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76-466: Dibba is politically divided into three segments: This large natural harbor on the east coast of the northern Emirates has been an important site of maritime trade and settlement for millennia, with relatively recent excavations underpinning the importance of the town as a site of entrepot trade throughout the Iron Age and into the late pre-Islamic era. A collective tomb, discovered by accident in 2004, led to

152-514: A Sassanid invasion in the 3rd century AD, under the rule of Shapur I , while conversion to Islam occurred during the 7th century. Muscat's importance as a trading port continued to grow in the centuries that followed, under the influence of the Azd dynasty , a local tribe. The establishment of the First Imamate in the 9th century was the first step in consolidating disparate Omani tribal factions under

228-606: A Beta - Global City . The Hajar Mountains dominate the view from Muscat. The city lies on the Arabian Sea , along the Gulf of Oman, near the strategically important Straits of Hormuz . Low-lying white buildings are a typical feature of its architecture. The city’s port district of Muttrah , with its corniche and harbour, are at the north-eastern edge of the city. Muscat's economy is dominated by trade, petroleum, liquified natural gas and porting. Ptolemy 's Map of Arabia identifies

304-542: A continuity of not only occupation but a lively regional trade. Finds at the site attest to trade links with Bahrain, north-eastern Arabia, Iran, Mesopotamia and India, while amphorae, terra sigillata , glass and intaglios demonstrate connections between Dibba and the Roman Empire - two intaglios found in the town were engraved with figures of Perseus and Medusa (similar to one found in southern Thailand), further suggesting an extensive pre-Islamic trade network stretching far to

380-482: A couple of offices around the city. It is also home to Galfar Engineering, headed by P. Mohammed Ali. The airline Oman Air has its head office on the grounds of Muscat International Airport . According to the 2003 census conducted by the Oman Ministry of National Economy, the population of Muscat is over 630,000, which included 370,000 males and 260,000 females. Muscat formed the second largest governorate in

456-599: A faction of the Azd, led by Laqit bin Malik Dhu at-Taj , rejected Islam. According to one tradition Laqit was killed by an envoy of the caliph Abu Bakr in what may have been a relatively small struggle, while other sources including al-Tabari say that at least 10,000 rebels were killed in one of the biggest battles of the Ridda wars , the Battle of Dibba . The plain behind Dibba still contains

532-677: A hold on Muscat for over a century, despite challenges from Persia and a bombardment of the town by the Ottoman Turks in 1546. The Turks twice captured Muscat from the Portuguese, in the Capture of Muscat (1552) and 1581–88. The election of Nasir bin Murshid Al-Ya'rubi as Imam of Oman in 1624 changed the balance of power again in the region, from the Persians and the Portuguese to local Omanis. Among

608-630: A hospital in Muscat in the 19th century. Like the rest of Oman, Arabic is the predominant language of the city. In addition, English , Balochi , Sindhi , Swahili and Indian languages such as Bengali , Gujarati , Hindi , Konkani , Malayalam , Marathi , Odia , Tamil , Tulu , Telugu and Urdu are spoken by the residents of Muscat. Islam is the predominant religion in the city, with most followers being Ibadi Muslims . Non-Muslims are allowed to practise their religion, but may not proselytize publicly or distribute religious literature. In 2017

684-552: A large cemetery which according to local tradition represents the fallen apostates of Dibba. Thereafter, the region of southeast Arabia became nearly entirely Muslim. During the time of the Abbasid caliph Al-Mu'tadid (CE 870–892), a great battle was fought at Dibba during the conquest of Oman by the Abbasid governor of Iraq and Bahrain , Muhammad ibn Nur . Thereafter references to Dibba in historical literature are scarce until we come to

760-614: A major role in the Omanis' ability to stay in contact with the civilisations of the ancient world. Sur was one of the most famous shipbuilding cities of the Indian Ocean. The Al Ghanja ship takes one whole year to build. Other types of Omani ship include As Sunbouq and Al Badan. In March 2016, archaeologists working off Al-Hallaniyah Island identified a shipwreck believed to be that of the Esmeralda from Vasco da Gama 's 1502–1503 fleet. The wreck

