MUSCAT: Hospital deaths among Omani senior citizens dropped by nearly 45 per cent in 2025, according to new statistical data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The report also showed that the total number of senior citizens in the Sultanate of Oman reached approximately 256,469 in 2025, with Omanis accounting for about 73.5 per cent (188,390 individuals), representing an increase of roughly 4 per cent compared to 2024.
More than half of Omani senior citizens were concentrated in the governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah, and Al Batinah North. Forecasts indicate that the total number of Omani senior citizens will rise to approximately 385,395 by 2040.
Health indicators clarified that the total number of Omani senior citizen hospital admissions in Ministry of Health institutions reached 46,517 cases in 2025, declining by about 3 per cent compared to the previous year, with respiratory system diseases accounting for 14 per cent of total hospital admissions.
Total deaths among Omani senior citizens reached 2,596 in 2025, with circulatory system diseases accounting for 24 per cent of deaths.
In the field of education, indicators showed that 33 per cent of total Omani senior citizens held no educational qualification in 2025, numbering 62,723 senior citizens, of whom males accounted for 32 per cent and females 68 per cent. Additionally, Omani senior citizens with qualifications below the General Education Diploma represented about 26.3 per cent of the total Omani senior citizens in 2025.
Regarding marital status, indicators clarified that 88 per cent of total male Omani senior citizens were married, compared to 49 per cent of total female Omani senior citizens being married.
Regarding economic indicators, the old-age dependency ratio for Omani senior citizens reached 10.8 in 2025, compared to 10.7 in 2024. Retirees represented about 26 per cent of total Omani senior citizens. The total number of employed Omani senior citizens reached 53,900 workers in 2025, decreasing by roughly 5 per cent compared to the previous year, while the number of Omani senior citizen business owners stood at 7,637, compared to 11,958 in the previous year.
Ownership-related indicators revealed that 72 per cent of total Omani senior citizens owned one or more plots of land in 2025, while the percentage of those owning one or more residential units reached 51 per cent. Furthermore, the total number of Omani senior citizens owning one or more vehicles reached 64,200.
Regarding social protection, the number of beneficiaries of the elderly benefit rose by approximately 6 per cent to reach 174,662 beneficiaries in 2025, equivalent to 93 per cent of the total in this category. Muscat Governorate recorded the highest number of beneficiaries of the elderly benefit, with 38,192 beneficiaries, representing 22 per cent of total beneficiaries.
The number of beneficiaries of services provided to senior citizens also increased by nearly 20 per cent to reach 6,996 beneficiaries in 2025.
The total number of retirees registered in pension funds reached approximately 160,000 retirees, a decline of about 4 per cent compared to the previous year, with government sector retirees forming 66 per cent of the total. Indicators also showed that 43 per cent of total female service leavers left due to resignation by the end of 2025.
