Category: Oman

Oman is officially known as the Sultanate of Oman is situated in the Middle-East on Arabian Peninsula. Oman is bordered by United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea forms the coast of the country. Sultanate of Oman is a monarchy ruled by a sultan. Hereditary Sultan is the head of the government and state who appoints the cabinet known as the “Diwans”. The capital of Oman is Muscat and other major cities of the country are Salalah, Sur and Sohar. The citizens of Oman enjoy good standard of living because of the oil reserves but the future of the country is uncertain because of the limited oil reserves.

Oman made plans to deviate its economy by placing great emphasis to tourism. Population of the country is more than 3 million and among those, about 2 million are Omanis. Fifty percent of people are living in Muscat. Islam is the major religion of the country and among the people, 75% consist of Ibadhi which is a type of Islam different from Shia and Sunni. Of the population, 17% consist of Sunnis and Shias and the remaining 8% is Zikri. Less that 5% consists of other religious groups such as Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Zoroastrians and Bahais.

The official language of Oman is Arabic and different dialects are spoken by the native speakers. Other languages are Balochi, Semitic languages, Swahili, Urdu and English. Oman is becoming famous for the various tourist spots with its beaches, mountains, deserts and Wadis. The country has some stunning and cleanest beaches. Wadis consist of flowers, greenery, grasses and oasis of palms. Some of the wadis have running water throughout the year with cool and deep pools which are safe for swimming. You can also find several castles and forts in the county along with its city walls and towers.

Some of the outdoor activities for the tourists are scuba diving, rock climbing, surfing, sailing, trekking cave exploration, camel races, bull fighting and sand skiing. You can find shopping malls and shops that range from chain stores to boutiques. Muscat City Centre is the largest mall in Oman. The city of Muscat is the center of trade and finance. The Palace of Sultan, Government offices and Royal court are situated in Muscat. Some of the tourist spots in Muscat are Qurum Beach, Yeti beach, Al-Jissah beach and Bandar beach. Nizwa Castle is a popular tourist spot with a central tower situate in the Nizwa town.

Some of the major tourist attractions of Salalah are ancient cities of Samhuram and Al-Balid, Tomb of Prophet Omran, Nabi Ayoub Tomb, beaches and springs. Sur is an old town with old Arab buildings, winding streets and carved wooden doors. You can find a functional and large souk with fruit sellers, fishermen and tailor in Sohar. The popular tourist spot in Sohar is the Sohar Castle with six towers. Bahla, an ancient town dating back to third BC is listed as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO.