About Oman
The Sultanate of Oman is located in the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula and has a population of approximately 3 million. Its capital is Muscat. Oman is distinguished from the rest of the Gulf countries geographically and culturally, as it has a mountainous region within the country along with the Batinah coastal plain, where the main cities such as Muttrah and Sohar are located. Due to its sovereignty over the Musandam Peninsula, Oman occupies a geographically and strategically advantageous position at the entrance to the Arabian Gulf. Five thousand miles to the south, the Dhofar Governorate lies on a dry plateau, and is the only spot on the Arabian Peninsula exposed to the monsoon winds from the Indian Ocean. The capital’s port is Muscat is fortified with two forts built by the Portuguese. The Al Bou Said ruling family of Oman was established in 1749 following a period of civil war. After the Portuguese were expelled from the country, Oman was the leading power in the western Indian Ocean until it fell under British authority in the 19th and 20th centuries. Although Britain granted Oman the status of sovereign monarchy, with the Sultans of Muscat receiving, for example, a twenty-one artillery salute, Britain blocked two lucrative sources of income: the slave trade and arms trade.