About Oman
General Informations
Country Sultanate Of Oman
Capital Muscat
Head of State His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq
Religion Islam is the official religion while other faiths are also respected.
Area 309, 500 sq kms
Population As of February 2016 the total population of Oman is 4,365,370 ranked 126th in world population.
Dialing Code +968
Local Time GMT +4 hours
Language Arabic is the official language, but English is widely spoken.
Clothes
The male national dress in Oman consists of the dishdasha, a simple, ankle-length, collarless gown with long sleeves. Most frequently white in colour, also appears in other colours. Assa, a stick and Khanjar (dagger) are part of national dress.
Omani women wear eye-catching national costumes, with distinctive regional variations.
Foreigners can wear their own but It is best to be well dressed whenever you wander into public spaces.
Climate The Summer months are between May and September. The best time to visit Oman is between October and April when temperature ranges between 25 and 35 C during the day and between 17 and 19 C at night. All buildings and vehicles are air conditioned in Oman.
Currency
The Rial (RO) is the Omani currency and is divided into 1000 baizas. The rate conversion is one Omani Rial = US$ 2.60
ATM Automated Teller Machines can be found in most major supermarkets, hotels and other locations through out the country.
Credit Cards
All major credit cards are accepted in main hotels, stores, and most shops but in traditional souqs, cash is the most preferred means for transaction.
Mobile Phones
Two major telecom companies operates in Oman. Omantel and Ooredoo Visitors can avoid roaming charges by purchasing a prepaid SIM card at the Muscat airport or at Omantel and Ooredoo counters.
Geography
Oman is a 1,000-mile-long (1,700 km) coastal plain at the southeast tip of the Arabian Peninsula lying on the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. The major geological regions of the Sultanate are the Hajar Mountains and their adjacent area in the north and the desert area and the southern mountains of Dhofar.
Regions and Governorates
Oman has always been governed by various Imams throughout its long and varied history. The capitals of these Imamates have shifted between the city of Nizwa in the Interior and the coastal cities of Sohar and Muscat intermittently. The Sultanate of Oman is divided administratively into four muhafazah or governorates; Muscat, Dhofar, Musandam and Al Buraimi and five mintaqat’s or regions, Al Batinah, AdhDhahirah, Ad Dakhliyah, Ash Sharqiyah and Al Wusta. These governorates and regions consist of' Wilayats or districts amounting to 61 in number.
Land and People
With natural geysers, vibrant coral reefs, soothing hot springs and mesmerising aquamarine
wadis, Oman has been truly blessed by Mother nature. It is also home to the endangered Arabian
Oryx and is one of only three places in the world where rare Greenback Turtle breed. The sight
of thousands of baby Greenback Turtles scrambling into the water for the very first time is
certainly one to behold.
For the most part, Oman comprises a narrow coastal plain backed by hill ranges and an interior
desert plateau. The highest point is Jebel Sham (c.9,900ft/3,018 m). Arabic is the official
language; English, Baluchi, and Urdu are also spoken.
Economy
In the extreme north, dates, limes, nuts, bananas, alfalfa, and vegetables are cultivated, and in the southwest there is an abundance of camels, cattle and other livestock. Fishing is an important industry. The major product, however, is oil, which was discovered in Oman in 1964 and first exported in 1967. Crude oil is produced and refined; other industrial products include natural gas, copper, steel, chemicals, and optic fiber. Petroleum, fish, metals, and textiles are important exports; imports include machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured goods, foods, livestock, and lubricants. Oman has a large trade surplus. The main trading partners are Japan, the United Arab Emirates, China, and South Korea.