Oman is a country in the Middle East in the east of the Arabian
Peninsula. The approximately five million inhabitants live mainly in
cities. Almost half of the population are immigrants, mainly from
India. The Omanis are 95 percent of the Muslim faith, predominantly
Sunnis and Ibadites. The Sultanate is an absolute monarchy and at
the same time has a constitution. The ministers appointed by the
Sultan and the two national parliaments have only an advisory
function.
The country was ruled by the absolutist ruler
Sultan Qaboos ibn Said from 1970 to January 2020. Qabus ibn Said
died on January 10, 2020. His cousin, the 65-year-old Minister of
Culture Haitham ibn Tariq, was appointed as his successor.
In
recent decades, Oman has developed from a heavily backward state to
a moderately prosperous one. A United Nations report from 2013 names
Oman as the country that has improved its social and economic
situation the most in the last 40 years.
Since February 2019 there are no more visas on
arrival. Since then, all citizens of the EU, EFTA and European
mini-states have been required to apply for a visa electronically.
Applications must be submitted at least one week prior to the planned
arrival date.
The fee is 20 OMR (approx. €46.50). The visa can
still be obtained from the embassy in Berlin.
Omani Embassy,
Clayallee 82, 14195 Berlin. Tel.: 49 30 8100 510. Open: Mon.-Fri.
10.00-15.00. Price: €12-120 depending on the type of visa. Last
modified: Apr. 2019 (information may be out of date) edit info
If you
arrive by car from the UAE, it should be noted that when leaving the
UAE, an exit tax of AED 35 per vehicle must be paid. There are no taxes
on departure from the Musandam area and at the airport.
In
addition to their boarding pass, cruise ship passengers only need a
shore leave card, which they receive when disembarking the ship; the
passport can remain on board the ship.
Special arrangement from
Dubai
Anyone entering Dubai (not the other sheikhdoms of the UAE) via
the airport or by ferry from Iran to Port Rashid there and indicating
upon entry that they also want to visit Oman will receive an additional
“visa waiver” sticker. that he can travel to Oman within three weeks
without having to pay a visa fee. On the return trip, the receipt for
the UAE departure tax of 35 dirhams must be presented again.
From
Oman, the regulation applies analogously if you enter via Muscat Airport
or the land border at Hatta. However, since no fee is due for Europeans
when entering the UAE, you save nothing.
This regulation only
applies to citizens of 21 states, essentially the core EU before the
eastward enlargement, Switzerland but not Liechtenstein.
Special
arrangement from Qatar
A similar special regulation also applies to
visitors who have a residence permit for Qatar that is valid for at
least one month.
The list of eligible nationalities is similar to
that for the Dubai special regime, but Liechtensteiners are included
here.
By plane
Oman can be reached daily from D/CH/A by plane
with many major international airlines. Destination is Muscat
International Airport (formerly Seeb International Airport), Airport
Code MCT - about 25 km west of Muscat.
From Frankfurt there is a
direct connection to Muscat (http://www.lufthansa.de). Lufthansa flies 6
times a week from Frankfurt to Muscat with a stopover in Abu Dhabi,
Swiss flies daily from Zurich with a stopover in Dubai. The national
airline Oman Air (http://www.omanair.com/) has two non-stop connections
a week from Frankfurt and four times a week from Zurich to Muscat. There
is also a direct flight from Munich. Otherwise there are various
transfer connections via Abu Dhabi (http://www.etihadairways.com), Doha
(http://www.qatarairways.com/de) or Dubai (http://www.emirates.de).
By train
There is no rail service to Oman.
By bus
The
Oman National Transport Company operates buses from the United Arab
Emirates to Muscat. There are also bus connections to the individual
cities in Oman and within Muscat. The bus station is in Ruwi, opposite
KFC. From there, the air-conditioned buses also go to Salalah (journey
time approx. 12 hours), Abu Dhabi and Dubai as well as Al Buraimi and
other cities in the Sultanate.
car/motorcycle/bicycle
All
major as well as national car rental companies offer rental cars.
