Oman General Information, History, Culture, Tourism, Oman Overview, Oman Fact Information, Oman Key facts, Oman information, Oman Guide

It's a curious observation about traveling in Oman that the moment you tuck behind a sand dune and begin erecting your tent, however discreetly, someone will park alongside and start camping too. Never mind that it is the only car you've seen all day; never mind that there are 2700km of beautiful, empty s

andy beaches; never mind that the mountains are so lonesome in parts that only wolves and hedgehogs meander into the night.

What makes this observation a particularly topical one is that it's only relatively recently that a network of roads and graded tracks, such as the coast road from Filim to Shwaymiyah, or the adventurous mountain track to the ancient tombs at Gaylah, has made it possible to penetrate Oman's pristine landscapes, as well as its more visited ones. Muscat has been a port hub for many years, and today is the arrival point for everything from goods to cruise ships. In the Sharqiya Region you'll discover some of Oman's main attractions, like the beautiful beaches of Sur, turtle nesting sites in Ras Al-Jinz and the desert dunes of Sharqiya (Wahiba) Sands.

Those who are sufficiently intrepid to get off the beaten track will find that they can have the desert to themselves quite easily without mounting a major expedition. Now that the secret of Oman's great untouched beauty is out, however, it surely can't be long before groups of visitors are a common sight and it will no longer be necessary to seek the company of strangers at the end of a day's exploration.

In the meantime, what should you say to the happy camper who parks in your space? As every hospitable Omani you'll meet on your travels will tell you, there's only one answer: "Ahlan wa salan! Welcome!"

Location :
Middle East, southeastern tip of Arabian Peninsula.

Time : GMT + 4.

Area : 309,500 sq km (119,500 sq miles).

Population : 3.2 million (CIA estimate 2007).

Population Density : 10.3 per sq km.

Capital: Muscat. Population: 620,000 (census 2003).

Geography
The Sultanate of Oman occupies the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula with almost 1,700km (1,062 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.

Government : Sultanate since 1744.

Head of State : Sultan Qaboos bin Sa'id since 1970.

Recent History
The current Sultan and his partially publicly elected government have been responsible for overseeing the country's dramatic modernisation programme. When he came to power in 1970, Sultan Qaboos inherited a country that boasted only 10km of sealed road, two American-run missionary hospitals and no secondary schools. Today, good roads link nearly every town in the country, every region has modern healthcare facilities, and all Omani citizens are given free primary and secondary education. Oman has gained an international reputation for being a peaceful, settled nation, loyal to Arab neighbours whilst maintaining close, friendly ties with Western countries.

Language
Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken. Swahili is also spoken by Omani descendents from East Africa. German and French are spoken by some hotel staff while Urdu, Farsi, Hindi and Tagalog are widely spoken by Oman's large expatriate workforce.

Religion
Oman is a country which offers home to a number of religious communities. As diverse religious groups thrive here with their distinct religious beliefs and practices, Oman stands enriched with the distinct patterns of each. Though the country is primarily Islamic, the different religions in Oman are allowed to maintain the unique traits of their own, thus resulting in a nation which stands as a melting pot of cultures from across the globe.

As in the other Arabic countries, Islam stands as the major religion in Oman as well. Islam is in fact, the official religion of Oman, though the Basic Law of the country is liberal towards the other religions as well.

Electricity : 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz.

Social Conventions
Shaking hands is the usual form of greeting. A small gift, either promoting your company or country, is well received. As far as dress is concerned, it is important that women dress modestly beyond the hotel grounds, ie long skirts or dresses (below the knee) with covered shoulders; men should wear trousers and shirts with sleeves. Tight-fitting clothes should be restricted to hotel restaurants to avoid giving offence although this is not strictly followed by some Westerners. Shorts should not be worn in public and beachwear is prohibited anywhere except the beach. Collecting seashells, abalone, corals, crayfish and turtle eggs is also prohibited. Dumping litter is forbidden. It is polite not to smoke in public, but generally no-smoking signs are posted where appropriate. Homosexual behaviour is illegal.

Photography:
Visitors should ask permission before attempting to photograph people or their property. No Photography' signs exist in certain places and must be observed.