836-568: A new port conceived initially by Sa‘id bin Taimur, was developed during the early days of Qaboos' rule. Similarly, a new international airport was developed in Muscat's Seeb district. A complex of offices, warehouses, shops and homes transformed the old village of Ruwi in Muttrah into a commercial district. The first five-year development plan in 1976 emphasised infrastructural development of Muscat, which provided new opportunities for trade and tourism in

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912-500: A number of excavations in the area of the present town which have yielded evidence of a large settlement with layers of occupation and significant finds of trade goods, bitumen, ceramics and glass as well as coins. Three copper alloy tetradrachms were found at the site which, as well as pottery finds, link it to the Hellenistic period at the major pre-Islamic cities of Mleiha and Ed-Dur , while Roman amphorae, ceramics and glass attest to

988-480: A single day. The climate generally is very hot and also very humid in the summer, with temperatures sometimes reaching as high as 45 °C or 113 °F. Muscat's economy, like that of Oman, is dominated by trade. The more traditional exports of the city included dates , mother of pearl , and fish. Many of the souks of Muttrah sell these items and traditional Omani artefacts. Petroleum Development Oman has been central to Muscat's economy since at least 1962 and

1064-588: A taxi. Taxis also generally take passengers to locations out of the city, including Sohar , Buraimi and Dubai . Outwardly, Oman shares many of the cultural characteristics of its Arab neighbours, particularly those in the Gulf Cooperation Council . Despite these similarities, important factors make Oman unique in the Middle East. These result as much from geography and history as from culture and economics. The relatively recent and artificial nature of

1140-484: A treaty with U.S. President Andrew Jackson 's representative Edmund Roberts on September 21, 1833. Having gained control over Zanzibar , in 1840 Said moved his capital to Stone Town , the ancient quarter of Zanzibar City ; however, after his death in 1856, control over Zanzibar was lost when it became an independent sultanate under his sixth son, Majid bin Said (1834/5–1870), while the third son, Thuwaini bin Said , became

1216-427: Is July with an average temperature of 33.8 °C (92.8 °F). The coldest month is January, with an average temperature of 19.2 °C (66.6 °F). In June 2007, Dibba was affected by Cyclone Gonu , which caused damage to buildings and homes. There is evidence of extensive ancient settlement and Dibba was an international market on the coast of Oman frequented by merchants from India and China sailing through

1292-495: Is a plain as large as the square of Lisbon, all covered with salt pans. [T]here are orchards, gardens, and palm groves with wells for watering them by means of swipes and other engines. The harbour is small, shaped like a horse-shoe and sheltered from every wind." — Afonso de Albuquerque , after the fall of Muscat, in 1507. Muscat's naval and military supremacy was re-established in the 19th century by Said bin Sultan , who signed

1368-628: Is a trading hub between the Persian Gulf , the Indian subcontinent and the Far East with an annual volume of about 1.6 million tons. However, the emergence of the Jebel Ali Free Zone in neighboring Dubai , United Arab Emirates , has made that port the premier maritime trading port of the region with about 44 million tons traded in cargo annually. Many infrastructural facilities are owned and operated by

1444-594: Is about 10 centimetres or 4 inches, falling mostly from December to April. In general, precipitation is scarce in Muscat, with the months May to November typically receiving only a trace of rainfall. However, in recent years, heavy precipitation events from tropical systems originating in the Arabian Sea have struck the city. Cyclone Gonu in June 2007 and Cyclone Phet in June 2010 affected the city with damaging winds and rainfall amounts exceeding 100 millimetres or 4 inches in just

1520-425: Is limited to major roadways and point-to-point travel routes between Oman's major cities and towns. Taxis, also colour-coded orange and white, provide semi-personal transportation in the form of both individual hire and the same opportunistic roadway service as Baiza buses. Baiza buses and colour-coded orange-and-white taxis are unmetered, after several government initiatives to introduce meters were rejected. The fare

1596-553: Is one of the two faults that run through the UAE. The fault crosses into Oman from the north and runs southward to the center of the Arabian Peninsula . Gulf News reported that people in Dibba have felt at least 150 tremors during 2003 and 2004 which indicates that there is a major earthquake waiting to happen in the area. Dibba also felt the 2005 Qeshm earthquake . The Mesozoic and

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1672-506: Is set by way of negotiation , although taxi drivers usually adhere to certain unwritten rules for fares within the city. In many countries, one is advised to negotiate a fare with the driver before getting into a taxi. However, in Oman, asking for the fare beforehand often demonstrates a passenger's newness and unfamiliarity with the area. One should always find out the normally accepted fare for one's journey from one's hotel or host before looking for

