- 3
- ISO codes
- OM / OMN / 512
Which countries border Oman?
Oman shares a land border with three countries: the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. Arabic, the most widely spoken language in Oman, is also spoken in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.