Right-hand traffic applies. European motorists will quickly find their
way around without major problems. A liter of unleaded petrol costs
about 0.31 euros (as of December 2012). Top speed 120 km/h. Within the
Muscat city highway, you should drive between 80 and 100, as
occasionally shared taxis brake abruptly or enter the highway from the
hard shoulder. The most up-to-date road map is from Reise Know How
Verlag, January 3, 2011 edition. Navigation systems are used to
orientate oneself within Oman. Street names are very rarely assigned.
The road network has been greatly expanded in recent years. Many traffic
routes that were recently runways are now paved and in very good
condition. Motorways exist between the northern border at Sohar via
Muscat to Sur and from the border at Al Ain coming from the Emirates via
Nizwa to the Capital Area. The construction of unpaved roads was also
promoted in the remote areas in the mountains.
By boat
Sometimes cruise ships dock in Muscat and Salalah. Otherwise there are
no regular ship connections or ferries.
Railways are still unknown in Oman, but plans are being made (now
seriously) for a connection to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Bus
service between major cities in Oman is provided by the Oman
National Transport Company.
There is a dense network of
relatively inexpensive long-distance taxis across the country. Is
inexpensive, but usually only something for people with strong
nerves!
The country can also be easily traveled with a rental
car, as the roads are always better developed.
A speed ferry
runs between Musandam and Masirah, but now only once a week to
Musandam. In addition to the speed ferry, the traditional car ferry
from Sannah to Hilf runs several times a day to the island of
Masirah.
The official language and mother tongue
of Omani is Arabic.
In the cities, English is widely spoken as
the first foreign language. Depending on their origin, the guest
workers from the Indian subcontinent speak their mother tongues
(e.g. Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Telugu etc.). On the Musandam
Peninsula, some residents still speak Kumzari, a Persian dialect.
Typical travel souvenirs are:
Frankincense - is
offered everywhere
Khanjars (curved daggers) - are the highest
adornment of men in Oman
Gold and Silver Jewelery - available at
current gold and silver prices; they can be found in the local
newspapers. In addition, there is a surcharge for "work", which also
applies to imported goods from e.g. B. Italy applies, e.g. B. simple
necklaces. It is usually at least 10% and is negotiable.
The
shopping opportunities in Oman are - compared to those in the United
Arab Emirates - not nearly as pronounced. Nevertheless, there are
also interesting shopping opportunities in Oman, especially in the
Muscat area (Matrah Suq). Another well-known market is the souk in
Nizwa. It can also be worth browsing the souk in Salalah.
Al
Fair is a well-established, well-stocked grocery chain and is part
of the Spinneys group, as is Carrefour (http://www.carrefour.com/) -
both also with a good range of European produce for everyday needs.
The largest (and cheapest) supermarkets in the country are the "LuLu
Markets" (http://www.luluhypermarket.com/) in the big cities with a
wide range of products for the local population (including Indians
etc.), but also for Europeans ( e.g. wholemeal bread!!).
The
"first address" for the European shopper (with many international
labels - if you need it there) is the large shopping center near the
airport "MUSCAT CITY CENTER". Traditional shopping atmosphere can be
found above all in the souk of Mutrah. Another large shopping mall
is currently under construction (Muscat Grand Mall, Al Khuwair).
Some shops are already open.
In the meantime, a mixed form of Arabic and Indian cuisine has established itself in Oman. A good tip are the various appetizers that are typically known from Lebanon, Egypt and the North African countries. In addition, shawarma (known in Germany as 'Döner') and other meat dishes (usually lamb or chicken, rarely beef or camel, never pork!), a number of very good fish dishes (especially in the coastal towns on the Indian Ocean, which are rich in fish) and Various medium to very hot curries. Small 'coffee shops', in which Indian chefs offer delicious sandwiches, wraps or stuffed fried dumplings for little money, are widespread, especially near the gas stations. Highly recommended, as actually always very clean. Also recommended are the numerous small shops or stalls where freshly squeezed fruit juices of your choice are offered. The 'original' Omani cuisine would mean Bedouin cuisine and there is almost nowhere else in pure culture.
