Oman is an Arab country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula.
The official name of the country is the Sultanate of Oman.
It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest.
The official language is Arabic.
As of 1 January 2017, the population of Oman was estimated to be 5,119,745 people.
It is the 70th largest country in the world by area with 309,500 square kilometers (119,500 square miles).
Muscat is the capital and largest metropolitan city of Oman. Low-lying white buildings typify most of Muscat’s urban landscape, while the port-district of Muttrah, with its corniche and harbour, form the north-eastern periphery of the city.
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.
Jebel Shams at an elevation of around 3,000 meters (around 9,800 feet) above sea level, is the highest point in Oman.
Oman’s coastline stretches for a distance of 3,165 kilometers (1,967 miles), including beaches overlooking the Sea of Oman, the Arabian Sea and the Straits of Hormuz in the North.
Oman has some of the most stunning and secluded beaches that the Arabian Peninsula has to offer.
Oman has 4 UNESCO world heritage sites.
Bahla Fort is one of four historic fortresses situated at the foot of the Djebel Akhdar highlands in Oman. It was built in the 13th and 14th centuries, when the oasis of Bahla was prosperous under the control of the Banu Nebhan tribe. The fort became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
The Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn are an important group of necropolises from the 3rd Millennium BC, located near a palm grove. They were declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1988.
Nakhal Fort is a large fortification in the Al Batinah Region of Oman. It is named after the Wilayah of
Nakhal. The fort houses a museum, operated by the Ministry of Tourism, which has exhibits of historic guns, and the fort also hosts a weekly goat market.
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is the main Mosque in the Sultanate of Oman. It is in the capital city of Muscat. The mosque was completed in 2001 and took six years to build. It covers a massive area of 416,000 square meters, and can hold up to 20,000 worshippers. The building itself is made up of 300,000 tonnes of sandstone.
The oldest independent state in the Arab world, Oman is one of the more traditional countries in the Gulf region and was, until the 1970s, one of the most isolated.
Oman’s National Day is celebrated on 18 November. This public holiday celebrates independence from Portugal control in 1650.
Politics of Oman takes place in a framework of an absolute monarchy whereby the Sultan of Oman is not only head of state, but also the head of government. Chief of state and government is the hereditary sultan, Qaboos bin Said al Said [photo below], who appoints a cabinet to assist him. Sultan Qaboos also serves as supreme commander of the armed forces, prime minister, and minister of defense, foreign affairs, and finance.
Oman’s proved reserves of petroleum total about 5.5 billion barrels, 25th largest in the world.
The majority of Omanis still farm or fish, and protection of fisheries and coastal zones is promoted.
Tourism in Oman has grown considerably recently, and it is expected to be one of the largest industries in the country.
The cuisine of Oman is a mixture of several staples of Asian foods. Dishes are often based on chicken, fish, and lamb, as well as the staple of rice. Most Omani dishes tend to contain a rich mixture of spices, herbs, and marinades.
Coffee is the national beverage, while tea is drunk for hospitality.
The Arabian oryx is the national animal of Oman.
The falcon in the national bird of Oman.
The Omani higher education system is relatively young, as the first public university in Oman, Sultan Qaboos University was founded in 1986.
Up until 1970, there were no hotels in the country. But today there are hundreds of hotels.
The best time to visit Oman is in the winter months. The summers are blisteringly hot, but the winters feature an almost Mediterranean climate.
In Oman, almost all signs and writings appear in both Arabic and English.
Oman balances its traditional past with a course of modernization and development.
Oman is famous for its pure-bred Arabian horses and has a centuries-old horse breeding history. The horses are quite expensive and sold throughout the world.
Oman is one of the safest country in the world.
If you want to buy alcohol in Oman, you have to have a license. Omanis are allowed to spend no more than 10% of their monthly income on alcohol.
“Mountain Dew” is the top selling beverage in Oman. Pepsi products are much more common than Coca-Cola products in Oman.