1748-477: Is still standing. This place also has a valley with a lot of date trees under which there are water wells, where one can get fresh water. At the Northern side of Dabba there is a small freshwater river where the fishermen live.". The 1900s witnessed land disputes over Dibba. The Dibba Fault is an active fault , which means that it had a displacement or seismic activity during the geologically recent period, and

1824-575: Is synonymous with Oman ("hidden land"). But "Ov-man" (Omman), and the old Sumerian name Magan (Maa-kan) , means sea-people in Arabic. An inhabitant is a Muscatter , Muscatian , Muscatite or Muscatan . In 1793 AD the capital was transferred from Rustaq to Muscat. Evidence of communal activity in the area around Muscat dates back to the 6th millennium BC in Ras al-Hamra, where burial sites of fishermen have been found. The graves appear to be well formed and indicate

1900-631: Is the capital and most populous city in Oman . It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat . According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the population of the Muscat Governorate in 2022 was 1.72 million. The metropolitan area includes six provinces , called wilayats , and spans approximately 3,500 km (1,400 sq mi), making it the largest city by area on

1976-731: Is the country's second largest employer, after the government. Its major shareholders include Shell , Total, and Partex and its production is estimated to be about 720,000 barrels per day (114,000 m /d). Muscat also has major trading companies such as the Suhail Bahwan Group, which is a trading partner for corporations such as Toshiba , Subaru , Seiko , Hewlett-Packard , General Motors , RAK Ceramics ; Saud Bahwan Group whose trading partners are Toyota , Daihatsu , KIA and Hertz Rent-a-Car ; Zubair Automotive whose trading partners include Mitsubishi , and Chrysler brands such as Dodge; and Moosa AbdulRahman Hassan which operates as one of

2052-427: Is well known for being sailing of many commercial ships and boats. Here also, the traditional boats of Arabian Peninsula named Dhows can be also seen. This port since many centuries have been a main commercial and financial centre in terms of its international maritime trade. Airport The main airport is Muscat International Airport (formerly known as Seeb International Airport) around 25 km (16 mi) from

2128-503: The Arabian Peninsula . South of Muscat, the volcanic rock strata are broken up and distorted, rising to a maximum height of 6,000 feet (1,800 m) in Al-Dakhiliyah , a region which includes Jebel Akhdar , the country's highest range. The hills in Muscat are mostly devoid of vegetation but are rich in iron . The halophytic sabkha type desert vegetation is predominant in Muscat. The Qurum Nature Reserve contains plants such as

2204-618: The Arabian Sea . Indian and Chinese merchant activity has also been discovered in Dibba, and in Chinese sources as well. 25°37′N 56°16′E  /  25.617°N 56.267°E  / 25.617; 56.267 Mleiha Mleiha , also Mileiha or Malaihah ( Arabic : ملَيْحَة ), is a town in the Emirate of Sharjah , the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a population of 4,768 (2015), located some 25 km (16 miles) south of

2280-615: The Arthrocnemum Macrostachyum and Halopeplis Perfoliata . Coral reefs are common in Muscat. Acropora reefs exist in the sheltered bays of the satellite towns of Jussah and Khairan. Additionally, smaller Porites reef colonies exist in Khairan, which have fused to form a flat-top pavement that is visible at low tide. Crabs and spiny crayfish are found in the waters of the Muscat area, as are sardines and bonito . Glassfish are common in freshwater estuaries , such as

2356-707: The Assyrians of the Church of the East resulted in a significant Christian population living in the region, with a bishop being attested by 424 AD under the Metropolitan of Fars and Arabia. The rise of Islam saw the Syriac and Arabic-speaking Christian population eventually disappear. It is thought to have been brought back in by the Portuguese in 1507. Protestant missionaries established

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2432-937: The Cenozoic accretionary wedge is truncated on the western side by the right lateral fault, the Zendan Fault – Oman Line. West of the transform are the Zagros Mountains of southern Iran, the Musandam peninsula and the Oman Mountains, and the Arabian platform and the Dibba Fault. The Dibba Fault separates the ophiolites in the Oman Mountains from the Mesozoic carbonates in the Musandam Peninsula. On 31 March 2009, Gulfnews reported that

