Muscat: The Sultanate had a total of 1.2 million youth in the age group of 18 to 29 by the middle of 2017, of which Omani youth accounted for 46.7 per cent, according to data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The ratio of Omani youth in the age group was close to what it was between 2013 and 2017, when there were 103 males for every 100 females. The largest ratio — 41.4pc — of Omani youth are in Muscat and North Al Batinah governorates and 1pc each from Musandam and Al Wusta. One-third of Omani youth are concentrated in six wilayats: Salalah, Suhar, Saham, Al Suwaiq, Ibri and Seeb.
According to statistics, illiteracy among youth is declining steadily, dipping from 1.1pc in 2013 to 0.9pc in 2017. In the 18 to 29 age group, 88.3pc of the total number of students were enrolled in government and private higher educational institutions in the academic year 2015-16. Youths graduating from higher educational institutes in the same academic year accounted for 83pc of the total number of graduates.
Youths (age group 15 to 29) represented 23pc of the total number of disabled card holders in 2017. At 61.6pc, males accounted for the largest number.
Among young disabled people, mental disability is the most common, followed by disability in movement. The total number of employed youth in the age group 15 to 29 was 699,581, accounting for 18pc of total Omani population. Youths accounted for 29pc of the total employed Omani population in 2017, which is 4pc less than in 2013. The number of male workers rose from 67pc of the total Omani youth population in 2013 to 68pc in 2017. The number of insured/self-employed youth in the age group less than 20 to 30 was 2,773 in 2017. Of the total number of job-seekers, 74pc are in the 15 to 29 age group.
The total number of convicts in the country has reached 20,800, of which 39pc are youth in the age group 18 to 29. Among crimes committed by Omani youth, crimes against individuals account for the most (28pc) followed by crimes for money (27pc). The number of road accident victims in 2017 was 3,774, which led to 640 deaths and 3,134 injuries. Twenty-eight per cent of the deceased and 32pc of the injured comprised youth in the 16 to 25 age group in 2017 as against 31pc of dead and 37pc of injured in 2013.