Sport in Oman


Sultanate of Oman
سلطنة عُمان
Salṭanat ʻUmān
Flag National emblem
Anthem: Nashid as-Salaam as-Sultani
National anthem of Oman
and largest city
Official languages Arabic
Demonym Omani
Government Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy
 -  Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said
 -  Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said[1]
Legislature none
 -  The Azd tribe migration Late 2nd century 
 -  Imamate established[2] 751 
 -  Total 309,501 km2 (70th)
119,498 sq mi
 -  Water (%) negligible
 -  2013 estimate 3,869,873[3]
 -  2010 census 2,773,479[4]
 -  Density 9.2/km2 (220th)
23.8/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2012 estimate
 -  Total $90.055 billion[5]
 -  Per capita $29,166[5]
GDP (nominal) 2012 estimate
 -  Total $76.464 billion[5]
 -  Per capita $24,764[5]
HDI (2013)Increase 0.731[6]
high · 85 th
Currency Rial (OMR)
Time zone GST (UTC+4)
 -  Summer (DST)  (UTC+4)
Drives on the right
Calling code +968
ISO 3166 code OM
Internet TLD .om, عمان.

Oman (Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman forming Musandam's coastal boundaries.


Oman is an absolute monarchy in which the Sultan of Oman exercises ultimate authority, but its parliament has some legislative and oversight powers.[9] In November 2010, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) listed Oman, from among 135 countries worldwide, as the nation most-improved during the preceding 40 years.[10] According to international indices, Oman is one of the most developed and stable countries in the Arab world.[11]

As with other Arab States of the Persian Gulf, oil is the mainstay of the economy, providing a large proportion of GDP, although compared to its neighbours Oman is a modest producer. Agriculture and fishing are also important sources of income.[12] A diversification drive includes tourism; the policy of Omanisation aims to replace expatriate workers with locals.[13]


Main article: History of Oman





Ancient history



Arrival of Islam



Portuguese colonization




18th and 19th century






Reign of Sultan Said


Imam Ghalib Al Hinai was the elected Imam of the Imamate of Oman in May 1954.[22] Relations between the Sultan of Muscat, Said bin Taimur, and Imam Ghalib were ruptured over a dispute concerning the right to grant oil concessions. A subsidiary of the Iraq Petroleum Company was intensely interested in some promising geological formations near Fahud.[20] Under the terms of the 1920 treaty of Seeb, the Sultan claimed all dealings with the oil company as his prerogative. The Imam, on the other hand, claimed that since the oil was in his territory, anything dealing with it was an internal matter.[20]

In December 1955, Sultan Said bin Taimur sent troops of the Muscat and Oman Field Force to occupy the main centres in Oman, including Nizwa, the capital of the Imamate of Oman, and Ibri.[21] Imam Ghalib bin Ali along with his younger brother Talib bin Ali Al Hinai, led the Imamate of Oman in the Jebel Akhdar War against Sultan Said bin Taimur's attack on his lands. In July 1957, the Sultan's forces were withdrawing, but they were repeatedly ambushed, sustaining heavy casualties.[21] Sultan Said bin Taimur, however, with the intervention of infantry (two companies of the Cameronians) and armoured car detachments from the British Army and aircraft of the RAF was able to suppress the rebellion.[23] Talib's forces retreated to the inaccessible Jebel Akhdar.[23]

Colonel David Smiley, who had been seconded to organize the Sultan's Armed Forces, managed to isolate the mountain in autumn 1958 and found a route to the plateau from Wadi Bani Kharu.[24] On 27 January 1959, they occupied the mountain in a surprise operation.[24] Ghalib, Talib and Sulaiman managed to escape to Saudi Arabia, where the imamate's cause was promoted until the 1970s.[24] The Treaty of Seeb was terminated and the autonomous Imamate of Oman abolished giving way to the present day Sultanate.

In 1955, Makran acceded to Pakistan and was made a district – although Gwadar, at the time, was not included in Makran. On 8 September 1958, Pakistan purchased the Gwadar enclave from Oman for $3 million.[note 2][25] Gwadar then became a tehsil in the Makran district.


Reign of Sultan Qaboos

After deposing his father in 1970, Sultan Qaboos opened up the country, embarked on economic reforms and followed a policy of modernisation by spending on health, education and welfare.[26] In 1981 Oman became a founding member of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.