Tips can be found in the English language publication Muscat Daily, which is a "must see" for the tourist (available in many Omani shops). Whereby the 'nightlife' is very limited, at least outside of the luxury hotels.
In Oman there are now enough hotels in different price ranges. There are some very large and mostly luxurious hotel complexes from international hotel chains or Arab consortia, which are usually fully booked by the big tour operators in the European winter months. Newer, smaller hotels may be unfamiliar even to taxi drivers (so it's best to have the exact address or reception phone number with you). In the summer, when the temperatures in Oman rise well above 40 degrees, rooms in the hotels of a high standard are easily available and at quite reasonable prices. There are a few smaller hotels, especially in the capital area around Muscat, but they offer a different standard (noise level, bathroom, cleanliness, etc.). Therefore, always ask to be shown the room before renting. A very recommendable address in this category is the Villa Shams - small but fine hotel in Qurum (Muscat Area), under German management. There are some nice little guesthouses on the edge of the desert (Wahiba Sands) and in the desert there are now numerous Bedouin camps, some of which are still very authentic. Above all, the 'Nomadic Desert Camp' of Rashid bin Mohamed al Mughairy and his father Mohamed (http://www.nomadicdesertcamp.com/start.htm).
Finding a well-paid job in Oman is not easy. However, there are good opportunities in the oil and gas companies. The large hotel chains offer job offers on their respective websites. The salaries are relatively low compared to Germany! Tip: It is best to apply to companies from Europe and insist on a European employment contract. Then it can be worth it! It is generally very difficult for foreigners to work there. Work permits are only rarely granted, as all jobs should be filled with Omani nationals if possible. And there are now - especially for qualified positions - a large number of well-trained young people in the country!
Oman is generally very safe, crime against foreigners is almost unknown. When driving into the desert, you should always take enough water with you; When driving on slopes, caution is advised, it should only be ventured with all-wheel drive vehicles! Never drive on slopes in and in the desert alone, but only in a convoy - the mobile network for possible emergency calls is very quickly at the end there! The immediate border region to Yemen (south of Salalah) is no longer safe, so only drive there in exceptional cases and then only with a companion from one of the local Bedouin tribes. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is only permitted in the hotel area or on private hotel beaches, but is forbidden in public. In addition, staying intoxicated people in public can lead to provisional arrest. Practiced homosexuality is illegal in Oman and constitutes a criminal offense. It cannot be assumed that tourists will not be prosecuted for triviality. Men should also not book shared double rooms, as this can lead to conflicts. During the calls to prayer, which can also be heard in public over loudspeakers, non-Muslims should also remain quiet, not listen to music and not speak to other people, even at their workplaces. Men are not allowed to approach strangers in public, with the exception of women in workplaces with customer traffic, police officers or public transport employees.
Medical care in EMERGENCIES is free of charge in the state health facilities in the Sultanate of Oman. If you go to a private clinic, the costs have to be paid and later submitted to the health insurance company for reimbursement. For minor problems, you can also contact any pharmacy (Pharmacy). There you will also get a hint whether you absolutely have to see a doctor. As a rule, there is also a so-called clinic next to most pharmacies. A flat-rate "treatment fee" is charged, which amounts to approx. 7 euros. Communication in English is possible everywhere. In some state and private clinics, especially in the capital area, there are also German-speaking doctors.