2508-658: The Dibba Marine Protected Zone were destroyed and the fish population dwindled to a minimum. Rita Bento, a marine biologist working with the Emirates Diving Association (EDA) , said she saw only three fish during an hour-long dive in an area where previously hundreds were seen. Dibba is located in the Tropical and Subtropical Desert Climate according to the Köppen climate classification . The warmest month

2584-592: The Gulf of Oman , Muscat attracted foreign traders and settlers such as the Persians, the Balochs and the Sindhis . Beginning in 1970, after the accession of Qaboos bin Said as the Sultan of Oman, Muscat experienced rapid infrastructural development; it developed a vibrant economy and became a multi-ethnic society. The Globalization and World Cities Research Network classifies Muscat as

2660-402: The Indian subcontinent , at the cost of the alienation of the people of the interior of Oman. The Portuguese admiral Afonso de Albuquerque sailed to Muscat in 1507, in an attempt to establish trade relations. As he approached the harbour, his ships were fired on. He then decided to conquer Muscat. Most of the city burned to the ground during and after the fighting. The Portuguese maintained

2736-589: The Musandam peninsula between Khasab , on the Persian Gulf side, and Dibba on the east coast. Claes Speelman, the captain of the Zeemeeuw , made drawings in his logbook, including what is certainly the earliest depiction of Dibba in a European source. Within a year or two the Portuguese were forced out of Dibba and held only Khasab and Muscat, which they finally lost in 1650. Eleven years later, Jacob Vogel's description of

2812-615: The Omani Aquarium and Marine Science and Fisheries Centre . The Bait Al Falaj Fort played an important role in Muscat's military history. Recent projects include an opera house which opened on October 14, 2011. One of the most notable new projects is the Oman National Museum. It is expected to be an architectural jewel along with the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque . Visitors are also encouraged to visit Old Muscat and

2888-576: The Portuguese who built a fortress there. Dibba (Debe) appears in the list of southeast Arabian placenames preserved by the Venetian jeweler Gasparo Balbi in CE 1580 and depictions of its Portuguese fort can be found in several sources, such as Armando Cortesão 's Portugaliae Monumenta Cartographica . Around 1620–1625 the Italian traveler Pietro Della Valle , while staying with the Sultan of Bandar Abbas , met

2964-484: The labour force , dominated by males, who accounted for 80% of the city's total labour. A majority of expatriates (34%) was in engineering-related occupations, while most Omanis worked in engineering, clerical, scientific or technical fields. The defense sector was the largest employer for Omanis, while construction, wholesale and retail trade employed the largest number of expatriates. The ethnic makeup of Muscat has historically been influenced by people not native to

3040-493: The state of Oman makes it difficult to describe a national culture; however, sufficient cultural heterogeneity exists within its national boundaries to make Oman distinct from other Arab States of the Persian Gulf. Oman's cultural diversity is greater than that of its Arab neighbours, given its historical expansion to the Swahili Coast and the Indian Ocean. Oman has a long tradition of shipbuilding, as maritime travel played

3116-529: The "Baiza" buses, so named for the lower denomination of the Omani rial , the baiza (an adaptation of the Indian lower denomination paisa ). These are relatively inexpensive and service all major roadways, as well as a wide and loose network of smaller byways in the greater Muscat metropolitan area, opportunistically dropping off and picking up passengers at any location. Less popular and slightly more expensive are large public buses, coloured red and green, whose service

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3192-509: The 1980s–1990s, attracting migrants from around the region. On June 6, 2007, Cyclone Gonu hit Muscat causing extensive damage to property, infrastructure and commercial activity. Early photographs of the city and harbour, taken in the early 20th century by German explorer and photographer, Hermann Burchardt , are now held at the Ethnological Museum of Berlin . Muscat is located in northeast Oman. The Tropic of Cancer passes south of

3268-530: The Arabian Peninsula. British Parliamentary papers dating back to the 19th century indicate the presence of a significant Hindu Gujarati merchants in the city. Indeed, four Hindu temples existed in Muscat ca. 1760. Christianity flourished in Oman (Bēṯ Mazūnāyē "land of the Maganites"; a name deriving from its Sumerian designation) from the late 4th century to the 7th century. Missionary activity by

