oman country

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OmanThe Sultanate of Oman is a sovereign country located in Southwest Asia along the eastern coast of the

Arabian Peninsula.[1] Oman borders the United Arab Emirates on the northwest, Saudi Arabia on the

west and Yemen on the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the south and east and

the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The country also contains Madha, an exclave enclosed by the UnitedArab Emirates, and Musandam, an exclave also separated by Emirati territory.

Geography of OmanOman is a country situated in Southwest Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian

Gulf, between Yemen and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Location

Oman is located in the southeastern quarter of the Arabian Peninsula and covers a total land area of

309,500 square kilometers. The land area is composed of varying topographic features: valleys and

desert account for 82 percent of the land mass; mountain ranges, 15 percent; and the coastal plain, 3

percent.

The sultanate is flanked by the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter) of

Saudi Arabia, all of which contributed to Oman's isolation. Historically, the country's contacts with the

rest of the world were by sea, which not only provided access to foreign lands but also linked the coastal

towns of Oman. The Rub al Khali, difficult to cross even with modern desert transport, formed a barrier

between the sultanate and the Arabian interior. The Al Hajar Mountains, which form a belt between the

coast and the desert from the Musandam Peninsula (Ras Musandam) to the city of Sur at Oman'seasternmost point, formed another barrier. These geographic barriers kept the interior of Oman free

from foreign military encroachments.

Geographic coordinates: 2100N 5700E

Geographical regions

Natural features divide the country into seven distinct areas: Ruus al Jibal, including the northern

Musandam Peninsula; the Al Batinah plain running southeast along the Gulf of Oman coast; the Oman

interior behind the Al Batinah coast comprising the Al Hajar Mountains their foothills, and desert fringes;

the coast from Muscat-Matrah around the Ras al Hadd point and down the Arabian Sea; the offshore

island of Masirah; and finally the barren coastline south to the Dhofar region in the south.

Except for the foggy and fertile Dhofar all of the coast and the lowlands around the Al Hajar mountains

are part of the Gulf of Oman desert and semi-desert ecoregion, while the mountains themselves are a

distinct habitat.


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Ruus al Jibal

The northernmost area, Ruus al Jibal, extends from the Musandam Peninsula to the boundary with the

United Arab Emirates (UAE) at Hisn al Diba. It borders the Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf

with the Gulf of Oman, and is separated from the rest of the sultanate by a strip of territory belonging to

the UAE. This area consists of low mountains forming the northernmost extremity of the Al Hajar al

Gharbi (Western Al Hajar) Mountains. Two inlets, Elphinstone (Khawr ash Shamm) and Malcom

(Ghubbat al Ghazirah), cleave the coastline about one third of the distance from the Strait of Hormuz

and at one point are separated by only a few hundred meters of land. The coastline is extremely rugged,

and the Elphinstone Inlet, sixteen kilometers long and surrounded by cliffs 1,000 to 1,250 meters high,

has frequently been compared with fjords in Norway.

Al Batinah

The UAE territory separating Ruus al Jibal from the rest of Oman extends almost as far south as the

coastal town of Shinas. A narrow, well-populated coastal plain known as Al Batinah runs from the point

at which the sultanate is reentered to the town of As Sib, about 140 kilometers to the southeast. Across

the plains, a number of wadis, heavily populated in their upper courses, descend from the Al Hajar al

Gharbi Mountains to the south. A ribbon of oases, watered by wells and underground channels (falaj),

extends the length of the plain, about ten kilometers inland.

Muscat-Matrah coastal area

South of As Sib, the coast changes character. For about 175 kilometers, from As Sib to Ras al Hadd, it is

barren and bounded by cliffs almost its entire length; there is no cultivation and little habitation.

Although the deep water off this coast renders navigation relatively easy, there are few natural harbors

or safe anchorages. The two best are at Muscat and Matrah, where natural harbors facilitated the

growth of cities centuries ago.

Coastal tract, and island of Masirah

The desolate coastal tract from Jalan to Ras Naws has no specific name. Low hills and wastelands meet

the sea for long distances. Midway along this coast and about fifteen kilometers offshore is the barren

Masirah island. Stretching about seventy kilometers, the island occupies a strategic location near theentry point to the Gulf of Oman from the Arabian Sea. Because of its location, it became the site of

military facilities used first by the British and then by the United States, following an access agreement

signed in 1980 by the United States and Oman.


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Oman interior

West of the coastal areas lies the tableland of central Oman. The Al Hajar Mountains form two ranges:

the Al Hajar al Gharbi Mountains and the Al Hajar ash Sharqi (Eastern Al Hajar) Mountains. They are

divided by the Wadi Samail (the largest wadi in the mountain zone), a valley that forms the traditional

route between Muscat and the interior. The general elevation is about 1,200 meters, but the peaks of

the high ridge known as Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain), rise to more than 3,000 m. Jabal Akhdar is the

only home of the Arabian tahr, a unique species of wild goat. In the hope of saving this rare animal,

Sultan Qabus ibn Said has declared part of the mountain a national park. Behind the Al Hajar al Gharbi

Mountains are two inland regions, Az Zahirah and Inner Oman, separated by the lateral range of the Rub

al Khali. Adjoining the Al Hajar ash Sharqi Mountains are the sandy regions of Ash Sharqiyah and Jalan,

which also border the desert.

Dhofar region

Dhofar region extends from Ras ash Sharbatat to the border of Yemen and north to the clearly defined

border with Saudi Arabia. Its capital, Salalah, was the permanent residence of Sultan Said ibn Taimur Al

Said and the birthplace of the present sultan, Qabus ibn Said. The highest peaks are about 2,000 meters.

The coast of Dhofar is fertile, being watered by monsoonal fogs from the Indian Ocean and is part of the

Arabian Peninsula coastal fog desert ecoregion.

Al Dharerah region consists of three parts:Dhank; Ibri; and Yanqul.

Climate

SeaWiFS captured this dust cloud blowing out over the Arabian Sea from Oman. March 12, 2000

With the exception of Dhofar region, which has a strong monsoon climate and receives warm winds

from the Indian Ocean, the climate of Oman is extremely hot and dry most of the year.

Summer begins in mid-April and lasts until October. The highest temperatures are registered in the

interior, where readings of more than 53 C (127.4 F) in the shade are common. On the Al Batinah plain,

summer temperatures seldom exceed 47 C (116.6 F), but, because of the low elevation, the humidity

may be as high as 90 percent. The mean summer temperature in Muscat is 33 C (91.4 F), but the

gharbi (literally, western), a strong wind that blows from the Rub al Khali, can raise temperatures from

the towns on the Gulf of Oman by 6 C (10.8 F) to 10 C (18 F).

Winter temperatures are mild and pleasant, ranging between 18 and 26 C (64.4 and 78.8 F).

Precipitation on the coasts and on the interior plains ranges from 20 to 100 millimeters (0.8 to 3.9 in) a

year and falls during mid- and late winter. Rainfall in the mountains, particularly over Jebel Akhdar, is

much higher and may reach 900 millimeters (35.4 in).


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Because the plateau of Jebel Akhdar is porous limestone, rainfall seeps quickly through it, and the

vegetation, which might be expected to be more lush, is meager. However, a huge reservoir under the

plateau provides springs for low-lying areas. In addition, an enormous wadi channels water to these

valleys, making the area agriculturally productive in years of good rainfall.

Dhofar, benefiting from a southwest monsoon between June and September, receives heavier rainfalland has constantly running streams, which make the region Oman's most fertile area.