Tourists can now often be seen in Oman, at least in the winter months, especially outside of the big cities and especially as tour groups. Nevertheless, consideration for the local population is required, especially with regard to clothing. Man (and especially woman) should dress modestly. Short and skin-tight pants and skirts are inappropriate, as are sleeveless and cropped clothing. The rule of thumb for women is: Shoulders and knees should at least be covered, headscarves are not necessary - unless for sun protection. Men, please note that wearing shorts makes a fool of oneself (although this is not usually shown to the stranger out of hospitality), as well as wearing the "dishdasha" customary among the male population! To visit the 'Great Mosque' in Muscat (well worth seeing!), women's ankles and ankles must be covered and a headscarf must be worn that also covers the neckline! You can cover yourself with scarves or towels. T-shirts, sweaters or cardigans will not be accepted as substitute scarves. Long trousers and at least short sleeves apply to men! There are no exceptions here!!!
Oman's only landline provider so far
is Omantel. Landline penetration is very high, at least in the
metropolitan areas. Network quality, also for international calls, ok
and affordable.
There are two cell phone providers:
1) Oman
Mobile: The network quality sometimes leaves a lot to be desired, but
there is sufficient network coverage even in rural areas.
2)
Nawras: The somewhat poor network coverage is compensated for by a
national roaming agreement with Oman Mobile.
Foreigners who do
not live in Oman can purchase a prepaid card very cheaply from both
providers. Calls to D/A/CH are always cheaper than roaming with your own
D/A/CH SIM card. Nawras is dependent on the Oman Mobile Gateway for
international calls, which meanwhile hardly leads to quality problems.
Internet access is available in numerous Internet cafes and in
almost all hotels. No usual websites are affected by censorship, only a
few with scantily clad women, depictions of violence, etc.
'OMAN' by Georg Popp, not so much a travel guide (but also
that), more an entertaining and very well researched collection of
travel and background information that makes traveling there easier and
much more interesting than usual travel guides.
'Oman Off Road'
(English), 26 suggested routes with GPS coordinates
Oman is located in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is
bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to
the west and Yemen to the southwest.
In addition, Oman has a long
coastline on the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman, as well as a short
coastline on the Persian Gulf.
The territory of the state also includes the Rus al-Jibal Peninsula
on Cape Musandam, located north of the territory of the United Arab
Emirates on the Strait of Hormuz, the Madha exclave enclosed by the
United Arab Emirates, as well as the group of the Kuria-Muria Islands
and the island of Masira off the east coast of the country.
The
coast is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the south and east and by the
Gulf of Oman to the northeast. The national borders in the interior of
the country are not exactly defined. The country is slightly smaller
than Germany.
Al-Batina ("lowland"), the 250 km long narrow coastal strip on the Gulf of Oman between Muscat and Suhar, is a fertile, often irrigated upland plain, whose groundwater is fed by the only intermittently water-bearing, canyon-like Wadis from the Oman Mountains. On the other side of the 600 km long Hajar Mountains running parallel to the Gulf, the Wadis end in the drainless salt pan Umm as-Samin. In this part of the Oman Mountains, the highest elevation of the country is reached in Jabal Shams (3017 m). The mountains delimit the coastal plain from the desert. The central, largest part of Oman is occupied by the Inner Desert (Jeddat al-Harasis). From the Az Zahirah plateau (500 m), the country slopes to the southwest to the edge of the Rub al-Chali desert, which Oman shares with Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It extends to the flat coast on the Arabian Sea and separates the southern province of Dhofar from the north of the country. In Dhofar, along the coast, the mountain range of the Karabakh Mountains rises.
Trade winds and foothills of the Indian monsoon are decisive for the marginal tropical climate of Oman. In the inland it is very hot and dry, in the coastal plains in the north and in Dhofar it is humid hot. Muscat has average temperatures of 22 °C in January, around 34.5 °C in June. The Gharbi, a hot downwind from the Oman Mountains, makes the temperatures unbearable at times during the summer months. The high humidity (especially in summer) leads to the formation of fog and occasionally to drizzle. The annual rainfall is around 100 mm in the coastal regions and around 500 mm in the Oman Mountains.
