Clonal cytogenetic abnormalities have been reported among 30–80% of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS); however, 20–70% of patients with MDS show a normal karyotype that may nevertheless harbour a cryptic genetic alteration. Earlier reports have suggested that the distribution of specific chromosomal aberrations varies among Western and Asian countries, with geographical and ethnic differences in the frequency of specific chromosomal aberrations. This article compared the cytogenetic data of 36 adult Omani patients with MDS to previously reported data from other populations. Differences were noted between the percentages of clonal aberrations and the median age of Omani subjects at presentation in comparison to individuals of different ethnicities and from various geographical locations. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report to describe the cytogenetic data of patients with MDS from Oman.