Occasionally, a cyclone from the North Indian Ocean makes landfall, bringing with it heavy rain, such as

Cyclone Kelia did in 2011. Oman was hit by Cyclone Gonu on June 6. Large areas in the capital area

region in the Governorate of Muscat and in Amerat and Quriyat were severely affected. Gonu first hit

the southern city of Sur late on June 5, 2007.[1] Oman is one of the few countries with no National Red

Crescent or Red Cross Society.

Area and boundaries

Area: 309,500 km

Border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, United Arab Emirates 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline: 2,092 km

Maritime claims:

contiguous zone: 24 nmi (27.6 mi; 44.4 km)

exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (230.2 mi; 370.4 km)

territorial sea: 12 nmi (13.8 mi; 22.2 km)

Island territory: Khuriya Muriya Islands, Masirah Island

Resources and land use

Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural

gas, frankincense

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 5%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 95% (1993 est.)Irrigated land: 580 km (1993 est.)


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Environmental concerns

Natural hazards: Summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in the interior during

periodic droughts. Following rain, Wadis can fill with rainwater water and vast tracts of land can be

flooded. A cyclone making landfall can severely flood large areas, or blow sand all over the place.

Environment - current issues: Soil salinity is rising. There is beach pollution from oil spills. There are very

limited natural fresh water resources

Geographical note: Oman is in a strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz,

a vital transit point for world crude oil.

Nation state

The nation state is a state that self-identifies as deriving its political legitimacy from serving as asovereign entity for a nation as a sovereign territorial unit.[1] The state is a political and

geopolitical entity; the nation is a cultural and/or ethnic entity. The term "nation state" impliesthat the two geographically coincide. Nation state formation took place at different times indifferent parts of the earth but has become the dominant form of state organization.

The concept and actuality of the nation state can be compared and contrasted with that of themultinational state, city state,[2][3][4] empire, confederation, and other state forms with which itmay overlap. The key distinction from the other forms is the identification of a people with apolity.

History and origins

The origins and early history of nation states are disputed. A major theoretical issue is: "Whichcame first, the nation or the nation state?" Professor Steven Weber of the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley, has advanced the hypothesis that the nation-state is an inadvertentbyproduct of 15th-century advances in map-making technologies.[5][6] For nationalists, theanswer is that the nation existed first, nationalist movements arose to present its legitimatedemand for sovereignty, and the nation state met that demand. Some "modernization theories" ofnationalism see the national identity largely as a product of government policy to unify andmodernize an already existing state. Most theories see the nation state as a 19th-centuryEuropean phenomenon, facilitated by developments such as mass literacy and the early massmedia. However, historians also note the early emergence of a relatively unified state, and asense of common identity, in Portugal and the Dutch Republic.

In France, Eric Hobsbawm argues the French state preceded the formation of the French people.Hobsbawm considers that the state made the French nation, not French nationalism, whichemerged at the end of the 19th century, the time of the Dreyfus Affair. At the time of the 1789French Revolution, only half of the French people spoke some French, and 12-13% spoke it"fairly", according to Hobsbawm.


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During the Italian unification, the number of people speaking the Italian language was evenlower. The French state promoted the unification of various dialects and languages into theFrench language. The introduction of conscription and the Third Republic's 1880s laws on publicinstruction, facilitated the creation of a national identity, under this theory.

The theorist Benedict Anderson argues that nations are "imagined communities" (the memberscannot possibly know each other), and that the main causes of nationalism and the creation of animagined community are the reduction of privileged access to particular script languages (suchas Latin), the movement to abolish the ideas of divine rule and monarchy, as well as theemergence of the printing press under a system of capitalism (or, as Anderson calls it, print-capitalism). The "state-driven" theories of the origin of nation states tend to emphasize a fewspecific states, such as England and its rival France. These states expanded from core regions,and developed a national consciousness and sense of national identity ("Englishness" and"Frenchness").

Both assimilated peripheral nations (Wales, Cornubia, Brittany, Occitania); these areas

experienced a revival of interest in the national culture in the 19th century, leading to thecreation of autonomist movements in the 20th century.[7]

Some nation states, such as Germany or Italy, came into existence at least partly as a result ofpolitical campaigns by nationalists, during the 19th century. In both cases, the territory waspreviously divided among other states, some of them very small. The sense of common identitywas at first a cultural movement, such as in the Vlkisch movement in German-speaking states,which rapidly acquired a political significance. In these cases, the nationalist sentiment and thenationalist movement clearly precede the unification of the German and Italian nation states.

Historians Hans Kohn, Liah Greenfeld, Philip White and others have classified nations such asGermany or Italy, where cultural unification preceded state unification, as ethnic nations orethnic nationalities. Whereas 'state-driven' national unification's, such as in France, England orChina, are more likely to flourish in multiethnic societies, producing a traditional nationalheritage of civic nations, or territory-based nationalities.[8][9][10]

The idea of a nation state is associated with the rise of the modern system of states, often calledthe "Westphalian system" in reference to the Treaty of Westphalia (1648). The balance of power,which characterizes that system, depends for its effectiveness upon clearly defined, centrallycontrolled, independent entities, whether empires or nation states, which recognize each other'ssovereignty and territory. The Westphalian system did not create the nation state, but the nationstate meets the criteria for its component states (by assuming that there is no disputed territory).

The nation state received a philosophical underpinning in the era of Romanticism, at first as the'natural' expression of the individual peoples (romantic nationalism: see Johann Gottlieb Fichte'sconception of the Volk, which would be later opposed by Ernest Renan). The increasingemphasis during the 19th century on the ethnic and racial origins of the nation, led to aredefinition of the nation state in these terms.[10] Racism, which in Boulainvilliers's theories wasinherently antipatriotic and antinationalist, joined itself with colonialist imperialism and"continental imperialism", most notably in pan-Germanic and pan-Slavic movements.[11]


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The relation between racism and ethnic nationalism reached its height in the 20th centuryfascism and Nazism. The specific combination of 'nation' ('people') and 'state' expressed in suchterms as the Vlkische Staat and implemented in laws such as the 1935 Nuremberg laws madefascist states such as early Nazi Germany qualitatively different from non-fascist nation states.

Minorities were not considered part of the people (Volk), and were consequently denied to havean authentic or legitimate role in such a state. In Germany, neither Jews nor the Roma wereconsidered part of the people, and were specifically targeted for persecution. German nationalitylaw defined 'German' on the basis of German ancestry, excluding all non-Germans from thepeople.

In recent years, the nation state's claim to absolute sovereignty within its borders has been muchcriticized.[10] A global political system based on international agreements and supra-nationalblocs characterized the post-war era. Non-state actors, such as international corporations andnon-governmental organizations, are widely seen as eroding the economic and political power ofnation states, potentially leading to their eventual disappearance.

Characteristics of the nation state

"Legitimate states that govern effectively and dynamic industrial economies are widely regardedtoday as the defining characteristics of a modern nation-state."[13]

Nation states have their own characteristics, differing from those of the pre-national states. For astart, they have a different attitude to their territory, compared to the dynastic monarchies: it issemisacred, and nontransferable. No nation would swap territory with other states simply, forexample, because the king's daughter married. They have a different type of border, in principledefined only by the area of settlement of the national group, although many nation states also

sought natural borders (rivers, mountain ranges).

The most noticeable characteristic is the degree to which nation states use the state as aninstrument of national unity, in economic, social and cultural life.