In the coastal region (Batina Plain, al-Chasab, Muscat, Suhar, Sur)
there is a subtropical climate with warm winters and hot summers. The
temperatures in winter are around 22 to 25 ° C during the day and rise
to average daily values of 36 to 39 ° C in summer. In hotter periods,
peak values of almost 47 ° C are possible. In the coastal plains, the
temperature fluctuations between day and night are small, so in summer
30 °C is also common at night. Especially in the Muscat region, the
morning hours are often the hottest of the day. It may well happen that
42 °C is measured already at 8 o'clock in the morning, but from noon the
thermometer keeps at 38 ° C. But this is not always the case. The
humidity on the coasts is high all year round with 60 to 80%.
Precipitation is very low at around 100 mm per year (10 to 20 days of
precipitation); rain usually falls in broken clouds between December and
March and can lead to flooding, as the dry, dusty-stony soil absorbs the
water only poorly and slowly. There is no precipitation in the summer.
The sea is suitable for swimming all year round: in winter it has around
24 °C, in summer up to 31 °C.
The Hajar Mountains in the
north-east of the country are the only significant mountain range in
Oman. The highest elevations reach just over 3000 m. This area is
characterized by cool winters and warm summers. In the coldest months of
January and February, the temperatures in the high mountains, especially
at night, often fall below freezing, occasionally it snows.
Precipitation (autumn and winter) can reach several hundred millimeters.
In summer, the temperatures also rise in altitude, there is almost no
precipitation anymore, daily values of over 30 ° C are also possible at
higher altitudes. At night, the temperature drops rapidly.
On the
southwestern edge of the Hajar Mountains and still in a comparatively
temperate climate, there are larger cities such as Bahla, Ibra and
Nizwa. In the interior of the country behind it, up to the borders with
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the two deserts of Oman join:
the Rub al-Chali (literally "empty quarter") and the Rimal Al Wahiba.
There is a hot and dry desert climate with comparatively cool winters
and extremely hot summers. In January, daytime temperatures reach up to
25 °C, and at night they drop to 10-12 °C. The rare rains usually come
down in winter in the form of short, heavy showers, but are unproductive
in the long term. In summer it is very hot during the day with daytime
averages between 41 and 44 °C and peak values of up to 52 °C. Despite a
considerable cooling, the values hardly fall below 25 ° C at night. The
humidity is low all year round and is often only 20 % in summer.
The Dhofar region around Salala, Mirbat and Taqah in the southwest of
the Sultanate is the only part of the Arabian Peninsula that is directly
influenced by the monsoon: it is warm and humid all year round, almost
tropical. In winter it rains rarely and the temperatures range between
20 °C at night and around 27 °C during the day. The humidity is at an
average of 50 to 60% and the sea temperature is just under 25 ° C. Early
summer is actually the hottest time of the year with daily values of 31
to 33 ° C, and the nights are also very warm at just under 27 ° C.
During this period, the sea warms up to 29 °C, and the humidity
increases. During one of the rare heat waves caused by winds from the
central parts of the country, the maximum temperature of 47.2 °C was
measured in Salala. From about mid-June, the Southeast Asian monsoon
(Charif) affects the climate. Its foothills dam on the coastal
elevations of Dhofar and rain down. From July to September it rains up
to 22 days a month, mostly as a fine drizzle, which is accompanied by
fog and low-hanging clouds. This leads to cooling and the air
temperature settles at a constant 25 ° C. There are almost no more
temperature fluctuations between day and night, the sea temperature
remains high and the humidity reaches values of 80 to 90%. Unique for
the Arabian Peninsula, the landscape turns green after the onset of
monsoon rains. Omanis from other parts of the country as well as
tourists from other Gulf states visit the region at this time to
experience the abundance of rain and lush greenery that is unknown to
them.