Main article: Geography of Oman





The central desert of Oman is an important source of meteorites for scientific analysis.[30]


Main article: Climate of Oman


Flora and fauna









Oman is an absolute monarchy[35] in which all legislative, executive, and judiciary power ultimately rests in the hands of the hereditary sultan, and in which the system of laws is based firmly on Islamic sharia. Freedom House has routinely rated the country "Not Free".[36]

The Omani legislature is the bicameral Council of Oman, consisting of an upper chamber, the Council of State (Majlis ad-Dawlah) and a lower chamber, the Consultative Council (Majlis ash-Shoura).[37] Political parties are banned.[38] The upper chamber has 71 members, appointed by the Sultan from among prominent Omanis; it has only advisory powers.[39] The 84 members of the Consultative Council are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms, but the Sultan makes the final selections and can negotiate the election results.[39] The members are appointed for three-year terms, which may be renewed once.[37] The last elections were held on 15 October 2011.

Sultan Qaboos bin Said is the de facto prime minister and also controls the foreign affairs and defence portfolios.[40] The sultan has absolute power and issues laws by decree.[41] He is the longest-serving ruler in the Middle East.[38]

Legal system


The Basic Statute of the State[42] is the cornerstone of the Omani legal system and it operates as a constitution for the country. The Basic Statute was issued in the year 1996 and thus far has only been amended once, in 2011,[43] as a response to protests.

The administration of justice is highly personalised, with limited due process protections, especially in political and security-related cases.[44] A 2012 report by Bertelsmann Stiftung declared that while "Oman's legal code theoretically protects civil liberties and personal freedoms, both are regularly ignored by the regime. Oman, therefore, cannot be considered free."[45]

Foreign policy

Since 1970, Oman has pursued a moderate foreign policy and expanded its diplomatic relations dramatically. Oman is among the very few Arab countries that have maintained friendly ties with Iran.[46][47] WikiLeaks disclosed US diplomatic cables which say that Oman helped free British sailors captured by Iran's navy in 2007.[48] The same cables also portray the Omani government as wishing to maintain cordial relations with Iran and as having continuously turned down US diplomats requesting Oman to take a sterner stance against Iran.[49][50][51]




The Royal Air Force of Oman has approximately 4,100 men, with only 36 combat aircraft and no armed helicopters. Combat aircraft include 20 ageing Jaguars, 12 Hawk Mk 203s, 4 Hawk Mk 103s, and 12 PC-9 turboprop trainers with a limited combat capability. It has one squadron of 12 F-16C/D aircraft. Oman also has 4 A202-18 Bravos, and 8 MFI-17B Mushshaqs.[52]


In 2010 Oman spent US$4.074 billion on military expenditures, 8.5% of the gross domestic product.[54] The sultanate has a long history of association with the British military and defence industry.[55]

Administrative divisions

Main article: Regions and governorates of Oman

The Sultanate is administratively divided into eleven governorates. Governorates are, in turn, divided into 60 wilayats.[56][57]


Main article: Economy of Oman




A free-trade agreement with the United States took effect 1 January 2009, eliminating tariff barriers on all consumer and industrial products, also providing strong protections for foreign businesses investing in Oman.[61] Tourism, another source of Oman's revenue, is on the rise.[62] A popular event is The Khareef Festival held in Salalah, Dhofar, which is 1,200 km from the capital city of Muscat, during the monsoon season (August) and is similar to Muscat Festival. During this latter event the mountains surrounding Salalah are popular with tourists as a result of the cool weather and lush greenery, rarely found anywhere else in Oman.[63]

Oman's foreign workers send an estimated US$30 billion annually to their Asian and African home states, more than half of them earning a monthly wage of less than US$400.[64] The largest foreign community is from the south Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka or come from Maharastra, Gujarat and the Punjab,[65] representing more than half of entire workforce in Oman. Salaries for overseas workers are known to be less than for Omani nationals, though still from two to five times higher than for the equivalent job in India.[64] The Oman Ferries Company maintains the two diesel-powered, high-speed, car ferries – Shinas and Hormouz. The ferries are used for travel between Muscat and Khasab. Khasab is strategically located in Musandam on the southern tip of the Strait of Hormuz and is controlled by Oman. Mainland Oman is separated by a small strip of UAE territory from Musandam.[66]

Oil and gas industries

Oman's proved reserves of petroleum total about 5.5 billion barrels, 24th largest in the world.[67] Oil is extracted and processed by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), with proven oil reserves holding approximately steady, although oil production has been declining.[68][69] The Ministry of Oil and Gas is responsible for all oil and gas infrastructure and projects in Oman.[70]

Between 2000 and 2007, production fell by more than 26%, from 972,000 to 714,800 barrels per day.[71] Production has recovered to 816,000 barrels in 2009,[72] and 930,000 barrels per day in 2012.[71] Oman's natural gas reserves are estimated at 849.5 billion cubic meters, ranking 28th in the world, and production in 2008 was about 24 billion cubic meters per year.[73]


Main article: Demographics of Oman

According to the 2010 census, the total population was 2,773,479 and of those, 1,957,336 were Omanis.[4] The population has grown from 2,340,815 in the 2003 census.[4] The total fertility rate in 2011 was estimate at 3.70.[74] 43% of the population is under the age of 15.[75] About 50% of the population lives in Muscat and the Batinah coastal plain northwest of the capital; about 200,000 live in the Dhofar (southern) region, and about 30,000 live in the remote Musandam Peninsula on the Strait of Hormuz.

