The Sultanate of Oman?
History
The Sultanate of Oman, referred to as Oman, is one of the oldest countries in the Arabian Peninsula, dating from 2000 BC It has carried out extensive maritime and land trade activities and become the shipbuilding center of the Arabian Peninsula. It became part of the Arab Empire in the 7th century AD. Portuguese invasion in 1507. In 1649, the locals overthrew the Portuguese rule and established the Ariba Dynasty. The Persians invaded in 1742. In the mid-18th century, the Arabs drove away the Persians and established the Said Dynasty, making it one of the strongest countries in the Indian Ocean. In 1871, the British invaded Oman and forced Oman to accept a slavish treaty. In the mid-19th century, Zanzibar and other islands established separate countries. At the beginning of the 20th century, the mountain tribes revolted, established the Islamic State of Oman, and attacked Muscat. In 1920, Britain signed the "Treaty of Westib" with the Imam of Oman in Muscat, recognizing the independence of the Imam. Oman was divided into two parts: the Sultanate of Muscat and the Imam of Oman. The anti-British uprising led by Imam Ghalib failed in July 1957. In 1967, former Sultan Taimur unified all of Oman and established Muscat and the Sultanate of Oman. On July 23, 1970, Sultan Taimur was overthrown by a group of people led by the governor of Dhofar Province, and his son, 29-year-old legal heir Qaboos, took over the power. On August 9 of the same year, the country was named Sultan of Oman. country. Since then, Oman has undergone tremendous changes. British troops withdrew from Oman in 1973.
Politics
Oman is a monarchy with no constitution and parliament, and political parties are prohibited. Sultan Qaboos bin Said promulgates laws, decrees and approves the conclusion of international treaties or agreements. The national governing body consists of the Cabinet, the Cabinet Secretariat, various specialized committees, the Capital Provincial Government and the National Consultative Council, headed by the Sultan. The cabinet is the highest executive body of the country authorized by the Sudan. Its members are appointed by the Sudan and are collectively responsible to the Sudan. Sultan Qaboos also serves as the prime minister of the cabinet. The National Consultative Council was established in October 1981 according to the Qaboos decree. It is an advisory body and has no legislative power. There are 55 members, appointed by Qaboos, including 1 chairman, 18 representatives from various government departments, 11 representatives from private enterprises, and 25 representatives from various regions. Each term lasts for 2 years. Its mission is to provide advisory opinions and suggestions on current economic policies and social laws, government policies, private enterprise issues and matters assigned by Qaboos. In January 1990, the first meeting of the Fifth Consultative Committee elected five committees: economics, law, public services, culture and education, and society and health. The government reorganized in 1991 was headed by Sultan Qaboos as prime minister.
Population
The population is 2,331,391 (according to the 2003 Oman census), with a growth rate of 2%. Among them, 1,779,318 Omani citizens (76.3%) and 552,073 foreigners (23.7%). The proportion of foreigners in the total population dropped from 26% in 1993 to 23.7% 10 years later. The ratio of male citizens to female citizens in Oman is 100:102, and there are only 17,000 more female citizens than male citizens. Batina District has a population of 650,000, accounting for 28% of the country's population, making it the most populous district. Muscat Province ranks second, with a population of 630,000, accounting for 27% of the country's total population.
Geography
Surrounded by sea on three sides in the north, east and south, namely the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, the coastline is 1,600 kilometers long. It borders the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. Part of the territory in the north is separated by the United Arab Emirates and faces Iran across the Strait of Hormuz. It is the gateway from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. The northeastern part of the territory is the Hajar Mountains, which extends from northwest to southeast along the coast, accounting for about 1/3 of the land area. Its main peak, Mount Sharm, is 3,352 meters above sea level and is the highest peak in Oman. The central part is plain, mostly desert, with an altitude of less than 200 meters. To the southwest is the Dhofar Plateau. Except for the northeastern mountains, most of the country has a tropical desert climate. The hot season is from May to October, with temperatures reaching over 40°C; the cool season is from November to April, with temperatures around 10°C. The average annual precipitation is 130 mm. The country is divided into 12 regions.