The nation state promoted economic unity, by abolishing internal customs and tolls. In Germany,that process, the creation of the Zollverein, preceded formal national unity. Nation statestypically have a policy to create and maintain a national transportation infrastructure, facilitatingtrade and travel. In 19th-century Europe, the expansion of the rail transport networks was at firstlargely a matter for private railway companies, but gradually came under control of the nationalgovernments. The French rail network, with its main lines radiating from Paris to all corners of

France, is often seen as a reflection of the centralised French nation state, which directed itsconstruction. Nation states continue to build, for instance, specifically national motorwaynetworks. Specifically, transnational infrastructure programmes, such as the Trans-EuropeanNetworks, are a recent innovation.

The nation states typically had a more centralised and uniform public administration than itsimperial predecessors: they were smaller, and the population less diverse. (The internal diversityof the Ottoman Empire, for instance, was very great.) After the 19th-century triumph of the


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nation state in Europe, regional identity was subordinate to national identity, in regions such asAlsace-Lorraine, Catalonia, Brittany, Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica. In many cases, the regionaladministration was also subordinated to central (national) government. This process was partiallyreversed from the 1970s onward, with the introduction of various forms of regional autonomy, informerly centralised states such as France.

The most obvious impact of the nation state, as compared to its non-national predecessors, is thecreation of a uniform national culture, through state policy. The model of the nation state impliesthat its population constitutes a nation, united by a common descent, a common language andmany forms of shared culture. When the implied unity was absent, the nation state often tried tocreate it. It promoted a uniform national language, through language policy. The creation ofnational systems of compulsory primary education and a relatively uniform curriculum insecondary schools, was the most effective instrument in the spread of the national languages. Theschools also taught the national history, often in a propagandistic and mythologised version, and(especially during conflicts) some nation states still teach this kind of history.[14]

Language and cultural policy was sometimes negative, aimed at the suppression of non-nationalelements. Language prohibitions were sometimes used to accelerate the adoption of nationallanguages and the decline of minority languages (see Germanisation).

In some cases, these policies triggered bitter conflicts and further ethnic separatism. But where itworked, the cultural uniformity and homogeneity of the population increased. Conversely, thecultural divergence at the border became sharper: in theory, a uniform French identity extendsfrom the Atlantic coast to the Rhine, and on the other bank of the Rhine, a uniform Germanidentity begins. To enforce that model, both sides have divergent language policy andeducational systems, although the linguistic boundary is in fact well inside France, and theAlsace region changed hands four times between 1870 and 1945.

List of ecoregions in OmanThe following is a list of ecoregions in Oman, as identified by the Worldwide Fund for Nature(WWF).

Terrestrial ecoregions

Yemen lies on the boundary between two of the world's terrestrial ecozones. The Afrotropicecozone covers the mountainous southern and eastern fringe of the Arabian Peninsula as well asSub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. The Palearctic ecozone covers the interior of the ArabianPeninsula as well as temperate Eurasia and Northern Africa.


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Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands

Al Hajar Al Gharbi montane woodlands (Afrotropic)

The Hajar Mountains (Arabic: ) (Arabic for stone mountains) in northeastern Omanand also the eastern United Arab Emirates are the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabianpeninsula. They separate the low coastal plain of Oman from the high desert plateau, and lie 50100 km inland from the Gulf of Oman coast.

Location and description

The mountains begin in the north, forming the Musandam peninsula. From there, the NorthernHajjar (Hajjar al Gharbi) runs southeast, parallel to the coast but moving gradually further awayas it goes. The central section of the Hajjar is the Jebel Akhdar (9,834 feet (2,980 m)), thehighest and wildest terrain in the country. Jebel Akhdar (and the smaller Jebel Nakhl range) are

bounded on the east by the low Samail Valley (which leads northeast to Muscat). East of Samailare the Eastern Hajjar (Hajjar ash Sharqi), which run east (much closer to the coast) to the fishingtown of Sur, almost at the eastern point of Oman. The mountains extend for 500 km in total.The low coastal land north and east of the Jebel Hajjar is named Al Batinah Region (the belly),and the terrain inland of the mountains is Ad Dhahirah (the back).The mountains are an important ecoregion, the only habitat in eastern Arabia above 2,000 melevation. The climate is cool and wet from December to March and warmer but still withoccasional rain from April to September.

Flora

The mountains are rich in plant life compared to most of Arabia, including a number of endemicspecies. The vegetation changes with altitude, the mountains are covered with shrubland at lowerelevations, growing richer and then becoming woodland, including wild olive and fig treesbetween 3,630 and 8,250 feet (1,100 to 2,500 m) and then higher still there are junipers. Fruittrees such as pomegranate and apricot are grown in the cooler valleys and in places there arerocky outcrops with little vegetation. The flora shows similarities with mountain areas of nearbyIran, as well as with areas along the Red Sea in the Horn of Africa. For example, the treeCeratonia oreothauma is found here and also in Somalia.


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Fauna

A number of birds are found in the mountains including Egyptian Vulture and Lappet-facedVulture (Torgos tracheliotus). Mammals include Mountain Gazelle (Gazella gazella) and the

Arabian tahr (Arabitragus jayakari), which is endemic to the Al Hajar. Other endemic speciesinclude a number of geckos and lizards: Asaccus montanus, Asaccus platyrhynchus and a sub-species of Wadi Kharrar Rock Gecko (Pristurus gasperetti gallagheri) are found only in Omanwhile Musandam leaf-toed gecko (Asaccus caudivolvulus), Gallagher's Leaf-toed Gecko(Asaccus gallagheri), Oman Rock Gecko (Pristurus celirrimus), Jayakar lizard (Lacerta jayakari)and Omman's lizard (Lacerta cyanura) are found only in the Al Hajar mountains. The endangeredArabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr) is still found in the Musandam Peninsula, according tonew records of the Oman Ministry of Environment.

Threats and preservation

The tern Hajar for the protection of Arabian tahr and mountain gazelle. For visitors there is aroad into the mountains from the town of Birkat al-Mawz (on the road to Nizwa from Muscat)and a walking route through Wadi al-Muaydin to the Saiq Plateau.

Deserts and xeric shrublands

Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands (Palearctic)

The Arabian Desert is located in Western Asia. It is a vast desert wilderness stretching fromYemen to the Persian Gulf and Oman to Jordan and Iraq. It occupies most of the ArabianPeninsula, with an area of 2,330,000 square kilometers (900,000 sq mi). At its centre is theRub'al-Khali, one of the largest continuous bodies of sand in the world. Gazelles, oryx, sand cats,and spiny-tailed lizards are just some of the desert-adapted species that survive in this extremeenvironment, which features everything from red dunes to deadly quicksand. The climate isextremely dry, and temperatures oscillate between extreme heat and seasonal night time freezes.It is part of the Deserts and xeric shrublands biome and the Palearctic ecozone. This ecoregion


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holds little biodiversity, although a few endemic plants grow here. Many species, such as thestriped hyena, jackal and honey badger have become extinct in this area due to hunting, humanencroachment and habitat destruction. Other species have been successfully re-introduced, suchas the sand gazelle, and are protected at a number of reserves. Overgrazing by livestock, off-roaddriving, and human destruction of habitat are the main threats to this desert ecoregion.

