Muscat, Oman

مسقط Muscat

Muscat is the Capital and largest city of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governotte of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately 1500 km² and includes six wilagats. Known since the early 1st century CE as an important trading port between the west and the east, Muscat was ruled by various indigenous tribes as well as foreign powers such as the and the

at various points in its history. A regional military power in the 18th century, Muscat's influence extended as far as East Afreca. As an important port-town in the Gulf of Oman, Muscat attracted foreign tradesmen and settlers such as the Persians. Since the ascension of Qaboos bin said Sultan Oman in 1970, Muscat has experienced rapid infrastructural development that has led to the growth of a vibrant economy and a multi-ethnic society.

The rockydominate the landscape of Muscat. The city lies on the Aarab sea along the Gulf of Oman and is in the proximity of the strategic. Low-lying white buildings typify most of Muscat's urban landscape, while the , with its and harbour, form the north-eastern periphery of the city. Muscat's economy is dominated by trade, petroleum and porting.

Muscat harbour, ca. 1903. Visible in the background is Fort Al Jalali.
Theconquerorattacked Muscat in July, 1507. A bloody battle ensued between the Portuguese and forces loyal to the Persian governor of the city. After the fall of the town, Albuquerque massacred most of the remaining inhabitants – men, women and children, following which the town was occupied and pillaged. The Portuguese maintained a hold on Muscat for over a century, despite challenges from and a bombardment of the town by thein 1546. The Turks twice captured Muscat from the Portuguese, in 1552 and 1581-88. The election of Nasir bin Murshid al-Yaribi as Imam of Oman in 1624 changed the balance of power again in the region, from the Persians and the Portuguese to local Omanis. On 1688 the Imam dispatched an army to Muscat, which captured and demolished the high towers of the Portuguese, weakening their grip over the town. Decisively, in 1650, a small but determined body of the Imam's troops attacked the port at night, forcing an eventual Portuguese surrender on 1650 .A civilian war, and repeated incursions by the Persian king Shah .in the 18th century destabilised the region, and further strained relations between the interior and Muscat. This power vacuum in Oman led to the emergence of thedynasty, which has ruled Oman ever since.

The National Bank Of Oman on Muscat Bank Street
Muscat's economy, like that of Oman, is dominated by trade. The more traditional exports of the city included , and fish. Many of the of Muttrah sell these items and traditional i artefacts. (PDO) has been central to Muscat's economy since at least 1962 and is the country's second largest employer, after the government. PDO's major shareholders include , Total, and Partex and its production is estimated to be about 720,000 barrels per day (114,000 m³/d). Muscat also has major trading companies such as Suhail Bahwan, which is a trading partner for corporations such as ,; Saud Bahwan Group whose trading partners areand and Zubair Automotive whose trading partners include and brands such as Dodge. The private Health Care sector of Muscat,Oman has numerous hospitals and clinics.



The Zawawi Moque in Al Khuwair, Muscat. A majority of Omanis are Muslm
According to the 2003 conducted by the Oman Ministry of National Economy, the population of Muscat is over 630,000, which included 370,000 males and 260,000 femalesMuscat formed the second largest governorate in the country, after , accounting for 27% of the total population of Oman. As of 2003,constituted 60% of the total population of Muscat, while expatriates accounted for about 40%. Theof the city was 162.1

Geography

Muscat's rugged terrain, with plutonic Western AHajar dotting the landscape








Muscat's rugged terrain, with plutonid western AHajar dotting the landscape

Sultan Qaboos bin Said Palace in Muscat

Muscat's naval and military supremacy was re-established in the 19th century by , said bin sultan who gained control over eventually moving his kingdom there. During the second half of the 19th century, the fortunes of the Al Bu Sa`id declined and friction with the Imams of the interior resurfaced. Muscat and were attacked by tribals from the interior in 1895 and again in 1915. A tentative ceasefire was brokered by theBritish, which gave the interior more autonomy.

