Asia · Western Asia
Oman lies at the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, with coastlines on the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. The country is one of the oldest continuously independent states in the region, and historically became a significant maritime trading power, with its empire once extending as far as Zanzibar off the coast of East Africa. Oman's political system is an absolute monarchy, ruled by the Al Said dynasty since 1744. The official language is Arabic, and the majority of the population is Muslim, with a significant share following the Ibadi branch, a less widespread third major branch of Islam alongside Sunni and Shia.
Muscat, the capital, home to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, opened in 2001 and one of the country's most significant religious buildings, along with the historic Al Jalali and Al Mirani forts guarding the harbor entrance, serves as the country's cultural and political center. Bahla Fort, a 13th- and 14th-century mudbrick fortress, is one of the best-preserved examples of traditional Omani fortress architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. Nizwa, the country's former capital, with its massive circular fort and lively Friday livestock market, is a center of traditional Omani life. The archaeological sites of Bat, Al-Khutm, and Al-Ayn, with Bronze Age burial sites, also form a UNESCO World Heritage site and preserve one of the oldest records of civilization on the Arabian Peninsula.
The Hajar Mountains, running through the northern part of the country, home to Jabal Shams, Oman's highest point at about 3,009 meters, offer excellent terrain for hiking, and one of the range's canyons, Wadi Ghul, is often marketed locally as "the Grand Canyon of Arabia." The Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter), the largest contiguous sand desert in the world, extends into southern Oman and offers desert trekking and overnight camping. At Ras al Jinz, on the coast, green turtles nest at night, a phenomenon observable through guided tours. Local cuisine is built around rice and fish, with shuwa, spiced meat wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked in an underground oven for days, a signature dish traditionally prepared for festive occasions.
The oasis of Bahla owes its prosperity to the Banu Nebhan, the dominant tribe in the area from the 12th to the end of the 15th century. The ruins of the immense fort, with its walls and towers of unbaked brick and its stone foundations, is a remarkable example of this type of fortification and attests to the power of the Banu Nebhan.
The protohistoric site of Bat lies near a palm grove in the interior of the Sultanate of Oman. Together with the neighbouring sites, it forms the most complete collection of settlements and necropolises from the 3rd millennium B.C. in the world.
The frankincense trees of Wadi Dawkah and the remains of the caravan oasis of Shisr/Wubar and the affiliated ports of Khor Rori and Al-Baleed vividly illustrate the trade in frankincense that flourished in this region for many centuries, as one of the most important trading activities of the ancient and medieval world.
The property includes five aflaj irrigation systems and is representative of some 3,000 such systems still in use in Oman. The origins of this system of irrigation may date back to AD 500, but archaeological evidence suggests that irrigation systems existed in this extremely arid area as early as 2500 BC. Using gravity, water is channelled from underground sources or springs to support agriculture and domestic use. The fair and effective management and sharing of water in villages and towns is still underpinned by mutual dependence and communal values and guided by astronomical observations. Numerous watchtowers built to defend the water systems form part of the site reflecting the historic dependence of communities on the aflaj system. Threatened by falling level of the underground water table, the aflaj represent an exceptionally well-preserved form of land use.
The property, which is located on the east coast of the Sultanate of Oman, includes the ancient city of Qalhat, surrounded by inner and outer walls, as well as areas beyond the ramparts where necropolises are located. The city developed as a major port on the east coast of Arabia between the 11th and 15th centuries CE, during the reign of the Hormuz princes. The Ancient City bears unique archaeological testimony to the trade links between the east coast of Arabia, East Africa, India, China and South-East Asia.
Data: UNESCO WHC · CC BY-SA 4.0
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The capital of Oman is Muscat.
The area of Oman is 309,500 km².
The population of Oman is 5,281,538.
The currency of Oman is Omani rial (OMR).
The official language of Oman: Arabic.
Oman: Right-hand traffic.
Yes, Oman is a member of the United Nations.