Arabian Peninsula coastal fog desert (Afrotropic)The Arabian Peninsula coastal fog desert on the southern coasts of the Arabian peninsula is anecoregion which experiences thick fogs where visibility may be reduced to 33 feet (10 metres). Itis classed as a Afrotropic fog desert


This ecosystem exists on a strip along the western and eastern coasts of Arabia. It follows thecoast of Oman southward from Masirah Island and reaches inland to 120 km in the Jiddat alHarasisi plateau and the Dhofar mountains. From here it continues as a very narrow strip (only 5km wide) along the coast of Yemen and up the 50 km wide the Tihamah plain along the Red Seacoast of Saudi Arabia. In Oman and Yemen moisture is provided by thick fogs coming off the

ocean during the summer khareef monsoon, while the hot Tihamah plain is moisturised by somerainfall and the generally high humidity of the Red Sea.Flora

In this region, although it rarely rains the fog provides moisture sufficient to nurture a great dealof grassland, shrubs and thick woodland. There are over sixty local species of plant. This coastalstrip is of particular importance as further inland where the fog does not have an influence mostof the Arabian Peninsula is desert. Vegetation varies progressively away from the coast whichfeatures dense woodland of Anogeissus dhofarica, Acacia senegal and various thornyCommiphora trees and shrubs. The richest flora can be found in the Dhofar mountains whichhave 900 plants including 60 endemic species and two endemic genera, Cibirhiza and Dhofaria.

One of these plants, the Frankincense tree (Boswellia sacra) was a source of great wealth forDhofar in antiquity. In Yemen the side of Jabal Urays facing the sea is covered with Euphorbiabalsamifera shrubs.

Fauna

The many mammals found here include the Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx) which wasreintroduced to the wild after disappearing, gazelles and the Nubian ibex, a goat antelope .


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Predators found on the coast include caracals, Arabian wolf, striped hyaena and the criticallyendangered Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr), which survives on Jebel Samhan in theDhofar mountains. The Arabian Gazelle which once lived on the peninsula is now extinct.


The main threat to this ecosystem is overgrazing by increasing numbers of cattle and otherlivestock as well as off-road driving and human encroachment. Urban areas in this ecoregioninclude: in Oman the port of Duqm and the Dhofar capital of Salalah: in Yemen, the Hadramautport capital Al Mukalla, the former capital and ancient port of Aden, the Red Sea coffee ports ofAl Hudaydah (still the largest town on this coast of Yemen) and Mocha, and the World Heritagesite of Zabid; and the city of Jizan, the fruit basket of Saudi Arabia. Protected areas in Omaninclude the controversial Arabian Oryx Sanctuary where the reintroduction took place, and JebelSamhan Nature Reserve established for the protection of the leopards. There are a number ofImportant Bird Areas on the coast of Yemen but none are officially protected.[2]

Gulf of Oman desert and semi-desert (Afrotropic)The Gulf of Oman desert and semi-desert is a coastal ecoregion on the Persian Gulf and the Gulfof Oman in Oman and the United Arab Emirates at the tip of northeast Arabia


In Oman this ecoregion includes the Musandam Peninsula, the enclave of Oman within the UAEon the Strait of Hormuz, the entrance to the Persian Gulf. In the main part of Oman it includesthe coastal plain of the Al Batinah Region on the Gulf of Oman continuing along past Muscat tothe beaches and dunes of the Ash Sharqiyah Region. From the Ras al Hadd point it runs southalong the coast to the desert island of Masirah. It also includes an inland strip running along tothe southwest of the Al Hajar Mountains. In the UAE it covers the plains around the Al Hajarmountains in the east, in the emirates of Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al-Khaimah, and the country'sAl Batinah coast around Fujairah.This dry ecoregion contains a mixture of habitats including mangrove swamps, lagoons andmudflats on the coast, gravelly plains and savanna with thorny acacia trees inland with abackground of the Musandam and Al Hajar mountains. The climate is hot and dry withtemperatures up to 49 degrees Celsius (120 F) and little rainfall, especially on the Persian Gulfcoast of the UAE. There is more rainfall on the Gulf of Oman and humidity provides moisture onboth coasts.

Flora

The coastal mangrove consists of Avicennia marina, trees of the inland savanna include Ziziphusspina-christi, Prosopis cineraria and the Umbrella Thorn Acacia tortilis while the mountains arehome to Ficus cordata salicifolia, and Acacia tortilis. Finally the traditional flora of the AlBatinah coast is Acacia tortilis and Prosopis cineraria. Some of these species are found across thePersian Gulf in Iran.


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Fauna

The world's largest population of Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) breeds on MasirahIsland and other turtles that come to these coasts include the Olive Ridley (Lepydochelysolivacea), green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys

imbricata). The area is extremely rich in birdlife including a large migration between Asia andAfrica. Endemic birds include a species of Collared kingfisher. Mammals include the endangeredArabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr) in the mountains and Arabian tahr, as well as caracalsbut all these are vulnerable to hunting.


Habitats have been degraded by the grazing of livestock, especially camels and goats. The AlBatinah coastal strip of Oman is the country's most densely populated area and is intensivelyfarmed, partly by Oman's large community of Baloch people of Pakistani origin. Urban areas inthis ecoregion in Oman include the country's capital and largest city, the historical port of

Muscat, and the fishing towns of Barka, famous for its bull-butting, and Sohar, legendarily thehome of Sindbad the Sailor, and the resort of Al Sawadi. Other tourist attractions along this coastinclude the historic castles of Nakhal Fort and Rustaq, the Wahiba Sands and the turtle beachesat Ras Al Hadd and Ras al-Jinz. Cities of the UAE in this ecoregion include the huge commercialcentre of Dubai and the nearby city of Sharjah. A popular excursion from Dubai is to the Hajarmountain enclave of Hatta.Other threats to the ecoregion include oil spills in the sea, poaching of wildlife and off-roaddriving to locations such as Wadi Bani Awf. Protected areas include Ras Al Khor in Dubai,famous for its wintering flamingos, and an area of mangroves at Khor Kalba Nature Reserve onthe Gulf of Oman in the UAE near the border with Oman.

Red Sea Nubo-Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert (Palearctic)Southwestern Arabian foothills savanna (Afrotropic)

Marine ecoregions

Gulf of Oman


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The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman (Arabic: aldj Umn; alternatively known as

, aldj Makrn; in Persian: Dary-ye Ommn, or Dary-yeMakrn; in Urdu: Khaleej Oman) is a strait (and not an actual gulf) that connects theArabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generallyincluded as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. The gulf borders

Pakistan and Iran on the north, Oman on the south, and the United Arab Emirates on the west.

The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Gulf of Oman as follows:On the Northwest. A line joining Rs Limah (2557'N) on the coast of Arabia and Rs al Kuh(2548'N) on the coast of Iran (Persia)On the Southeast. The Northern limit of the Arabian Sea [A line joining Rs al Hadd, East pointof Arabia (2232'N) and Rs Jiyni (6143'E) on the coast of Pakistan].

Geology of Oman

The geology of Oman includes varied landscapes which are a blend of its geological history, andits climate over the past few million years. Rock outcrops in the Al Hajar Mountains, the Huqfand Dhofar are a point of interest for international geologists. The rock record spans about 825million years and includes at least three periods when the country was covered by ice.Oman, located at the southeast corner of the Arabian plate, is being pushed slowly northward, asthe Red Sea grows wider. The lofty Al Hajar Mountains and the drowned valleys of Musandamare dramatic reminders of this. Generally speaking Oman is fairly quiescent tectonically.Musandan experiences occasional tremors as the Arabian Plate collides with the Eurasian Plate.During the Cretaceous Period Oman was located adjacent to a subduction zone and a portion ofthe upper mantle along with overlying seafloor volcanic rocks were thrust over the continental

crust. This obducted sequence of ultramafic to mafic rocks is the Semail ophiolite complex. Theophiolite is locally rich in copper and chromite orebodies.[1][2]The interior plains of Oman are of young sedimentary rocks, wadi gravels, dune sands and saltflats. Beneath them is a several kilometre thick stack of older sedimentary rocks that host thecountrys hydrocarbon resources. Ancient salt, which comes to the surface in several salt domessuch as Qarat Kibrit, plays an important role in forming many of these oil and gas accumulations

List of birds of Oman

Indian Roller, a common and familiar bird in northern Oman.This is a list of the bird species recorded in Oman. The avifauna of Oman includes a total of 494species, of which 5 have been introduced by humans, and 146 are rare or accidental. The Ostrichis extirpated in Oman and is not included in the species count. 12 species are globally threatened.This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families, and species) andnomenclature (common and scientific names) generally follow the conventions of Clements's 6thedition with a few changes following the list of the Ornithological Society of the Middle East.The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect the Clements taxonomy, as do the


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species counts found in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included inthe total counts for Oman.The following tags have been used to highlight certain relevant categories, but not all species fallinto one of these categories. Those that do not are commonly occurring, native species.(A) Accidental A species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Oman.

