The National Survey Authority (NSA) of the Sultanate of Oman was established in 1985 as a unit within the Oman Ministry of Defence and is responsible for military and civilian surveying and mapping of the state. The Sultanate is covered in 137 1:100,000 scale maps on the Transverse Mercator projection, International ellipsoid, published in (Series K6611). This British military series was started by the Directorate of Military Survey (DMS), as a joint English and Arabic script version. NSA now maintains and updates the mapping. Limited field revision and general update of the series is being carried out and a program was completed in 1996 involving the conversion of place names into Arabic versions. A program of 1:50,000 scale mapping has been started, based upon new 1:60,000 scale aerial coverage, to support military and geological exploration requirements. A long term large scale digital mapping program for civilian ministries is in progress and includes 1:2,000, 1:5,000 and 1:10,000 scale map compilation and generation of AUTOCAD data. Urban areas and areas with development potential are being mapped, and ARC/INFO coverages of 1:20,000 scale mapping are being produced as part of the new National Geographic Database.

1:20,000 scale maps of Muscat and Salalah are available and NSA publishes a regularly revised tourist map at 1:300,000 scale, available in English or Arabic versions.

Soviet military topographic mapping remains the best available for the Sultanate of Oman, existing at the following scales: 1:1,000,000 (5 sheets, complete coverage, published 1957-1982); 1:500,000 (12 sheets, complete coverage, published 1977-1982); 1:200,000 (64 sheets, complete coverage, published 1975-1981) and 1:100,000 (130 sheets, primarily eastern country coverage, published 1978-1979). These products are available in print, digital raster and digital vector GIS formats from East View Geospatial.

Hydrographic charting of Oman is carried out by the Oman National Hydrographic Office, established in 1992. A digital chart production system has been in operation since 1995 and a series of 50 paper charts and accompanying products is in progress.

Earth science mapping of Oman is the responsibility of the Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals (MPM). Modern geological series mapping of the country was established by the French Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM) between 1985 and 1994. A 1:250,000 scale series covers the whole country in 28 sheets, available with separate explanations. 1:100,000 scale mapping covers parts of Northern and Southern Oman and a 1:50,000 scale series is published for limited northern high priority areas. A number of smaller-scale themes are also available.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has compiled a general soil map of Oman, which covers the whole country on 1:100,000 scale topographic bases. This project was completed in 1990 and sponsored by the United National Development Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. More detailed case study surveys have been carried out for some areas.

In 1993 the Supreme Committee for Town Planning assumed responsibility for civilian mapping of the country, including the compilation of urban digital coverages. Cadastral surveying and mapping is carried out by the Ministry of Housing.

Commercial coverage of Oman is available in the Arab World map library series from GEOprojects, and in the Hildebrands Urlaubskarte series from Karto + Grafik.

Copyright © 2014 De Gruyter for e-version of World Mapping Today, 2nd Edition | Copyright © 2019 East View Geospatial, Inc.

Return to Country List