Muscat, Oman
Oman is located in the southeastern quarter of the Arabian Peninsula and, according to official estimates, covers a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers; foreign observer estimates, however, are about 212,000 square kilometers. The land area is composed of varying topographic features: valleys and desert account for 82 percent of the land mass; mountain ranges, 15 percent; and the coastal plain, 3 percent. (Oman Sultanate, 2018)
The sultanate is flanked by the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and the Rub al Khali (Empty Quarter) of Saudi Arabia, all of which contributed to Oman's isolation.
Historically, the country's contacts with the rest of the world were by sea, which not only provided access to foreign lands but also linked the coastal towns of Oman. The Rub al Khali, difficult to cross even with modern desert transport, formed a barrier between the sultanate and the Arabian interior. The Al Hajar Mountains, which form a belt between the coast and the desert from the Musandam Peninsula (Ras Musandam) to the city of Sur at Oman's easternmost point, formed another barrier. These geographic barriers kept the interior of Oman free from foreign military encroachments. (Oman Sultanate, 2018).
Muscat is the capital and largest city of Oman. The city spans approximately 3,500 km2 (1,400 sq mi) and includes six provinces called wilayats.
Muscat is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. It has been known since the second century AD. Some 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) of frankincense was transported each year by ship from southern Arabia to Greece, Rome and the Mediterranean. The centre of this trade was in a place called Khour Rouri, which the Greeks called "Muscat". (Note that Khour Rouri is now recognized as an archaeological site in the Dhofar region of the country, more than 500 miles south of present-day Muscat, far closer to the present-day city of Salalah). (Oman Sultanate, 2018).
Since the ascension of Qaboos bin Said as Sultan of Oman in 1970, Muscat has experienced rapid infrastructural development that has led to the growth of a vibrant economy and a multi-ethnic society. The city lies on the Arabian Sea along the Gulf of Oman and is in the proximity of the strategic Straits of Hormuz. Low-lying white buildings typify most of Muscat's urban landscape, while the port-district of Muttrah, with its corniche and harbour, form the north-eastern periphery of the city. Muscat's economy is dominated by Trade, Petroleum, Liquified Natural Gas and Porting. (Oman Sultanate, 2018)
Geology in Oman
According to Oman Tourism, in Oman, geological stories can be found almost everywhere. Some are presented on a dramatic scale such as in the massive folding and faulting that can be seen on parts of Oman's 700 km long mountain range. Echoes of momentous geological events can even be found in the hustle and bustle of urban areas. For example visitors to Muscat Corniche need only to look at the surrounding hills in order to imagine the scene around 90 million years ago, when these Ophiolite rocks were part of a several kilometer thick slab of oceanic crust slowly being pushed over the top of the northern coastline of Oman. This unusual over thrusting continued for around 20 Million years, pushing rocks that originated from deep below the ocean, hundreds of kilometers inland.
For more information on some of the 30 geological sites in Oman, please click here.