(I) Introduced A species introduced to Oman as a consequence, direct or indirect, of humanactions.(Ex) Extirpated A species that no longer occurs in Oman although populations exist elsewhere.

Natural geographic features of Oman

List of wadis of OmanThis is a list of rivers and wadis in Oman arranged by drainage basin.

Musandam peninsula

Wadi BihWadi QadahWadi KhasabWadi Khabb[edit]Gulf of Oman

Wadi HattaWadi Abd ar RahmanWd Ban Umar al GharbWadi SuqWadi Jizzi

Wadi SaramiWadi al HawasinahWadi al AbyadWadi SamailWadi MayhWadi MijlasWadi DayqahWadi HawirWadi al ArabiyinWadi BimmahWadi FinsWadi ShabWadi TiwiWadi HilmWadi Rafsah[edit]Arabian Sea

Wadi al Batha (Oman) (Batha River)Wadi Bani Khalid


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Wadi AndamWadi MatamWadi al IthliWadi MahramWadi Halfayn

Wadi QuiamWadi TarbanWadi QilfahWadi GharmWadi HaytamWadi Ghadun (Arabian Sea)Wadi WatifWadi Aynayn (Aynina River)

Rub' al Khali

Wadi DankWadi KhuwaybahUmm al SamimWadi al AynWadi RafashWadi AswadWadi UmayriWadi HaniyahWadi GhulWadi MusallimWadi MajhulWadi Bin KhawtarWadi ArahWadi QitbitWadi JazalWadi MaharibWadi Umm al Hayt (Wadi Hayta)Wadi DawkahWadi Ghadun (Rub' al Khali)Wadi AydimWadi al MadiWadi StumWadi ShihanNukhdat FasadWadi Mitan


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Governorates of Oman

Since 28 October 2011, Oman is divided into eleven governorates (muhafazah):[1][2][3]Ad DakhiliyahAd DhahirahAl Batinah NorthAl Batinah SouthAl BuraimiAl WustaAsh Sharqiyah NorthAsh Sharqiyah SouthDhofarMasqat

Musandam

Demography of OmanDemographics of Oman

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Oman, including populationdensity, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliationsand other aspects of the population.In Oman, about 50% of the population lives in Muscat and the Batinah coastal plain northwest ofthe capital; about 200,000 live in the Dhofar (southern) region; and about 30,000 live in theremote Musandam Peninsula on the Strait of Hormuz. Some 600,000 expatriates live in Oman,most of whom are guest workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Morocco, Jordan, and thePhilippines.Since 1970, the government has given high priority to education in order to develop a domesticwork force, which the government considers a vital factor in the country's economic and socialprogress. In 1986, Oman's first university, Sultan Qaboos University, opened. Other postsecondary institutions include a law school, technical college, banking institute, teachers' trainingcollege, and health sciences institute. Some 200 scholarships are awarded each year for studyabroad.Nine private colleges exist, providing 2-year post secondary diplomas. Since 1999, thegovernment has embarked on reforms in higher education designed to meet the needs of agrowing population. Under the reformed system, four public regional universities were be


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created, and incentives are provided by the government to promote the upgrading of the existingnine private colleges and the creation of other degree-granting private colleges.

Population

Demographics of Oman, Data ofFAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

[edit]Census results[1]

Total population Omani population Expatriate population

1993 2,000,000 1,465,000 (73.3%) 535,000 (26.7%)

2003 2,340,815 1,781,558 (76.1%) 559,257 (23.9%)

2010 2,773,479 1,957,336 (70.6%) 816,143 (29.4%)

[edit]UN estimates[2]

Historical population

Year Pop. %

1950 456,000

1960 557,000 +22.1%

1970 732,000 +31.4%

1980 1,181,000 +61.3%
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAOhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAOhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAOhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=3http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=3http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-WPP_2010-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-WPP_2010-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oman_demographie.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oman_demographie.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oman_demographie.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oman_demographie.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-WPP_2010-2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAO


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1990 1,868,000 +58.2%

2000 2,264,000 +21.2%

2010 2,782,000 +22.9%

Source:[3]

Total population

(thousands)

Population aged 014

(%)

Population aged 1564

(%)

Population aged 65+

(%)

1950 456 42.3 54.6 3.0

1955 501 43.6 53.2 3.2

1960 557 44.6 52.1 3.2

1965 631 45.6 51.2 3.3

1970 732 46.4 50.4 3.2

1975 898 46.1 50.9 3.0

1980 1 181 45.6 51.8 2.6

1985 1 539 46.0 51.6 2.4

1990 1 868 45.6 52.1 2.3

1995 2 232 40.3 57.5 2.2

2000 2 264 36.7 60.8 2.5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-3


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2005 2 430 32.1 65.1 2.8

2010 2 782 27.2 70.3 2.5

[edit]Vital statistics

[edit]UN estimates[2]

PeriodLive births per

year

Deaths per

year

Natural change per

yearCBR

1CDR

1NC

1TFR

1IMR

1

1950-1955 23 000 13 000 11 000 48.9 26.2 22.7 7.25 214.1

1955-1960 26 000 13 000 13 000 49.1 23.9 25.2 7.25 194.1

1960-1965 29 000 13 000 17 000 49.3 21.3 28.0 7.25 171.4

1965-1970 34 000 12 000 21 000 49.3 18.2 31.2 7.31 145.4

1970-1975 40 000 12 000 28 000 49.1 14.5 34.6 7.41 114.7

1975-1980 53 000 12 000 41 000 51.2 11.5 39.7 8.10 87.6

1980-1985 67 000 11 000 55 000 48.9 8.4 40.6 8.32 64.4

1985-1990 74 000 10 000 64 000 43.3 5.7 37.6 7.85 42.5

1990-1995 68 000 8 000 60 000 33.1 4.0 29.1 6.27 31.4

1995-2000 60 000 8 000 52 000 26.7 3.4 23.2 4.46 24.4

2000-2005 50 000 7 000 43 000 21.5 3.1 18.4 3.01 15.3
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=4http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=4http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=4http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=5http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=5http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-WPP_2010-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-WPP_2010-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-WPP_2010-2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=5http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=4


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2005-2010 50 000 10 000 40 000 19.1 3.7 15.3 2.52 9.4

1CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children perwoman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births

[edit]Ethnic groups

The Omani population is predominantlyArab, with several smaller ethnicgroups, such as theAl Baharinah,Ajamiand theJibbali.

