21 interesting facts about Oman, the land of incense

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interesting facts about the Oman, collected in our six -day foray through the north of the country

Oman is located in the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula on the confluence of the Golf and the Indian Ocean and has developed from the isolationism of its past as a fascinating alternative for tourists in the region.

with 1,700 km glittering coast, lonely beaches and gigantic sand dunes as well as a rugged country, Oman has recorded a significant increase in visitor numbers in the past five years.

The ambitions of the sultanate do not end with plans to increase the number of international visitors to five million by 2020. Several incentives have recently been implemented, including a problem -free visa process and a newly designed airport.

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

interesting facts about the Oman

  1. Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab world, with the current ruling dynasty declining to 1749. (Source: BBC News)

  2. from 1891 to 1951 was "Oman and Maskat" a British protectorate. Under a new contract in 1951, Oman received complete independence from Great Britain. (Source: Encyclopedia)

    3. alt = "Sultan Qaboos bin Said"> US State Department Since 1970 Sultan Qaboos Bin Said the Oman

    1. The current Sultan of Oman, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, is the longest reigning ruler in the Middle East. He came to power in 1970. (Source: The Economist)

    2. It is rumored that Sultan Qaboos bin Said is terminally ill, but his choice of the successor remains unknown. He has no children and has not publicly ordered a successor. It is reported that he secretly recorded his choice in a sealed envelope that is addressed to the Royal Family Council. (Source: The Guardian)

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 until 1970 Oman experienced decades of international isolation and was a society that was ruled by a outdated system of feudalism.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

    4. sultan Qaboos bin Said set his father in 1970 during a palace coup supported by the British military. The 60-year-old Said bin Taimur accidentally shot himself into his foot during the coup and was flown to Great Britain. He spent his life in the Hotel in London until his death in 1972. (Source: New York Times and The Telegraph)

    5. Oman has a foreign population of almost two million people, which makes over 40 % of the country's total population of almost five million. In 2019, Oman was named the safest country in the world for expats. (Source: Internations)

      6. alt = "The Muttrah Corniche at night"> Ach & boots Most expats live and work in Maskat

      1. between 1800 and 1900 the Omani Empire included Zanzibar and Mombasa on the east coast of Africa as well as parts of the Indian subcontinent. (Source: BBC News)

      2. In fact, Oman's capital was once moved to Africa: Stone Town on the island of Zanzibar in today's Tanzania. The outpost was so good at the then Sultan Said bin Sultan that he moved the capital of Maskat to Zanzibar in 1832. (Source: Britannica)

      3. Oman is free of terrorism. In the most recent global terrorism index (GTI) it scored zero points, which means that terrorism has "no effects" 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 ransacked and conquered maskat. They were driven out in 1650. (Source: BBC News)

        5. alt = “Al Jalai Fort at the entrance to the port-one of the many interesting facts about Oman”> Atlas & Boots Al Jalai Fort was built by the Portuguese

        1. Oman is one of 27 countries that have no trains. (Source: The Telegraph)

        2. Oman once waged the shortest war in the recorded story. On August 27, 1896, the Anglo-Sansibar War between Oman and Great Britain did not take longer than 40 minutes. (Source: Britannica)

        3. Oman was one of the last countries that the slavery abolished. In 1970 it was finally banned. Mauritania later became Mauritania later. (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 more valued than gold. The incense trees of the Oman were even included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site: the land of incense. (Source: BBC Travel)

          5. alt = "Interesting facts about Oman: Incense tree grows in Oman"> Alexey Stiop/Shutterstock A frankincense tree that grows in Oman

          1. It is assumed that the island of Jazirat Al Maqlab, known as a telegraph island, is the origin of the expression "walking around the corner". It was a former British telegraph station hidden behind the headland. It is said that the monotony to be stationed on the island was sufficient to trigger madness. (Source: Independent)

          2. Oman is an important nesting place for turtles for the soup turtle threatened with extinction. In Ras Al Jinz, more than 20,000 female turtles return to the beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs. (Source: Lonely Planet)

          3. The largest coherent sandy desert in the world is partly in Oman. Rub ’Al Khali - or the empty neighborhood in German - is 650,000 km2. (Source: Britannica)

            4. alt = "sand dunes of Rub’al Khali"> David Steele/Shutterstock Rub ’Al Khali is partly in Oman

            1. The national symbol of Oman is a Khanjar dagger and a few crossed swords. The Khanjar is a ceremonial dagger that is carried by Omani men to formal occasions. The Omani royal family accepted the emblem in the mid -18th century. (Source: 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, which contains the national emblem. White represents the imam and peace; Green stands for the mountains and fertility; Red stands for 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)

              3. alt = “Oman's flag contains the national emblem”> Millenius/Shutterstock omans flag contains the national emblem

              1. Oman is an excellent goal for bird watching. The location of the country at the interface of three continents - Europe, Africa and Asia - makes it a great place to observe migratory birds. (Source: Bratt Guides)

                2. Lonely Planet Oman, United Arab Emirates and Arabian Peninsula contains many other interesting facts about Oman and a comprehensive travel guide for the region.

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