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For the most part, Oman comprises a narrow coastal plain backed by hill ranges and an interior desert plateau. The highest point is Jebel Sham (c.9,900 ft/3,018 m). In the extreme north, dates, limes, nuts, and vegetables are cultivated, and in the southwest there is an abundance of cattle and other livestock. Fishing is an important industry. The major product, however, is oil, which was discovered in Oman in 1964 and first exported in 1967. Natural gas production and small copper mines developed in the early 1980s and are a part of Oman's growing industries. The inhabitants are mostly Arabs; there are also minorities of Pakistanis, Indians, Africans, Baluchis, and migrant workers of varied ethnicities.
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