The country has a racially mixed population, a legacy of its imperial past.[26] Many Omani people originate from East Africa or Baluchistan.[76] Some 600,000 foreigners live in Oman, most of whom are guest workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, and the Philippines.


About 75% of Oman is Muslim.[77] The Oman government does not keep statistics on religious affiliation, but most citizens are Muslims.[59] Around half of the population follows the Ibadi school of Islam,[38] which is distinct from the Sunni and Shia denominations and the only remaining expression of Kharijism, which was created as a result of one of the first schisms within the religion.[76] Historically, Ibadi has been Oman's dominant religious sect, and the Sultan is a member of the Ibadi community.




Arabic is the official language of Oman.[58] Balochi is widely spoken.[79] Endangered languages in Oman include Bathari, Harsusi, Hobyot, Jibbali, Khojki, Kumzari, Mehri, Zidgali.[80] Oman was the first Persian Gulf state to have German taught as second language.[81]

Although Arabic is Oman's official language, there are native speakers of different dialects, as well as Balochi (the language of the Baloch from Baluchistan western-Pakistan, eastern Iran), and southern Afghanistan or offshoots of Southern Arabian, and some descendants of Sindhi sailors.[82] Also spoken in Oman are Semitic languages only distantly related to Arabic, but closely related to Semitic languages in Eritrea and Ethiopia. Swahili[7] and English are also widely spoken in the country due to the historical relations between Oman and Zanzibar the two languages have been linked historically. The dominant indigenous language is a dialect of Arabic and the country has also adopted Balochi as a second largest language. Almost all signs and writings appear in both Arabic and English.[62] A significant number also speak Urdu, due to the influx of Pakistani migrants during the late 1980s and the 1990s.

Largest cities


Main article: Culture of Oman

Outwardly, Oman shares many of the cultural characteristics of its Arab neighbours, particularly those in the Gulf Cooperation Council.[76] Despite some superficial similarities, important factors make Oman unique in the Middle East.[76] These are as much a product of geography and history as of culture and economic change.[76]

The relatively recent and artificial nature of the state in Oman means that it is difficult to describe a national culture.[76] Furthermore, there is sufficient cultural heterogeneity within its national boundaries to consider Oman differently from other Arab States of the Persian Gulf.[76] It is also claimed that Oman's cultural diversity is much greater than that of its Arab neighbours, given its historical expansion to East Africa and the Indian Ocean.[76]

The shipbuilding industry is traditional in Oman, as ships have played a major role in the Omanis' ability to sail to stay in touch with the civilisations of the ancient world. Sur was one of the most famous cities overlooking the Indian Ocean to manufacture ships. The Al Ghanja ship takes one whole year to build. Other types of Omani ship include As Sunbouq and Al Badan.[83]


The male national dress is the dishdasha, a simple, ankle-length, collarless gown with long sleeves.[84] The colour most frequently worn is white, although a variety of other colours can also be seen. Its main adornment is a tassel (furakha) sewn into the neckline, which can be impregnated with perfume.[85] Underneath the dishdasha, a plain, wide strip of cloth is worn, wrapped around the body from the waist down. The most noted regional differences in dishdasha designs are the style with which they are embroidered, which varies according to age group.[84] On formal occasions, the dishdasha may be covered by a black or beige cloak, called a bisht. The embroidery edging the cloak is often in silver or gold thread and it is intricate in detail.[85]

Two types of head dress are worn by Omani men, the mussar, a square cut piece of woven wool or cotton fabric of a single colour, decorated with various embroidered patterns, and kummah a cap that is the head dress worn during leisure hours.[84] Some men carry the assa, a stick, which can have practical uses or is simply used as an accessory during formal events. Omani men, on the whole, wear sandals on their feet.[85]

The khanjar (dagger) is part of the national dress and men wear the khanjar on all formal public occasions and festivals.[84] It is traditionally worn at the waist. Sheaths may vary from simple covers to ornate silver or gold-decorated pieces.[85] It is a symbol of a man's origin, his manhood and courage. The khanjar is incorporated into the national flag.[84]

