Oman · Constitution
Basic Law of the State
Promulgated by royal decree in 1996 and comprehensively revised in 2021. It declares Oman an Arab Islamic state with Sharia as the basis of legislation, vests sovereignty in the Sultan, and guarantees equality before the law, personal liberty, property and privacy. The 2021 revision established a Crown Prince — the eldest son of the Sultan's eldest son — creating a clear line of succession where previously the ruling family council chose within three days of a vacancy, and it expanded the chapter on rights and duties. There is no provision for judicial review of royal decrees.
The constitutional text
Promulgated by royal decree in 1996 and comprehensively revised in 2021. It declares Oman an Arab Islamic state with Sharia as the basis of legislation, vests sovereignty in the Sultan, and guarantees equality before the law, personal liberty, property and privacy. The 2021 revision established a Crown Prince — the eldest son of the Sultan's eldest son — creating a clear line of succession where previously the ruling family council chose within three days of a vacancy, and it expanded the chapter on rights and duties. There is no provision for judicial review of royal decrees.
Separation of powers
Unitary. Eleven governorates headed by appointed governors, with municipal councils holding advisory functions over local services. No legislative competence exists below the national level.
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