Oman

Lore & Background

Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab world, and has been continuously ruled by the Al Bu Said dynasty since 1744. Beginning in the 17th century, Oman emerged as a major regional power, expelling the Portuguese from its coastal possessions and establishing an empire that competed with the British and Portuguese for influence in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. At its peak in the 19th century, Omani influence and control extended across the Strait of Hormuz to what later became Iran and Pakistan, and as far south as Zanzibar. In the 20th century, Oman came under the influence of the British Empire while de jure remaining sovereign.

In Their Own Story

The morning mist clung to the jagged peaks of Jebel Akhdar as the scent of dried roses and burning frankincense drifted from the village below. An elderly guide adjusted his dishdasha, pointing toward a narrow goat track that wound through the terraced gardens where pomegranates ripened in the cool air. 'This road,' he murmured, his voice competing with the distant call to prayer echoing off the canyon walls, 'has carried frankincense to Rome and spices to China for two thousand years.' Below them, the vast, golden emptiness of the Wahiba Sands stretched toward the horizon, a silent ocean of dunes that had swallowed empires yet remained untouched by time. The sun began to crest the ridge, illuminating the white stone of a distant fort perched precariously on the cliff edge, a sentinel watching over a land where the sea and desert have always held an uneasy, ancient truce.

Reader's Guide

Oman is an absolute monarchy ruled by a sultan, who serves as both head of state and head of government. Executive authority is exercised through the Council of Ministers, while the bicameral Council of Oman consists of the appointed Council of State and the elected Consultative Assembly. Qaboos bin Said served as sultan from 1970 until his death in 2020. His nearly five-decade reign marked the beginning of a period of rapid modernization now known as the Omani Renaissance, which saw a rise in the country's living standards, the abolition of slavery, the end of the Dhofar Rebellion, and the promulgation of Oman's constitution. In 2020, Haitham bin Tariq succeeded Qaboos as the Sultan of Oman. Oman is a member of the United Nations, the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Did You Know?

• Oman's oil reserves are ranked as the 22nd largest globally.
• In 2010, the United Nations Development Programme recognised Oman as the most improved country in the world in terms of development during the preceding 40 years.
• The World Bank classifies Oman as a high-income economy.
• As of 2024, Oman ranks as the 42nd most peaceful country in the world in the Global Peace Index and the third-most peaceful country in the Middle East and North Africa.