Oman's budget surplus widened to RO442.3 million ($1.2 billion) in the first seven months of the year compared with January-June, data from the Gulf country's finance ministry showed on Sunday.

Oman based its 2011 budget on a projected oil price of $58 a barrel and expected a deficit of RO850 million.

Analysts polled by Reuters in June expected the non-Opec oil producer to post a surplus of 4.8 percent of gross domestic product in 2011. – Reuters