In the Inner Desert, semi-deserts alternate with dry grasses,
umbrella acacias, dragon trees and thorn bushes, and vegetationless full
deserts.
In the Karabergs, dry shrubs predominate, among them the
frankincense tree, from which incense is extracted. Since ancient times,
this has come to a large extent from Oman. Where it is climatically
possible, people cultivate date palms.
The damp mountain slopes
are covered by forests and shrubs with acacia, mulberry figs and
jasmine. At altitudes above 1000 m there are junipers, olive trees,
naked fruit, cedars and euphorbia, on the latter there is occasionally
found as a special feature the plant Hydnora abyssinica, which lives as
a root parasite from the order of the pepper-like.
Although the
appearance of the small clip-on birds (Procavia capensis) is reminiscent
of guinea pigs, they are actually related to elephants and manatees, as
DNA studies have confirmed. The herbivores have rodent teeth and also
live in arid areas of Oman characterized by deserts and savannas. The
small animals serve as prey for numerous predators, such as. the endemic
Omani owl (Strix butleri), the sand cat (Felis margarita) and numerous
species of snakes that also feel comfortable in the arid areas, such as
sand vipers of the genus Echis, sand vipers, puffotters and cobras.
Among the wild animals, there are still a few specimens of the
Persian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr) in the Dhofar Mountains. In 2013,
the population in the mountains in southern Oman was estimated at 50 to
100 animals. The big cat is threatened not only by habitat loss, but
also by illegal attacks by herders who want to protect their goats, cows
and camels. The World Conservation Organization IUCN classifies the
Persian leopard in the endangered category of Critically Endangered (CR
= Critically Endangered). Officially, there were still about 200
free-living specimens in 2021, with the largest single population living
in Oman, with about 50 animals.
The Arabian tahr is a shy
half-goat species that is also native to the Hajar Mountains and has
been under protection in Oman since 1976. According to the IUCN, the
species is nevertheless severely endangered in its population, both by
poaching and by overgrazing.
The Arabian oryx, extinct in the
wild, was resettled in a protected area in the 1980s. The wild reserve
of the Arabian Oryx was recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage
Site in 1994. In 2007, the area became the first in the world to have
its UNESCO patent revoked. The government had reduced the area for oil
production by 90 percent of the original area, so that it no longer
meets the requirements for a protected area.
Domesticated
dromedaries are popular domestic and farm animals, but there are still
wild populations in Oman. There are about 85 species of native birds,
such as the Senegal black grouse, in addition there are migratory birds.
In total, more than 450 different species of birds have been sighted.
There is a turtle reserve in the coastal area of Ras al-Jinz, where up
to 100,000 sea turtles come ashore every year to lay their eggs.
Numerous springs originate in the mountain ranges of the country in the
north and south. Numerous species of inconspicuous small fish have been
discovered in the freshwater deposits in the Hajar Mountains, including
the Oman barbel Garra barreimiae, from the genus Garra. Researchers from
the University of Vienna also discovered cave forms of the barbel, which
are blind and pale pink, like their relative, the Somali cave fish
(Garra andruzzii), in the underground lakes of a cave system in the
Hajar Mountains. In addition, several, but only a few, mollusk species
have been described from freshwater deposits in the north and in the
south. From a medical point of view, the vector function that occurs in
a few cases is important for the parasite Schistosoma mansoni, which
triggers schistosomiasis.
There are rich fishing grounds with
mackerel, tuna, sardines off the coasts, and 20 different whale species,
as well as dolphins and sharks, have also been sighted in the Omani
waters.
In 2021, 87 percent of Oman's residents lived in cities. The capital Muscat has 25,000 inhabitants, the narrower capital area has 370,000, the entire Muscat Capital Area has over a million inhabitants.
The territory of Oman was already settled in the Stone Age. In
pre-Islamic times, the province of Dhofar belonged to the kingdom of the
Sabeans, which became known through the legend of the visit of the Queen
of Sheba to King Solomon. Oman was known to the Sumerians in Mesopotamia
around 3000 BC (see Magan).