[edit]Migration

Because of the combination of a relatively small Omani population and afast-growing oil-driven economy, Oman has attracted many migrants. At

the 2010 census the total expatriate population was 816,000 or 29.4% ofthe population.[4]Most migrants are males from India (465,660 for bothsexes), Bangladesh (107,125) or Pakistan (84,658). Female migrantworkers are mainly from Indonesia (25,300), the Philippines (15,651) or(Sri Lanka (10,178). Migrants from Arab countries account for 68,986migrants (Egypt 29,877, Jordan 7,403, Sudan 6,867, UAE 6,426, Iraq4,159, Saudi Arabia 725, Bahrain 388, Qatar 168, other 12,683) andother Asian countries for 12,939 migrants. There were 8,541 migrantsfrom Europe, 1,540 from the United States and 15,565 from othercountries.

[edit]CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics are from theCIA World Factbook,unless otherwise indicated.[5]

[edit]Sex ratio

at birth:1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years:1.46 male(s)/female65 years and over:1.2 male(s)/femaletotal population:1.26 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=6http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=6http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baharinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baharinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baharinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibbali_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibbali_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibbali_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=7http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=7http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=8http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=8http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_World_Factbookhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_World_Factbookhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_World_Factbookhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=9http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=9http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=9http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_World_Factbookhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibbali_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baharinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=6


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[edit]Life expectancy at birth

total population:74.16 yearsmale:74.87 years

female:76.55 years (2010 est.)[edit]Urbanisation

About 78% of the population is urban.

[edit]Nationality

noun:Omani(s)adjective:Omani

[edit]ReligionsIbadhi Muslim75%,Sunni Muslim,Shi'a Muslim,Hindu,Christian,

[edit]Languages

Arabic(official),English,Urdu,Swahili,Baluchi,Lawati (Khojki),

Gujarati,Zadjali,Ajami, Kamzari,Jibbali (Qarawi): Shehri, Mehri,Habyoti, Bathari, Hikmani, Harsusi,Malayalam,Tamiland otherIndiandialects

[edit]Literacy

definition:Literacy has been described as the ability to read forknowledge and write coherently and think critically about the writtenword.total population:75.8%male:83.1%female:67.2% (2003 est.)

[edit]Overseas Omani people

Today several thousand Omani born people have emigrated abroad, thefigures are shown below (only countries with more than 100 Omani bornresidents are listed).[6]

Country Omani population
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=10http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=10http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=10http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=11http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=11http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=11http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=12http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=12http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=12http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=13http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=13http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibadhi_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibadhi_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shi%27a_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shi%27a_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shi%27a_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=14http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=14http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urdu_Languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urdu_Languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urdu_Languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balochi_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balochi_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balochi_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhi_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhi_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhi_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhi_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zadjali_language&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zadjali_language&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zadjali_language&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajami_dialecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajami_dialecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajami_dialecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibbali_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibbali_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibbali_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibbali_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayalam_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayalam_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayalam_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=15http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=15http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=15http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=16http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=16http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-OECD-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-OECD-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-OECD-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Oman#cite_note-OECD-6http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=16http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayalam_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibbali_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibbali_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajami_dialecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zadjali_language&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhi_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhi_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balochi_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urdu_Languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabichttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shi%27a_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibadhi_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=13http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=12http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=11http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Oman&action=edit&section=10


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United Kingdom 2,024

United States 940

Canada 315

Australia 209

[edit]

Culture of Oman

The culture of Oman is steeped in the religion of Islam. Oman has developed its own type ofIslam, known as Ibadhism, however other strands of Islam such as Sunni and Shi'a are alsopracticed. With this in mind, the Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, and other Islamic festivitiesare very important events in the Omani culture.

Dress

Omanis in Nizwa.For men, the national dress is an ankle-length, collarless gown with long sleeves, called adishdasha. Usually, the clothing is white, although a few other colors such as brown, lilac, andblack are sometimes worn. There are many accessories men can wear, for example the muzzar (atype of turban), the assa (a cane or stick used mainly for formal occasions) and the khanjar. Thekhanjar is a ceremonial curved dagger worn during formal occasions, often described as "animportant symbol of male elegance".The national dress for Omani women includes a dress worn over trousers (sirwal) and aheaddress (lihaf). Usually, the materials used are of very colorful, vibrant colours. Traditionally,

Omani women would wear a kind of wooden platform shoe, but nowadays, most prefer to wearsandals. The cut of the clothing differs in various regions, as do color, embroidery and materials.Women complete their outfit with gold jewelry and cosmetics, opting for either brand-name ortraditionally-made items.
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Dhow

Being a seafaring nation, an important symbol in Oman is the dhow. These sailing ships havebeen used for centuries along the Arabian Peninsula, India and East Africa for the purpose oftrade. In fact, the earliest reported use of an Omani dhow was in the 8th century, arriving in

China. In modern day use, the dhow operate for the purpose of trade, tourism and fishing, andthey can be seen all along Oman's coastline. The main ports of Sohar, Sur, Salalah and Muscatall maintain a large fleet, while Sur maintains an extensive dhow building industry.

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of OmanThe cuisine of Oman is generally very simple, with the aid of many spices and marinades tocomplete a dish, which usually consists of chicken, fish, and mutton. Unlike that of many otherAsian nations, Omani cuisine is not spicy, and varies regionally. Everyday meals generally havecomponents such as rice, a wide variety of soup, salad, curry, and fresh vegetables. For dessert,

many Omani people have a kind of sweet, known as Omani halwa. This is usually served beforethe consumption of kahwa. Kahwa is an Omani coffee which is very popular and remains asymbol of hospitality. Other popular drinks include tea, laban (a kind of salty buttermilk), andyoghurt drinks.For festive occasions, special dishes are prepared, particularly for Islamic tradition. The range ofdishes is very diverse, and there are certain meals only prepared during Ramadan.

Oman

Oman (i/omn/ oh-maan; Arabic: Umn), officially called the Sultanate of Oman(Arabic: Salanat Umn), is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coastof the Arabian Peninsula. It has a strategically important position at the mouth of the PersianGulf. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to thewest, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast andthe Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The Madha and Musandam enclaves are surrounded by theUAE on their land borders, with the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman forming Musandam'scoastal boundaries.From the 17th century, Oman had its own empire, and vied with Portugal and Britain forinfluence in the Gulf and Indian Ocean. At its peak in the 19th century, Omani influence orcontrol extended across the Strait of Hormuz to Iran, and modern day Pakistan, and as far south

as Zanzibar. As its power declined in the 20th century, the sultanate came under heavy influencefrom the United Kingdom, though Oman was never formally part of the British Empire, or aBritish protectorate. Oman has long-standing military and political ties with the United Kingdomand the United States, although it maintains an independent foreign policy.Oman is an absolute monarchy in which the Sultan of Oman exercises ultimate authority but itsparliament has some legislative and oversight powers. In November 2010, the United NationsDevelopment Programme (UNDP) listed Oman, from among 135 countries worldwide, as the


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nation most-improved during the preceding 40 years. According to international indices, Oman isone of the most developed and stable countries in the Arab world.As with other Gulf nations, oil is the mainstay of the economy, providing a large proportion ofGDP, although compared to its neighbours Oman is a modest producer. Agriculture and fishingare also important sources of income. A diversification drive includes tourism; the policy of

Omanisation aims to replace expatriate workers with locals.

History

Stone Age

World Heritage Graves in Al Ayn, OmanDereaze, located in the city of Ibri, is the oldest known human settlement in the area, dating backas many as 8,000 years to the late Stone Age.[citation needed] Archaeological remains have beendiscovered here from the Stone Age and the Bronze Age; findings have included stoneimplements, animal bones, shells and fire hearths, with the later dating back to 7615 BC as theoldest signs of human settlement in the area. Other discoveries include hand-molded potterybearing distinguishing pre-Bronze Age marks, heavy flint implements, pointed tools andscrapers.On a mountain rock-face in the same district, animal drawings have been discovered. Similardrawings have also been found in the Wadi Sahtan and Wadi Bani Kharus areas of Rustaq,consisting of human figures carrying weapons and being confronted by wild animals. Siwan inHaima is another Stone Age location and some of the archaeologists have found arrowheads,knives, chisels and circular stones which may have been used to hunt animals.