3344-605: The Arabian Peninsula. Known since the early 1st century AD as an leading port for trade between the west and the east , Muscat was ruled successively by various indigenous tribes, as well as by foreign powers such as the Persians , the Portuguese Empire and the Ottoman Empire . In the 18th century, Muscat was a regional military power: its influence extended as far as East Africa and Zanzibar . As an important port town in

3420-541: The British in quelling the uprisings from the interior. The failed assassination attempt of April 26, 1966 on Said bin Taimur led to the further isolation of the Sultan, who had moved his residence from Muscat to Salalah , amidst the civilian armed conflict. On July 23, 1970, Qaboos bin Said , son of the Sultan, staged a bloodless coup d'état in the Salalah palace with the assistance of the British, and took over as ruler. With

3496-641: The East. Under the Sasanians , and their clients, the Julanda and Azd , an important market existed at Dibba. The Julanda, reported to the Persian marzban (military governor), based at Al- Rustaq in what is now Oman. According to Ibn Habib, "merchants from Sindh , India, China, people of the East and West came to it." Soon after the death of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad a rebellion broke out at Dibba and

3572-532: The Elder 's reference to Amithoscuta to be Muscat . The origin of the word Muscat is disputed. Some authors claim that the word has Arabic origins – from moscha , meaning an inflated hide or skin . Other authors claim that the name Muscat means anchorage or the place of "letting fall the anchor" . Other derivations include muscat from Old Persian , meaning strong-scented , or from Arabic , meaning falling-place , or hidden . Cryptus Portus

3648-465: The Europeans in 1650. They were not affected by civil war that established the Al Bu Sa‘id dynasty and continued to prosper under Ahmad bin Said al-Busaidi . Important trade existed between the city and Thatta , and later, Kutch , expanding to other parts of India. 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 Muttrah were attacked by tribes from

3724-422: The Mabela area of Muscat are Al Araimi Boulevard and Mall of Muscat. The Mall of Muscat is also home to the Oman Aquarium. Mall Of Oman , the largest shopping mall in Oman was opened in Summer 2021 housing over 100+ stores including Snow Oman , Vox Cinemas , an arcade (Magic Planet) and various food chains. Waterways Sultan Qaboos Port serves as one of the most important ports of Muscat Governorate , which

3800-445: The Old Palace. The main shopping district is situated in Al Qurum Commercial Area. However, shopping malls are found throughout the city. One of the largest malls in Oman is Oman Avenues Mall , located in Ghubra. The fourth largest mall is in Seeb , near the international airport, called City Centre Muscat , housing all major international brands and the largest Carrefour hypermarket. Two new megamalls opened during 2019 and 2020: in

3876-416: The Persian king Nader 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 the Al Bu Sa‘id dynasty , which has ruled Oman ever since. "Muscat is a large and very populous town, flanked on both sides with high mountains and the front is close to the water's edge; behind, towards the interior, there

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3952-409: The Qurum Nature Reserve. The Sultan Qaboos Street forms the main artery of Muscat, running west-to-east through the city. The street eventually becomes Al Nahdah Street near Al Wattayah. Several inter-city roads such as Nizwa Road and Al Amrat Road, intersect with Al Sultan Qaboos Road (in Rusail and Ruwi , respectively). Muttrah , with the Muscat Harbour, Corniche , and Mina Qaboos , is located in

4028-473: The Sultan of Oman. By the 19th century, a large Hindu merchant community in the port city dominated its commercial life. It is argued that their settlement at least since the fifteenth century; one of the reasons is that the Portuguese relied heavily on them to secure a trade monopoly in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf area. The Sindhis were amongst the first during this era, followed by the Kutchis . The merchant community played an important role in expelling

4104-579: The Sultanate of Oman unveiled the Mushaf Muscat , an interactive calligraphic Quran following a brief from the Omani Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs . The city has numerous mosques including the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque , Ruwi Mosque, Saeed bin Taimoor and Zawawi Mosque . A few Shi'ite mosques also exist here. Muscat has a number of museums. These include Museum of Omani Heritage , National Museum of Oman , Oman Children's Museum , Bait Al Zubair , Oman Oil and Gas Exhibition Centre , Omani French Museum , Sultan's Armed Forces Museum and

