Governorates of Oman: population and official figures
Oman is divided into 11 governorates. The largest by population is Muscat with 1,532,486 people (28.6% of the total); the smallest is Musandam with 56,002. Population is the registered population of the Sultanate (Omanis and expatriates) at the end of December 2025 from the National Centre for Statistics and Information. Oman has 11 governorates; Al Batinah and Ash Sharqiyah are each split into North and South.
Who governs Oman's governorates?
Governorates (11): Governor (muhafidh) appointed by royal decree; municipal council with appointed members plus elected members, chaired by an appointed chair. Since the 2022 Governorates System law, governorates manage local development and municipal services; councils advise on infrastructure, health, environment and social issues.
How local power works in Oman · Level 5: devolved and state governments worldwide
All 11 governorates, largest first
| # | Governorate | Population | Year | Growth (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muscat | 1,532,486 | end of December 2025 | +2.3% |
| 2 | Al Batinah North | 939,746 | end of December 2025 | +1.6% |
| 3 | Al Batinah South | 585,794 | end of December 2025 | +3.4% |
| 4 | Ad Dakhliyah | 570,269 | end of December 2025 | +1.7% |
| 5 | Dhofar | 532,897 | end of December 2025 | +0.6% |
| 6 | Ash Sharqiyah South | 374,962 | end of December 2025 | +1.5% |
| 7 | Ash Sharqiyah North | 321,045 | end of December 2025 | -0.1% |
| 8 | Adh Dhahirah | 246,823 | end of December 2025 | +1.0% |
| 9 | Al Buraymi | 135,509 | end of December 2025 | -0.2% |
| 10 | Al Wusta | 64,024 | end of December 2025 | +4.6% |
| 11 | Musandam | 56,002 | end of December 2025 | +1.5% |
Cities: the largest cities of Oman.
More on Oman: official statistics · government and power · local power
Sources
- National Centre for Statistics and Information, Sultanate of Oman: Statistical Year Book 2026 (issue 54, data for 2025), Table 6-2: population, area and population density by governorate, 2023-2025, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4e64f3cac6c9…)
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