Wadi Shab, Oman, 2004Sumerian tablets refer to a country called Magan or Makan, a name believed to refer to Oman'sancient copper mines. Mazoon, another name used for the region, is derived from the word

muzn, which means heavy clouds which carry abundant water. The present-day name of thecountry, Oman, is believed to originate from the Arab tribes who migrated to its territory fromthe Uman region of Yemen; many such tribes settled in Oman, making a living by fishing,herding or stock breeding, and many present day Omani families are able to trace their ancestralroots to other parts of Arabia.From the 6th century BC to the arrival of Islam in the 7th century AD, Oman was controlledand/or influenced by three Persian dynasties, the Achaemenids, Parthians and Sassanids. In the6th century BC, the Achaemenids exerted a strong degree of control over the Omani peninsula,


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most likely ruling from a coastal center such as Sohar. By about 250 BC, the Parthian dynastyhad brought the Persian Gulf under their control and extended their influence as far as Oman,establishing garrisons in Oman to help control the trade routes in the Persian Gulf. In the 3rdcentury AD, the Sassanids succeeded the Parthians and held the area until the rise of Islam fourcenturies later.

Arrival of Islam

The Bahla Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage siteOmanis were among the first people to come in contact with and accept Islam.[14] Theconversion of the Omanis is usually ascribed to Amr ibn al-As, who was sent by Muhammadaround 630 AD to invite Jayfar and 'Abd, the joint rulers of Oman at that time, to accept thefaith. In submitting to Islam, Oman became an Ibadhi state, ruled by an elected leader, the Imam.During the early years of the Islamic mission, Oman played a major role in the Wars of Apostasythat occurred after the death of Muhammad, and also took part in the great Islamic conquests byland and sea in Iraq, Persia and beyond. Oman's most prominent role in this respect was throughits extensive trading and seafaring activities in East Africa and the Far East, particularly duringthe 19th century, when it propagated Islam to many of East Africa's coastal regions, certain areasof Central Africa, India, Southeast Asia and China. After its submission to Islam, Oman wasruled by Umayyads between 661750, Abbasids between 750931, 932933 and 934967,Qarmatians between 931932 and 933934, Buyids between 9671053, and the Seljuks ofKirman between 10531154.

Portuguese colonizationA decade following Vasco de Gama's successful voyage around the Cape of Good Hope and toIndia in 1497-98, the Portuguese explorers arrived in Oman and occupied Muscat for a 143-yearperiod, between 1507 and 1650, where their fortress still remains. In need of an outpost toprotect their sea lanes, the Portuguese built up and fortified the city, where remnants of theircolonial architectural style still remain.Rebellious tribes eventually drove out the Portuguese, but were pushed out themselves about acentury later, in 1741, by the leader of a Yemeni tribe leading a massive army from variousallied tribes, beginning the current line of ruling sultans. Excepting a brief Persian invasion in thelate 1740s, Oman has been self-governing ever since.


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No foreign power controlled the entirety of what is now Oman. The majority of the territory wasalways ruled by tribes, with colonial control contained to a few strategic port cities. Oman, as itexists now was never under the total sway of European colonization, unlike true "colonies" suchas the British in India.

Oman, East Africa and the Indian Ocean

The Sultan's Palace in Zanzibar, which was once Oman's capital and residence of its Sultans.In the 1690s, Saif bin Sultan, the Imam of Oman, pressed down the East African coast. A majorobstacle to his progress was Fort Jesus, housing the garrison of a Portuguese settlement atMombasa. After a two-year siege, the fort fell to bin Sultan in 1698. Thereafter the Omaniseasily ejected the Portuguese from Zanzibar and from all other coastal regions north ofMozambique, with the aid of the Somali Ajuuraan State. The Persians invaded Oman in 1737.They were driven out in 1749 when the Al Said dynasty came to power. They continue to rule tothis day.Zanzibar was a valuable property as the main slave market of the East African coast, and became

an increasingly important part of the Omani empire, a fact reflected by the decision of the 19thcentury Sultan of Oman, Sa'id ibn Sultan, to make it his main place of residence in 1837. Sa'idbuilt impressive palaces and gardens in Zanzibar. Rivalry between his two sons was resolved,with the help of forceful British diplomacy, when one of them, Majid, succeeded to Zanzibar andto the many regions claimed by the family on the East African coast. The other son, Thuwaini,inherited Muscat and Oman.A History of Omani presence is also known in Comoros archipelago in the Indian ocean, whichled to influences in Comorian culture from the clothing, to the wedding ceremonies.

Oman and GwadarMain article: Gwadar

The Empire of Oman around the middle of the 19th centuryIn 1783, Oman's Saiad Sultan, defeated ruler of Muscat, was granted sovereignty over Gwadar, acoastal city located in the Makran region of what is now the far southwestern corner of Pakistan,


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near the present-day border of Iran and at the mouth of the Gulf of Oman.[note 1][15] He was tocontinue this sovereignty, via an appointed wali (or "governor"), after regaining control ofMuscat, and he maintained close relations with the Emirs of Sindh. The Sultans of Muscatretained sovereignty over Gwadar until 1958.In 1955, Makran acceded to Pakistan and was made a districtalthough Gwadar, at the time,

was not included in Makran. On 8 September 1958, Pakistan purchased the Gwadar enclave fromOman for $3 million. [note 2][16] Gwadar then became a tehsil in the Makran district.

Jebel Akhdar WarMain article: Jebel Akhdar WarThe Hajar Mountains, of which the Jebel Akhdar, or Green Mountain, is a part, separatedthecountry into two distinct regions: the interior, known as Oman, and the coastal area dominatedby the capital, Muscat.[17] In 1913, control of the country split. The interior was ruled by Ibaditeimams and the coastal areas by the sultan. Under a British-brokered agreement in 1920 the sultanrecognised the autonomy of the interior.Imam Ghalib bin Ali Al Hinai (191229 November 2009) was the elected Imam of TheImamate of Oman.[citation needed] Relations between the Sultan of Muscat, Said bin Taimur,and Imam Ghalib were ruptured over a dispute concerning the right to grant oil concessions. Asubsidiary of the Iraq Petroleum Company was intensely interested in some promising geologicalformations near Fahud.[17] Under the terms of the 1920 treaty, the Sultan of Muscat wasresponsible for the external affairs of Oman.[18] The Sultan claimed all dealings with the oilcompany as his prerogative. The Imam, on the other hand, claimed that since the oil was in histerritory, anything dealing with it was an internal matter.[17] In December 1955, Sultan Said binTaimur sent troops of the Muscat and Oman Field Force to occupy the main centres in Oman,including Nizwa, the capital of the Imamate of Oman, and Ibri.[18] Imam Ghalib bin Ali alongwith his younger brother Talib bin Ali Al Hinai, led the Imamate of Oman in the Jebel AkhdarWar against Sultan Said bin Taimur's attack on his lands. In July 1957, the Sultan's forces werewithdrawing but were repeatedly ambushed, sustaining heavy casualties.[18] Sultan Said binTaimur, however, with the intervention of infantry (two companies of the Cameronians) andarmoured car detachments from the British Army and aircraft of the RAF was able to suppressthe rebellion.[citation needed] Talib's forces retreated to the inaccessible Jebel Akhdar.[citationneeded] The war lasted 5 years until the Sultan of Muscat's Armed Forces, aided by colonialBritish soldiers from the Special Air Service, defeated the imamite forces in 1959. Imam Ghalibwent into exile in Saudi Arabia.[citation needed] He continued for a short time to lead atemporary government-in-exile from Dammam, Saudi Arabia while the fighting continued inOman. The Treaty of Seeb was terminated and the autonomous Imamate of Oman abolishedgiving way to the present day Sultanate.[citation needed] Imam Ghalib continued to receivemany visitors from Oman up until his death and was deeply respected by the people of Oman. He

was known for his faithful adherence to his religion, and his generosity. He died on 29November 2009 at the age of 96 in Dammam.[citation needed

Dhofar rebellionMain article: Dhofar RebellionThe rule of Sultan Said bin Taimur was characterised by a fuedal and isolationist approach.However, oil reserves were discovered in 1964 and extraction began in 1967. A rebellion beganin 1965 in the southern region of Dhofar. Leftist forces were pitted against government troops.