4180-469: The UAE's National Centre of Metrology and Seismology (NCMS) recorded two earth tremors, measuring magnitudes of 2.9 and 3.5 on the Richter scale, which shook the Gulf of Aden and the north of Dibba at 6.21 am and 9.35 am. The tremors were lightly felt in some areas of the northern emirates. In 2008 an algal bloom affected the sea around Dibba and reached the tourist hot-spots of 'Aqqah and Al-Faqeet, which contain several high-end resorts. 95% of corals in

4256-421: The area. It is bordered to its west by the plains of the Al Batinah Region and to its east by Ash Sharqiyah Region . The interior plains of Ad Dakhiliyah Region border Muscat to the south, while the Gulf of Oman forms the northern and western periphery of the city. The water along the coast of Muscat runs deep, forming two natural harbours , in Muttrah and Muscat. The Central Hajar Mountains run through

4332-545: The assistance of the British, Qaboos bin Said put an end to the Dhofar uprising and consolidated disparate tribal territories. He renamed the country the Sultanate of Oman (called Muscat and Oman hitherto), in an attempt to end to the interior's isolation from Muscat. Qaboos enlisted the services of capable Omanis to fill positions in his new government, drawing from such corporations as Petroleum Development Oman . New ministries for social services such as health and education were established. The construction of Mina Qaboos ,

4408-426: The banner of an Ibadi state. However, tribal skirmishes continued, allowing the Abbasids of Baghdad to conquer Oman. The Abbasids occupied the region until the 11th century, when they were driven out by the local Yahmad tribe. Power over Oman shifted from the Yahmad tribe to the Azdi Nabahinah clan, during whose rule, the people of coastal ports such as Muscat prospered from maritime trade and close alliances with

4484-461: The city's business district of Ruwi and 15 to 20 km from the main residential localities of Al-Khuwair, Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Shati Al-Qurm and Al-Qurm. Muscat is the headquarters for the local Oman Air , which flies to several destinations within the Middle East , the Indian Subcontinent, East Africa and Europe. Road Transportation The Muscat area is well serviced by paved roads and dual-carriageway connects most major cities and towns in

4560-417: The country, after Al Batinah , accounting for 27% of the total population of Oman. As of 2003, Omanis constituted 60% of the total population of Muscat, while expatriates accounted for about 40%. The population density of the city was 162.1 per km . The governorate of Muscat comprises six wilayats : Muttrah , Bawshar, Seeb , Al Amrat, Muscat and Qurayyat . Seeb, located in the western section of

4636-429: The country. Since November 2015, Public transportation in Muscat has been revamped with a bus network connecting most important parts of the city with a fleet of modern Mwasalat (earlier Oman National Transport Company buses. Mwasalat buses procured from VDL of the Netherlands and MAN of Germany have several hi-tech features, including free Wi-Fi. Several forms of public transport are popular in Oman. Most popular are

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4712-409: The east coast of the Oman peninsula, prepared for the Dutch East India Company in 1666, contained the following: "Dabba (which we were unable to visit because of calm and counter currents) is a place (according to the interpreter assigned to us) with about 300 small houses constructed from branches of date trees. During the days of the Portuguese, there were here four fortresses of which the biggest one

4788-400: The existence of burial rituals. South of Muscat, remnants of Harappan pottery indicate some level of contact with the Indus Valley civilisation . Muscat's notability as a port was acknowledged as early as the 1st century AD by the Greek geographer Ptolemy , who referred to it as Cryptus Portus (the Hidden Port ), and by Pliny the Elder , who called it Amithoscuta . The port fell to

4864-465: The government of Oman. Omantel is the major telecommunications organization in Oman and provides local, long-distance and international dialing facilities and operates as the country's only ISP . Recent liberalization of the mobile telephone market has seen the establishment of a second provider, Ooredoo . Muscat is home to multibillion-dollar conglomerate CK Industries with their headquarters located in Ruwi . Ajman based Amtek Industries also have

4940-427: The governorate, was the most populous (with over 220,000 residents), while Muttrah had the highest number of expatriates (with over 100,000). Approximately 71% of the population was within the 15–64 age group, with the average Omani age being 23 years. About 10% of the population is illiterate , an improvement when compared to the 18% illiteracy rate recorded during the 1993 census. Expatriates accounted for over 60% of