Sohar

Sohar

Sohar. Well, it is inThe coastal city of Sohar was once an important Islamic port and the largest town in the country. Nowadays, Sohar has a new port under construction, being built at a cost of RO120million. The city is renowned for its copper deposits, and archaeological evidence points to copper extraction being carried out 5000 years ago. There are still three copper mines in operation in Sohar with over 18 million tons of copper deposits.
Sohar is an attractive region for tourists due to its clean, safe beaches and the plethora of archaeological features. Visitors will be attracted to its large and functional souq with handy tailors, fruit sellers, and fishermen vying for space, and its fort which stands apart with its four-story walls and six towers, an imposing sight overlooking the bay.
One of the first references to 'Sohar' is in the work of historian, Yaqut al Hamawi who implies that the city took its name in the 6th century AH from a descendent of Noah: Sohar bin Adam bin Sam bin Noah. When the Palestinian Arab scholar Muqadisi visited the city in 10th century AH he described it as a "flourishing city with a large number of people living there. It is a beautiful city with a comfortable life, …and its mosque overlooks the sea…the Mihrab (indicator of the direction for prayers) changes colour because it is covered in copper…".

The Sohar Castle is one of the most prominent features in the city of Sohar and was built between the 13th and 14th century AD by the 'Emirs of Hormuz'. Imam Nasser bin Murshid Al Ya'arubi managed to conquer and expel the Portuguese from the castle, which was used since then as the administration centre for the rulers of Al-Bu Said dynasty. An escape tunnel runs from inside the Fort to the Wilayat of Buraimi, 10 Km to the west. It was used as a route to obtain reinforcements and supplies during sieges. The castle features a musium located inside

Sohar University is the first private university in Oman. It is a non-profit organization that provides high quality education for Omani as well as international students. The University offers undergraduate studies that meet international standards with quality assurance from The University of Queensland in Australia.

salalah

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Salalah

(صلالة in), is the captal and seat of the gover or Wali of the southern omani province of Dofar. The population of Salalah is 178,469 as of 2005 . Salalah is located .Salalah is the second largest town in the and a traditional stronghold and birthplace of the . The Sultan traditionally lives in Salalah rather than in, the capital and largest city in Oman; has bucked this trend, however, and he has lived in Muscat since he ascended to the throne in 1970. He does however visit Salalah fairly regularly to meet with influential tribal and local leaders; his last visit was in 2006 and before that he visited in 2002.

Geography

Salalah, despite lying close to the Arabin desrt , enjoys a tropical climate through most of the year. Temperatures are very hot in the summer soaring up to 40 degrees but in winter can fall down to 22 degrees. The town is subjected to the south-west. This period (late June to early September) is known as the season. Visitors from across the Persian Gulf flock to Salalah to enjoy the monsoon and avoid the harsh heat faced by the rest of the region during the same period. Also in this period, the town's population nearly doubles and various fairs are organized, such as the Khareef Festival at Ittin.

Transport

Salalah has an airport, mainly catering to domestic flights from Muscat and some regional cities such as Kuwait, Dubai, and Doha. Seasonly flights, some from as far away as Sweden, can be seen though during the season, the peak of the tourist season. Oman Air currently operates several daily flights to salalah from Muscat

Economy

part of the of Denmark, manages the Port of Salalah, which is an important transshipment hub for container shipping in the area. It is also the largest private employer in the Dhofar region. The Salalah Free Zone, situated right beside the port, is emerging as a new center for heavy industries in the Middle East.

Tourism

The city of Salalah is known as the “perfume capital of Arabia The city is a popular destination for tourism due to the natural attractions of the nearby mountains and abundant stands of trees lining mountain wadi courses. Around the city and into the mountains the countryside is lush and green during the monsoon period with the vegetation supporting herds of cattle. The climate supports wildlife often more commonly associated with East Africa, such as and.
The beaches and coastline are also major attractions for and .
Salalah is a city of antiquity, boasting both the ruins of a fortified town Sumharam an important port from 100BC–400AD and the resting place of the Koranic prophet Ayoub in the nearby Jabal Gadu. It is also the alleged resting place of , father of the. Modern Oman is also represented by the Port of Salalah, located approximately 15 km to the southwest of the city. The strategic location of this port has made it one of the major entry points to India, the Middle East, and Africa.