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The Sultan, now 38, has made a remarkable advance toward bringing his country out of the Dark Ages. The three miles of paved highway have grown to 1,305, and there are an additional 8,055 miles of graded road. Oman now has 13 hospitals, twelve health centers and 365 schools. In 1970, the country had two nurses and twelve doctors; the totals today are 624 and 211. Color television and air conditioning are common; new construction is transforming the capital of Muscat into a dusty city of modern banks, hotels and low-cost housing. By and large, British industry and contractors are the biggest beneficiaries of the development spending. Britain's share last year is estimated at more than $400 million. Despite its oil income, Oman has had budget deficits of $20 million a year for the past two years; the Saudis have quietly picked up the tab.
Sultan Qaboos believes absolute rule is a thing of the past and that a modern king must give his people a voice in their own future. "Firepower, color television, air conditioning can't satisfy people wanting their own parliament," he says. "That's the message of the 20th century. Kings and shahs, sultans and emirs, must all bow to it. And dictators too." But the
Sultan has not made any significant moves to give up power. Last week, in a Cabinet shuffle that created ten new posts, he brought several of his relatives into the Cabinet.
Quiet and generally unassuming, Qaboos tends to keep a low profile. He often dresses in military uniform without badge or rank, and is seldom recognized when he drives about the country in his Land Rover. Married, with no children, he follows a strict Muslim lifestyle; he never drinks or smokes. His first luxury when he came to power was to order a complete set of Gilbert and Sullivan records and install a stereo set. Of late he has indulged his taste for luxury cars, including two Porsches and several Mercedes.
Qaboos is acutely aware that he needs Britain now more than ever, since Iran will no longer be acting as policeman of the Persian Gulf. For the same reason, he is anxious for the U.S. to play a more active role. "The Sultan is in the cockpit of conflict," says one of his British officers. "How he flies will determine the future of several kings, including King Khalid of Saudi Arabia. What he's done in nine years shows that he's got the hang of it. I'd wager when the time comes, he'll not be found wanting to do what's right.
After all, he's Sandhurst."