Omani women wear eye-catching national costumes, with distinctive regional variations. All costumes incorporate vivid colours and vibrant embroidery and decorations. In the past, the choice of colours was linked to a tribe's tradition. The Omani women's traditional costume comprises several garments: the dishdasha or kandoorah, which is a long tunic whose sleeves or radoon are adorned with hand-stitched embroidery of various designs. The dishdasha is worn over a pair of loose fitting trousers, tight at the ankles, known as a sirwal. Women also wear a head shawl most commonly referred to as the lihaf.[86]

Women reserve wearing their traditional dress for special occasions, and instead now choose to wear a loose black cloak called abaya over their personal choice of clothing, whilst in some regions, particularly amongst the Bedouin, a face mask known as a burqa is still worn to this day.[86] Women wear hijab, and though some women cover their faces and hands, most do not. The Sultan has forbidden the covering of faces in public office.[77]

Popular culture

Music of Oman. In 1985, Sultan Qaboos decided to found the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra, a decision attributed to his love for classical music. Instead of engaging foreign musicians, he decided to establish an orchestra made up of Omanis.[87] On 1 July 1987, the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra gave its inaugural concert, at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel's Oman Auditorium.[88] There are over 130 different forms of traditional Omani songs and dances. The Oman Centre for Traditional Music was established in 1984 to preserve them.[89]



Sultanate of Oman Television began broadcasting for the first time from Muscat on 17 November 1974 and separately from Salalah on 25 November 1975. On 1 June 1979, the two stations at Muscat and Salalah were joined by satellite link to form a unified broadcasting service. Oman TV's broadcasts are transmitted through a network of stations spread across the country in both populated and remote areas to overcome the natural obstacles created by the mountainous terrain.[90]


Main article: Cuisine of Oman

The main daily meal is usually eaten at midday, while the evening meal is lighter. During Ramadan, dinner is served after the Taraweeh prayers, sometimes as late as 11 pm. However these dinner timings differ according to each family and when they eat, for instance some families would choose to eat right after maghrib prayers and have dessert after taraweh.

Arsia is a festival meal, served during celebrations, which consists of mashed rice and meat, sometimes chicken instead. Another popular festival meal is shuwa, which is meat cooked very slowly (sometimes for up to 2 days) in an underground clay oven. The meat becomes extremely tender and it is infused with spices and herbs before cooking to give it a very distinct taste. Fish is often used in main dishes too, and the kingfish is a popular ingredient. Mashuai is a meal consisting of a whole spit-roasted kingfish served with lemon rice.

Rukhal bread is a thin, round bread originally baked over a fire made from palm leaves. It is eaten at any meal, typically served with Omani honey for breakfast or crumbled over curry for dinner. Chicken, fish and mutton are regularly used in dishes. The Omani Halwa is a very popular sweet, it is basically cooked raw sugar with nuts. There are many different flavors, the most popular ones being the black halwa (original) and the saffron halwa. Halwa is considered as a symbol of Omani hospitality, and is traditionally served with coffee.[91]





Ali Al-Habsi is an Omani professional association football player. He currently plays in the Premier League as a goalkeeper for Wigan Athletic.[92]



They also host tennis tournaments in different age divisions each year. Inside the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex stadium contains a 50 meter pool for swimming which is used for international tournaments from different schools in different countries. The Tour of Oman, a professional cycling 6-day stage race, is held in February.

Oman also hosted the Asian 2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualifiers, where 11 teams were competing for 3 spots at the FIFA World Cup.


Oman is perhaps the only Persian Gulf nation to have bullfighting events organised in its territories. Al-Batena area is prominent for such events. Wide audiences turn up to see the events unfold. Omani bullfighting is however not a violent event. The origins of Bullfighting in Oman are unknown though many locals here believe it was brought to Oman by the Moors of Spanish origin. Yet others say it has a direct connection with Portugal which colonized the Omani coastline for nearly two centuries.[94]


Main article: Education in Oman





Main article: Healthcare in Oman

Life expectancy at birth in Oman is estimated to be 76.1 years in 2010.[74] As of 2010, there were an estimated 2.1 physicians and 2.1 hospital beds per 1,000 people.[74] In 1993, 89% of the population had access to health care services. In 2000, 99% of the population had access to health care services. During the last three decades, the Oman health care system has demonstrated and reported great achievements in health care services and preventive and curative medicine. In 2001, Oman was ranked number 8 by the World Health Organization.[97]

See also



External links

  • Ministry of Tourism (official government website).
  • Ministry of Information (official government website).
  • The World Factbook
  • DMOZ
  • BBC News.
  • Atlas of Oman
  • International Futures.
  • Oman Heritage
