Oman

The Sultanate of Oman is located in the Middle East, bordered by Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates. At the east of the country, you will find the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Before the 1970s, Oman was closed to visitors and was very underdeveloped. But during the four-decade reign of Sultan Qaboos, Oman has undergone a major transformation, resulting in better roads and more tourist destinations.

Today, it is a country that draws tourists from all around the world, luring them in with its abundant frankincense, myrrh, and the old and ancient atmosphere that the country has been able to preserve despite all the modernization taking place within the country’s borders.

The country is a 309,501 square kilometer piece of land with a total population of almost three million. It is divided into four major regions, mainly, Northern Oman, Central Coastal Oman, Zufar, and an empty quarter made up of desert wilderness and the undefined border with Saudi Arabia. Some of the most prominent cities in the country are Muscat, the capital of Oman; Nizwa, which holds Oman’s best-known forts; and Sohar, the hometown of the famous Sinbad the Sailor.

Arabic is the country’s national language, but tourists will not have any problems communicating since most of the locals speak excellent English.

Only two-thirds of the population is composed of native Omanis. The rest of the population is made up of migrant workers from countries such as India, Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Philippines.

The vast majority of Oman’s citizens practice the Muslim religion. Less than 5% of the population is non-Muslim (i.e., Christians, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, and Baha’is).
It is advised that travelers going to Oman carry an ample supply of garments that cover substantially more skin than they expose and are not tight-fitting, even though Oman does not have strict rules on clothing.

For tourists who wish to bring in electronic gadgets, electricity in the Sultanate of Oman is at 240 Volts and the outlets accept plugs with two round pins (type C) or three parallel flat pins (type G). If your gadgets are not compatible with such sockets and voltages, you may need to bring a voltage converter and a plug adaptor.