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As the rebellion threatened to overthrow the Sultan's rule in Dhofar, Sultan Said bin Taimur wasdeposed in a bloodless coup (1970) by his son Qaboos bin Said, who expanded Sultan of Oman'sArmed Forces, modernised the state's administration and introduced social reforms. The uprisingwas finally put down in 1975 with the help of forces from Iran, Jordan, Pakistan and the BritishRoyal Air Force.

[edit]Modernisation and ReformUntil the 1970s, Oman was one of the more traditional and most isolated countries in the Gulfregion. After deposing his father in 1970, Sultan Qaboos opened up the country, embarked oneconomic reforms and followed a policy of modernisation by spending on health, education andwelfare. In 1981 Oman became a founding member of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.It was some time before political reforms were introduced. However, in 1997 Sultan Qaboosdecreed that women could stand for election to - and vote for - the majlis al-shura orConsultative Council. Two women were duly elected to the body. In 2002, voting rights wereextended to all citizens over the age of 21. Voters were previously chosen from among triballeaders, intellectuals and businessmen. The first elections to the Consultative Council, the majlisal-shura, in which all citizens over the age of 21 could vote were held in 2003. In 2004, the

Sultan appointed Oman's first female minister with portfolio.There was, however, little change to the actual political make-up of the government and theSultan continued to rule by decree. Nearly 100 suspected Islamists were arrested in 2005 and 31people were convicted of trying to overthrow the government (though pardoned in June).[19][edit]2011 Omani protestsMain article: 2011 Omani protestsUnrest has been inspired by the Arab Spring groundswell of political dissent in the region.Protests began in January 2011, with protestors demanding political reforms and jobs. They weredispersed by riot police and in February 2011 one demonstrator was shot dead by police. SultanQaboos reacted by promising jobs and benefits. In October 2011, elections were held to theConsultative Council, for which Sultan Qaboos promised greater powers. The following year, thegovernment began a crackdown on Internet criticism. In September 2012, trials began of'activists' accused of posting "abusive and provocative" criticism of the government online. Sixwere given jail terms of 1218 months and fines of around $2,500 each.[20][edit]Politics

Main articles: Politics of Oman and Human rights in Oman[edit]Legal system

The Sultan's Al Alam Palace in Old MuscatThe Basic Statute of the State[21] is the cornerstone of the Omani legal system and it operates asa constitution for the country. The Basic Statute was issued in the year 1996 and was onlyamended once in the year 2011[22] as a response to the 2011 protests in Oman.The Basic Statute of the State stipulates that the system of governance is Sultani hereditary in themale descendants of Sayyid Turki bin Said bin Sultan, that the Sultan is the Head of the Stateand the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, that he is to preside over the Council ofMinisters, and that he is responsible for promulgating laws and appointing judges.The Basic Statute of the State also stipulates that the Council of Ministers is the body responsiblefor implementing the general policies of the state, that Council of Oman, which is made up of the


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State Council, an appointed body, and the Shura Council, an elected body, is responsible forreviewing legislation and submitting it to the Sultan for Royal Assent, and that the judiciary isguaranteed independence.[edit]Foreign policyMain article: Foreign relations of Oman

Since 1970, Oman has pursued a moderate foreign policy and expanded its diplomatic relationsdramatically. Oman is among the very few Arab countries that have maintained friendly ties withIran.[23][24] Wikileaks disclosed US diplomatic cables which have shown that cordial relationsbetween Oman and Iran have borne fruit for the United Kingdom (in helping release Britishsailors imprisoned by Iran).[25] The same cables also portray the Omani government as wishingto maintain cordial relations with Iran and as having continuously turned down US diplomatsrequesting Oman to take a sterner stance against Iran.[26][27][28][29][edit]

Military

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please helpimprove this articlebyadding

citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may bechallengedandremoved.(July 2010)

Main article:Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces

Oman's armed forces, the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF), including Royal Household troops, numbered

120,000 in 2010, consisting of: 105,000 personnel in the Royal Army of Oman(RAO), equipped with over

120 main battle tanks and 37Scorpion tanks; 8,100 personnel in theRoyal Air Force of Oman(RAFO)

operating 180200 combat aircraft, trainers, transports and helicopters; and 6,200 personnel in theRoyal

Navy of Oman(RNO) sailing 64 patrol and coastal vessels. Paramilitary units include theTribal Home

Guard(Firqats) of 8,000 personnel organized in small tribal teams, a Royal Oman Police (ROP) coast

guard of 400, and a small ROP air wing. Funded directly by the Sultan, the eliteRoyal

Householdbrigade, naval unit, and air unit number 6,400, including two special forces regiments. Oman

holds one of the world's largest stocks of Scud missiles, ranging at an estimate of over 30,000 ballistic

missiles. In 2008 Oman spent 7.7% of GDP on military expenditures.[30]According to Times Online, Oman

is home to the world's only camel-backed bagpipe military band.

[edit]Geography

Coast of Sur, Oman
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Main articles:Geography of OmanandGeology of Oman

Geography of Oman

Coastline 2,092 km

Bordering countries Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen

Oman lies between latitudes16and28 N, and longitudes52and60 E.

A vast gravel desert plain covers most of central Oman, with mountain ranges along the north (Al Hajar

Mountains) and southeast coast, where the country's main cities are also located: the capital

cityMuscat,SoharandSurin the north, andSalalahin the south. Oman's climate is hot and dry in the

interior and humid along the coast. During past epochs Oman was covered by ocean, witnessed by the

large numbers of fossilized shells existing in areas of the desert away from the modern coastline.

Desert landscape in Oman

The peninsula ofMusandam(Musandem)exclave, which has a strategic location on theStrait of Hormuz,

is separated from the rest of Oman by the United Arab Emirates.[31]The series of small towns known

collectively asDibbaare the gateway to the Musandam peninsula on land and the fishing villages of

Musandam by sea, with boats available for hire at Khasab for trips into the Musandam peninsula by sea.

Oman's other exclave, inside UAE territory, known asMadha, located halfway between the Musandam

Peninsula and the main body of Oman,[31]is part of theMusandamgovernorate, covering approximately

75 km2 (29 sq mi). Madha's boundary was settled in 1969, with the north-east corner of Madha barely

10 m (32.8 ft) from theFujairahroad. Within the Madha exclave is a UAEenclavecalledNahwa,

belonging to the Emirate of Sharjah, situated about 8 km (5 mi) along a dirt track west of the town of New

Madha, consisting of about forty houses with a clinic and telephone exchange.[32]
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