5016-435: The inland Sharjah town of Dhaid . It is the location of archaeological remnants dating from the Neolithic to pre-Islamic Arabia and home to the Mleiha Archaeological Centre . Mleiha is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This United Arab Emirates location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Muscat, Oman Muscat ( Arabic : مَسْقَط , Masqaṭ pronounced [ˈmasqatˤ] )

5092-399: The interior in 1895 and again in 1915. A tentative ceasefire was brokered by the British , which gave the interior more autonomy. However, conflicts among the disparate tribes of the interior, and with the Sultan of Muscat and Oman continued into the 1950s, and eventually escalated into the Dhofar Rebellion (1962). The rebellion forced the Sultan Said bin Taimur to seek the assistance of

5168-510: The most important castles and forts in Muscat, the Al Jalali Fort and the Al-Mirani Fort are the most prominent buildings left by the Portuguese. On August 16, 1648, 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 January 23, 1650. A civil war and repeated incursions by

5244-518: The north-eastern coastline of the city, adjacent to the Gulf of Oman. Other coastal districts of Muscat include Darsait , Mina Al Fahal , Ras Al Hamar, Al Qurum Heights, Al Khuwair, and Al Seeb . Residential and commercial districts further inland include Al Hamriyah , Al Wadi Al Kabir , Ruwi , Al Wattayah, Madinat Qaboos , Al Azaiba and Al Ghubra . Muscat features a hot, arid climate ( Köppen climate classification BWh ) with long, sweltering summers and warm winters. Annual rainfall in Muscat

5320-510: The northern coastline of the city. Volcanic rocks , predominantly serpentinite and diorite are apparent in the Muscat area and extend along the Gulf of Oman coast for ten or twelve 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from the district of Darsait to Yiti. Plutonic rocks constitute the hills and mountains of Muscat and span approximately 30 miles (48 km) from Darsait to Ras Jissah. These igneous rocks consists of serpentinite , greenstone , and basalt , typical of rocks in southeastern regions of

5396-523: The oldest automotive agencies in the entire region having been established in 1927. The private Health Care sector of Muscat, Oman has numerous hospitals and clinics. The Muscat Securities Market is the principal stock exchange of Oman. It is located in Central Business District of Muscat and it was established in 1988, and has since distinguished itself as a pioneer among its regional peers in terms of transparency and disclosure regulations and requirements. Mina'a Sultan Qaboos, Muscat's main trading port,

5472-451: The people of Dibba turned on their Safavid overlords putting them all to death, whereupon a Portuguese garrison of 50 men was installed at Dibba. More Portuguese forces had to be sent to Dibba in 1627 as a result of an Arab revolt. Two years later the Portuguese proposed moving part of the Mandaean population of southern Iraq to Dibba under pressure from neighboring Arab tribes. Although Dibba

5548-525: The son of the ruler of Dibba. From this he learned that Dibba had formerly been subject to the Kingdom of Hormuz , but was at that time loyal to the Safavids . In 1623, Safavids sent troops to Dibba, Khor Fakkan and other ports on the south-east coast of Arabia in order to prepare for a Portuguese counter-attack, following their expulsion from Hormuz (Jarun). The Portuguese, under Rui Freire , were so successful that

5624-499: The territories of Cryptus Portus and Moscha Portus . Scholars are divided in opinion on which of the two is related to the city of Muscat . Similarly, Arrianus references Omana and Moscha in Voyage of Nearchus . Interpretations of Arrianus' work by William Vincent and Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville conclude that Omana was a reference to Oman , while Moscha referred to Muscat . Similarly, other scholars identify Pliny

5700-436: Was initially discovered in 1998. Later underwater excavations took place between 2013 and 2015 through a partnership between the Oman Ministry of Heritage and Culture and Blue Water Recoveries Ltd., a shipwreck recovery company. The vessel was identified through such artifacts as a "Portuguese coin minted for trade with India (one of only two coins of this type known to exist) and stone cannonballs engraved with what appear to be

5776-513: Was offered to the Mandaeans they were wise enough to see that the Portuguese force there would be insufficient to guarantee their security and, while a few Mandaeans tested the waters by moving to Muscat , most returned to Basra in CE 1630. In 1645 the Portuguese still held Dibba but the Dutch, searching for potential sites for new commercial activities, sent the warship Zeemeeuw ('Seagull') to explore

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