Muscat, Oman

Muscat is the capital and largest city of the Sultanate of Oman, a country that occupies the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. It is Oman's financial, administrative, and economic center. Considered one of the oldest cities in the Middle East, Muscat has been the seat of power for much of that region's history. Until 1970, the modern day country of Oman was known as the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, which included all of present-day Oman and parts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Landscape

Muscat is situated along the coast of the Gulf of Oman, on the edge of the Arabian Peninsula in the northeastern part of the country. The city is surrounded by volcanic mountains on three sides. Considered an aesthetically pleasing blend of modern and ancient architecture, Muscat is comprised of a large metropolitan area—approximately 3,500 square kilometers (1,400 square miles)—and an old port area, dominated by two Portuguese forts, al-Jalali and al-Mirani, as well as the sultan's palace. The greater metropolitan area is locally referred to as the "Capital Area." The city is divided into three districts—West Muscat, East Muscat, and Central Muscat.

Oman's climate is generally arid, but Muscat enjoys a relatively lush and temperate climate because of its coastal location. Summer typically begins in mid-April, lasting until October, and is relatively humid—typically 90 percent humidity—due to the city's low elevation. Winter runs from October through March, with temperatures averaging between 15 to 23 degrees Celsius (59 degrees to 73 degrees Fahrenheit). The average temperature in Muscat is 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).

Oman is suffering the effects of climate change, including more frequent extreme weather such as tropical storms and cyclones. Rising temperatures have caused rainfall to decline, causing water insecurity. Oman lacks the funding to develop an effective strategy to combat climate chantge.

People

Muscat had a population of 1.623 million in 2022. Unlike other oil-producing nations in the region, the majority of residents in Muscat are native born. This is because of a national program known as "Omanization," the goal of which has been to replace foreign-born workers with Omanis. Expatriates account for about 30 percent of residents and are primarily from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. These expatriates, many of whom are nonskilled laborers, have filled jobs that were created in the wake of Oman's rapid growth.

The primary and official language spoken in Muscat is Arabic. However, English, Urdu, Baluchi, and Indian dialects are common as well. The majority of Muscat residents are Ibadhi Muslims, which is the official majority religion and is a minor sect of Islam that is found primarily in Oman. Although Ibadhis are neither Sunni nor Shiite, they are tolerant of other Islamic sects. Sunni Muslims also comprise a significant percentage of the Omani population. While non-Muslims are forbidden to proselytize, or openly recruit, outside of their community, Muscat's Hindus and Christians enjoy a tolerant environment, and the city is home to several temples and churches.

Economy

A port city, Muscat, much like Oman as a whole, has a trade-based economy. Muscat's main trading port is Mina Sultan Qaboos (mina means "port" in Arabic), which was the most important port in the region until the Jebel Ali Free Zone was created in nearby Dubai. Before the discovery of oil in the region, Muscat's commerce depended on the export of agricultural and fishing resources, most notably dates and mother of pearl. Other important agricultural products include bananas, coconuts, pomegranates, tobacco, and wheat. Located in a rich fishing region, Oman's fishing industry exports sardines, sharks, and cod.

In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Muscat's economy has centered on the petroleum industry, which accounted for nearly 65 percent of the city's gross domestic product (GDP). The city's second largest employer in Muscat, after the government, is Petroleum Development Oman. This oil export company has its central offices in Muscat. Unlike many other nations in the region, Oman is not a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), a group of oil producing nations that work together to set global oil prices. Other important trade companies include Suhail Bahwan Group, Saud Bahwan Group, and Zubair Automotive. Suhail is a large company that has expanded beyond trade, while Saud and Zubair deal exclusively with car and truck imports. Oman has recently discovered natural gas deposits.

Due to dwindling oil reserves and Oman's heavy dependency on petroleum to maintain its economy, Muscat officials and the national government have pursued a development plan that focuses on diversification, industrialization, and privatization with the goal of reducing oil's contribution to the GDP. Officials are focusing their efforts on developing tourism, shipping and logistics, mining, manufacturing, and aquaculture.

Muscat's primary airport is Muscat International Airport, and public transportation in the capital is mainly limited to buses and taxis, as no metro network is in place.

Landmarks

Muscat has several important pieces of historical architecture, the oldest of which are the Muscat city walls and three Portuguese forts, which date back to the early sixteenth century. Fort al-Jalali overlooks the city and once served as a prison. Fort al-Mirani lies along the western portion of the old walls. Both forts are still actively in use by local authorities, and neither is open to the public. The third Portuguese fort, Muttrah Fort, is the largest of the three and overlooks Muscat's harbor. It is located in the suburb of Muttrah, which is also home to a traditional souk, or marketplace.

Muscat also contains its share of museums and mosques. The Bait al-Baranda Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of Muscat from the prehistoric era to the modern day, while the National Museum, which opened in 1978, is the keeper of Oman's cultural and traditional heritage. Other museums include the Natural History Museum and the Sultan's Armed Forces Museum. In addition, Muscat is home to Oman's Grand Mosque, built to commemorate Sultan Qaboos, whose reign began in 1970.

History

Considered one of the oldest cities in the Middle East, Muscat's recorded history dates back to the first or second century when it was mentioned in the texts of Ptolemy, an ancient Greek astronomer and geographer. For much of its early history, it was a small port city, and, beginning in the seventh century CE, Muscat came to be ruled as an Ibadhi state under the governance of an imam.

By the sixteenth century, the Portuguese empire, lead by explorer Vasco da Gama (1460–1524), made extensive forays into the Middle East looking to increase their influence. As a result, Muscat fell to Portuguese invaders in 1507 and was under the control of Portugal for almost 150 years during which time it grew in significance as a trading port.

In 1650, Sultan bin Saif Al Ya'rubi (also spelled Yaruba) reclaimed the city, capturing numerous Portuguese warships in the process. He then used these ships as the basis for his own navy, which extended his rule from Zanzibar to Pakistan. His victory over the Portuguese helped solidify the Ya'rubi period (1624–1744), which lasted, with a minor interruption by internal strife and Persian rule, until Ahmed bin Said became the new imam.

In 1856, the sultan died without appointing an heir, and through British mediation, a member of the al-Said clan was named Sultan of Muscat, while another clan member became imam, ruling the rest of Oman. The country was then known as the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman.

As Muscat and Oman entered the twentieth century, the sultanate changed hands several times, and the discovery of oil created tension between the imam and the sultan in Muscat, who held greater power due to Britain's support of Muscat. However, the British were growing weary of Sultan Sa'id ibn Taymur's inability to quell rebellion and public unrest, and supplanted him with his son, Qaboos ibn Sa'id, in 1970. Muscat and Oman was then renamed the Sultanate of Oman with Muscat as its capital, a political situation that remains to this day and that has ushered in a new competitive and prosperous era for the nation.

On June 6, 2007, Cyclone Gonu struck Muscat and the surround region, causing extensive damage. It was the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Arabian Sea. It is considered Oman's worst natural disaster.

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