After the adoption of Islam around
630 AD, Oman became part of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphate.
Especially in the hinterland, the sect of the Ibadites spread around
700, who founded an independent imamate in the interior of the country
in the 9th century. Parts of the Omani population moved to East Africa,
where they established the predominance of the Arabs in the western
Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, the port city of Suhar rose to become the most
important trading center of the Islamic world and maintained contacts as
far as the Empire of China and East Africa. After the destruction of
Suhar by the Buyids (965), the country was occupied several times by
Persian conquerors, before the Portuguese gained control of Hormuz
around 1500.
In the fight against the invaders, Oman was united
under the Yaruba dynasty from 1624. After the expulsion of the
Portuguese in the middle of the 17th century, Oman rose to naval power
in the Indian Ocean. Around 1730, Saif ibn Sultan II conquered Zanzibar
and large areas of the East African coast, which became the domain of
Arab plantation owners and slave traders from the Sultanate of Oman.
Muscat became an important trading center between Arabia and India and
developed into a "global player", especially in the slave trade. The
island of Zanzibar was declared a residence in 1840 by Said ibn Sultan,
also known as Sayyid Said (1806-1856). Around 1750, the Said dynasty was
founded, which dominates Oman to this day. in 1783, the now Pakistani
city of Gwadar in Balochistan came under Omani rule as a sales port for
slave transports; it remained so until its sale to Pakistan in 1958.
From 1798, Great Britain gained influence in Oman: a treaty
concluded between the Sultan of Muscat and the British East India
Company strengthened the supremacy of the British in the Gulf region.
Nevertheless, in the first half of the 19th century, Oman experienced a
period of economic decline. the peak of his power. The decisive factor
in this was that after the prohibition of the slave trade by the British
Parliament, the Sultanate became the world center of the slave trade.
After the loss of Zanzibar in 1856, the country's economic decline
began, as customs revenues from the African ports were eliminated. In
addition, Oman's merchant fleet could not compete with modern European
steamships, and the slave trade was pushed back and eventually banned
under the pressure of the European colonial powers (however, slavery
itself remained legal in Oman). Although always formally independent,
Oman – among other things by treaties of 1891 – came into de facto
dependence on Great Britain at the end of the 19th century. The British
primacy ended gradually, especially as a result of the withdrawal of
British troops from the area "east of Suez", announced in 1968.
The Ibadite imamate, which was proclaimed by mountain tribes in the
interior of the country in 1913, was occupied by the sultan's troops in
1955, the imam was expelled after an attempted uprising in 1957. Sultan
Said ibn Taimur, who ruled from 1932 to 1970, left the country in its
backwardness and foreign policy isolation: slavery was maintained, high
internal tariffs were levied, the school system was limited to Koranic
schools. It was only with the beginning of oil production and the
accession to the government of Qabus ibn Said, who had deposed his
father in 1970, that the first reforms took place: the abolition of
slavery, the lifting of exit and travel restrictions, the improvement of
infrastructure, made possible by profits from oil production.
In
1965, socialist rebels in the province of Dhofar, supported in part by
South Yemen, rose up against the Ibadian government. These conflicts,
which flared up again and again, were settled only in 1976. In the
course of the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait in 1990, the United States
strengthened its military presence in this part of the Gulf region.
During the protests in Oman in 2011 during the Arab Spring, there
were occasional violent clashes in the northern port city of Suhar, in
the capital Muscat and in the south of the country. The demonstrators in
Oman demanded more political participation, but not an overthrow of the
balance of power.
Since the mid-2010s, Oman has increasingly
become a place for secret forms of talks between the United States and
Iran on nuclear issues. Oman is also the most important mediator in the
war in Yemen and is considered the "Switzerland of the Arab world"
because of these roles.