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Enchanting Oman

The Sultanate is the second largest country in the region after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and covers an area of 300,000 square kilometres. The Sultanate occupies the south-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula with almost 1700km (1062 miles) of coastline stretching along the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf. It is bordered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west and the Republic of Yemen to the south. The United Arab Emirates lies to the northwest of Oman and to the east lies the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.

Many explorers have, over the centuries, responded with enthusiasm, amazement and delight to the sights they met on their travels through Oman. It is a beautiful country which embraces all, sea, mountains, deserts and the green and has ancient forts and castles strung like beads across the land. Many visitors have experienced the unvarying hospitality amidst varying local customs. Oman’s asset lay in its unique blend of tradition and modernity and the fact that the Sultanate prided in preserving its antiquity.

History

The Sultanate of Oman has been one of the oldest cradles of civilization in the Arabian Peninsula and its history can be traced back to about 12,000 B.C. Some light has been shed on the fact that the country was known to the Sumerians around the 3rd millennium B.C. Around this time Majan (Said to be Oman) was famous for its trade of copper and frankincense throughout the Arabian world. By the year 630 A.D, Islam was embraced in Oman. The Persians and the Portuguese also had contact with Oman during later time.

Culture

Like all the Arab countries, Arab Islamic Culture dominates the lifestyle in the Sultanate. However, being an international market, people of various other nationalities are also present.