21 interesting facts about Oman, the land of incense

21 interesting facts about Oman, the land of incense

Interesting facts about Oman, collected during our six-day foray through the north of the country

Located in the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula at the confluence of the Gulf and Indian Oceans, Oman has emerged from the isolationism of its past as a fascinating alternative for tourists to the region.

With 1,700km of sparkling coastline, secluded beaches and gigantic sand dunes, and a rugged interior, Oman has seen a significant increase in visitor numbers over the last five years.

The Sultanate's ambitions don't end there with plans to increase the number of international visitors to five million by 2020. Several incentives have been implemented recently, including a hassle-free visa process and a revamped airport.

During our six-day trip through the north of the country, we learned tons of interesting facts about Oman, the best of which we share below.

Interesting facts about Oman

1. Oman ist der älteste unabhängige Staat in der arabischen Welt, wobei die derzeitige Herrscherdynastie auf das Jahr 1749 zurückgeht. (Quelle: BBC News)
2. Von 1891 bis 1951 war „Oman und Maskat“ ein britisches Protektorat. Unter einem neuen Vertrag im Jahr 1951 erhielt Oman die vollständige Unabhängigkeit von Großbritannien. (Quelle: Enzyklopädie)

alt=“Sultan Qaboos Bin Said”>US State DepartmentSultan Qaboos Bin Said has ruled Oman since 1970

1. Der derzeitige Sultan von Oman, Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, ist der am längsten amtierende Herrscher im Nahen Osten. Er kam 1970 an die Macht. (Quelle: The Economist)

2. Sultan Qaboos Bin Said is rumored to be terminally ill, but his choice of successor remains unknown. He has no children and has not publicly appointed a successor. It is reported that he secretly recorded his choice in a sealed envelope addressed to the royal family council. (Source: The Guardian)

3. Until 1970, Oman experienced decades of international isolation and was a society ruled by an outdated system of feudalism. Since 1970, Sultan Qaboos Bin Said has opened the country by implementing economic reforms and increasing spending on health, education and social welfare. (Source: BBC News)

4. Sultan Qaboos Bin Said deposed his father in 1970 during a palace coup supported by the British military. Said bin Taimur, 60, accidentally shot himself in the foot during the coup and was flown to Britain. He spent his life in London's Dorchester Hotel until his death in 1972. (Source: New York Times and The Telegraph)

5. Oman has an expatriate population of nearly two million people, accounting for over 40% of the country's total population of nearly five million. In 2019, Oman was named the safest country in the world for expats. (Source: InterNations)

alt="The Muttrah Corniche at night">Oh & bootsMost expats in Oman live and work in Muscat

1. Zwischen 1800 und 1900 umfasste das omanische Reich Sansibar und Mombasa an der Ostküste Afrikas sowie Teile des indischen Subkontinents. (Quelle: BBC News)

2. In fact, Oman's capital was once moved to Africa: Stone Town on the island of Zanzibar in what is now Tanzania. The then Sultan Said bin Sultan liked the outpost so much that he moved the capital from Muscat to Zanzibar in 1832. (Source: Britannica)

3. Oman is free of terrorism. It scored zero in the latest Global Terrorism Index (GTI), meaning terrorism has “no impact” on the country. (Source: Vision of Humanity / Institute for Economics and Peace)

4. Portugal once ruled the coastal regions of Oman. In 1507 the Portuguese sacked and conquered Muscat. They were expelled in 1650. (Source: BBC News)

alt=“Al Jalai Fort at the entrance to the port – one of the many interesting facts about Oman”>Atlas & BootsAl Jalai Fort in Muscat was built by the Portuguese

1. Oman ist eines von 27 Ländern, die keine Züge haben. (Quelle: The Telegraph)

2. Oman once fought the shortest war in recorded history. On August 27, 1896, the Anglo-Zanzibar War between Oman and Britain lasted no more than 40 minutes. (Source: Britannica)

3. Oman was one of the last countries to abolish slavery. It was finally banned in 1970. Mauritania was later in 1981. (Source: Clarence-Smith, WG (2006). Islam and the Abolition of Slavery. New York: Oxford University Press)

4. Used as a perfume and panacea for 6,000 years, frankincense was once the main source of wealth in Oman and was valued more than gold. The frankincense trees of Oman have even been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Land of Frankincense. (Source: BBC Travel)

alt="Fun facts about Oman: Frankincense tree grows in Oman">Alexey Stiop/ShutterstockAn incense tree that grows in Oman

1. Es wird angenommen, dass die Insel Jazirat al Maqlab, bekannt als Telegrafeninsel, der Ursprung des Ausdrucks „um die Ecke gehen“ ist. Es war eine ehemalige britische Telegrafenstation, versteckt hinter der Landzunge. Man sagt, dass die Monotonie, auf der Insel stationiert zu sein, ausreichte, um den Wahnsinn auszulösen. (Quelle: Independent)

2. Oman is an important turtle nesting site for the critically endangered green turtle. In Ras Al Jinz, more than 20,000 female turtles annually return to the beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs. (Source: Lonely Planet)

3. The largest continuous sand desert in the world is partly located in Oman. Rub’ al Khali – or the Empty Quarter in German – is 650,000 km2 in size. (Source: Britannica)

alt="Sand dunes of Rub'al Khali">David Steele/ShutterstockRub' al Khali is partly located in Oman

1. Das Nationalsymbol von Oman ist ein Khanjar-Dolch und ein Paar gekreuzte Schwerter. Der Khanjar ist ein zeremonieller Dolch, der von omanischen Männern zu formellen Anlässen getragen wird. Die omanische Königsfamilie nahm das Emblem Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts an. (Quelle: DK Publishing (2008) Complete Flags of the World. London: DK)

2. Oman's flag consists of three stripes (white, green and red) with a red bar on the left side containing the national emblem. White represents the Imam and peace; Green represents the mountains and fertility; Red represents the indigenous people, the Kharijite Muslims, and is common on flags of the Gulf states. (Source: DK Publishing (2008) Complete Flags of the World. London: DK)

alt="Oman's flag contains the national emblem">Millenius/ShutterstockOman's flag contains the national emblem

1. Oman ist ein ausgezeichnetes Ziel für die Vogelbeobachtung. Die Lage des Landes an der Schnittstelle von drei Kontinenten – Europa, Afrika und Asien – macht es zu einem großartigen Ort, um Zugvögel zu beobachten. (Quelle: Bradt Guides)

Lonely Planet Oman, United Arab Emirates and Arabian Peninsula contains many more interesting facts about Oman, as well as a comprehensive travel guide to the region.

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