Even though Oman is a modern country, western influences are quite restricted. The Ibādī form of Islam is also conservative like Sunni Islam and Shi'a Islam. About 83% of Oman is Muslim. As is the case with most Middle Eastern countries, alcohol is only available in some hotels and few restaurants.

Although Arabic is Oman's official language, there are native speakers of different dialects, as well as Balochi (the language of the Baloch from Pakistan), or offshoots of Southern Arabian, a Semitic language only distantly related to Arabic, but closely related to Semitic languages in Eritrea and Ethiopia. Swahili is also widely spoken in the country due to the historical relations between Oman and Zanzibar the two languges have been linked historically. The dominant indigenous language is a dialect of Arabic and the country has also adopted English as a second language. Almost all signs and writings appear in both Arabic and English. A significant number also speak Hindi, due to the influx of Indian migrants during the late 1980's and the 1990's.

The 1984 "Basic Law" clearly provides for freedom of opinion within limits of the prevailing law. Oman has 26 publications available to the public, five of which are daily newspapers as well as four weekly magazines. Omani writers are starting to make their voices heard nationally and internationally. Saif al-Rahbi is a widely travelled and translated Omani poet, and the editor of the Omani cultural journal Nizwa. Saud al-Mudhaffar has written a number of popular novels, including the first Omani novel in English, Man and Woman.

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