Muscat Oman

Description: Muscat (مَسْقَط, Masqaṭ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total population of Muscat Governorate was 1.72 million as of September 2022. The metropolitan area spans approximately 3,500 km2 (1,400 sq mi) and includes six provinces called wilayats, making it the largest city in the Arabian Peninsula by area.

Population: 1,720,000

Demographics: According to the CIA, Oman’s population primarily consists of Arabs, with a Baloch, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), and African minority. Omani society is largely tribal. Oman has three known types of identities. Two of these identities are ‘tribalism’ and ‘Ibadism’; the third identity is linked to ‘maritime trade’. The first two identities are widespread in the interior of Oman; these identities are closely tried to tradition, as a result of lengthy periods of isolation. The third identity, which pertains to Muscat and the coastal areas of Oman, is an identity that has become embodied in business and trade. The third identity is generally seen to be more open and tolerant towards others. Thus, tension between socio-cultural groups in Omani society exists.

History: 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 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 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 the banner of an Ibadi state. 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 a hold on Muscat for over a century, despite challenges from Persia and a bombardment of the town by the Ottoman Turks in 1546. By the 19th century, a large Hindu merchant community in the port city dominated its commercial life. 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 the interior in 1895 and again in 1915. The first five-year development plan in 1976 emphasized infrastructural development of Muscat, which provided new opportunities for trade and tourism in the 1980s–1990s, attracting migrants from around the region.

Elevation: 328 m

Climate: Desert climate. Average annual temperature in Muscat is 27 C (81 F), the average for July is 35 C (95 F), the average for January is 21 C (70 F).

Attractions: Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Bait Al Zubair, Royal Opera House, Qurum Beach, Bimmah Sinkhole, Qantab Beach, Qurum Natural Park

Airports: Muscat International Airport MCT

Distance To City Centre: 15 km

Commute Length: 10 min

Average Cost: 35 USD

Traffic Hours: 7 am – 9 am, 4 pm – 8 pm