Others
The capital Muscat
Land area: 309,500 square kilometers
Water area rate: 2.8%
< p>Time zone +4Official language Arabic
Total population: 2,622,198
Population density: 12.3/km2
Head of State: Sudan: Qaboos bin Said
Head of Government: Prime Minister: Qaboos bin Said
Currency unit Omani rial
< p>International telephone area code 968International domain name abbreviation .OM
(The above is taken from Wikipedia)
Public *** holidays (taken from the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in China Embassy)
According to Royal Decree No. 2006/27, Oman’s public holidays are adjusted to the following:
Hijri New Year: January 1 of Hijri
Birthday of the Prophet: March 12th in the Hijri calendar
Festival of Idol: July 27th in the Hijri calendar
Revival Day: July 23rd in the Gregorian calendar
National Day: November 18 and 19 of the Gregorian calendar
Economy (from the Oman Observer in October 2006)
The real estate market has a huge impact on the Oman economy. Reports indicate that Oman’s good macroeconomic environment is having a positive impact on the real estate market, which has become a development opportunity for the Oman real estate market in the past few years. In 2004, the amount of allocated land in Oman increased from 11,925 in 2003 to 35,359, of which residential land occupied the largest share, accounting for 85.7% of the total allocated land in 2004. Most real estate activities are concentrated in the capital Muscat. , accounting for 38% of the allocated land share in 2004. The main factors driving the development of Oman's real estate market include: population growth and rejuvenation, influx of foreign workers, interest rates, liquidity, financing options, construction costs and foreign ownership legislation. Sultan Qaboos's Royal Decree 12/2006 expanded the rights of foreign ownership, which in the past were strictly limited to GCC countries, are now also extended to non-GCC countries. The Ministry of Housing, Water Resources and Power will promulgate enforcement regulations for the new law in the near future. Some large-scale projects such as Wave Project, Blue City Project, Golf Course Project, etc. will benefit from this. In the past few years, land prices in Afghanistan have skyrocketed, especially land near large-scale tourism projects and surrounding areas, mainly driven by speculative purchases by investors from Gulf countries. The Wave Project has caused the price of surrounding land to skyrocket from 100 riyals/square meter to more than 220 riyals/square meter in less than a year, and the price increase trend will continue. In 2005, the price of residential housing increased significantly, and the rental of residential housing also increased by 25%. The rental and sales of office housing also changed from the past recession, weak demand, and lack of foreign investment to the current shortage of supply. The recent increase in demand for high-quality commercial areas has led to a shortage of office space and triggered an increase in commercial building rents. The monthly rent per square meter has increased from 2.5 riyals per square meter in 2004 to 6-7 riyals per square meter in 2005, and has increased by 9-10% this year. Although compared to the Gulf countries, the price is still very low. Stimulated by a healthy macroeconomic environment, demand and returns for commercial buildings will further rise.
The industry is facing a huge change. Manufacturing is an important cornerstone of Oman's economic diversification. The Oman government has been working hard to build Sohar Port into an industrial hub. Sohar is currently executing pipeline project contracts with a value of up to US$12 billion. The Afghan government is also very supportive of new land development, handing over land to large developers on long-term leases with annual rents as low as 0.75 rials per square meter. These projects include Sohar Refinery, Sohar Methanol Plant, Oman Indian Fertilizer Plant, Iron-Chromium Plant, Sohar Fertilizer Plant and other projects. As the Omani government continues to open up foreign investment, the demand for industrial land will further increase, and the demand for residential housing will also increase with the influx of foreign workers.
Tourism is also one of the focuses of Oman’s economic diversification. The new decree allows foreigners to own tourist real estate, and the government also hands over subsidized land to tourism project developers, such as Wave Project, Blue City project, Muscat Golf and Country Club and Itti project, etc.
The engineering market in the Gulf region is booming
According to "Meed", the total number of projects planned and under construction in Oman reaches US$33 billion.
The "Meed" research report also pointed out that the project value of the Gulf region in the first three months of this year reached 250 billion U.S. dollars, and it exceeded 1 trillion U.S. dollars in early April. On a per capita basis, the region is the world's largest engineering market. The prosperity of the Gulf economy will continue for at least five more years. The prosperity of Dubai in the past five years is now being reproduced in Abu Dhabi and the entire Gulf countries. These projects involve areas such as infrastructure, energy and the government and private sectors, and have also brought about an increase in the price of construction materials. The UAE remains the largest construction market among the Gulf states, with projects totaling $300 billion in early April, mostly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia has also doubled its project value in the past year to US$200 billion and will be on par with the UAE in the next five years. Projects across the Gulf countries now stand at $881 billion. The remaining projects are Iran with a project value of US$97 billion and Iraq with a project value of US$27 billion. Most projects in the Bay Area are general construction. In addition, there are US$228 billion in oil and gas projects, US$70 billion in water and power projects, US$44 billion in industrial projects and US$150 in wastewater treatment projects. "MEED" tracks more than 1,400 projects in the Gulf countries.
Impression of Oman (excerpted from Asia Travel Network)
Oman has become a rich country because of its rich oil, but it is very lacking in light industrial products and basically relies on imports. In large shopping malls, you can find all the world's famous brands. But in the lives of ordinary people, traditional trading and buying and selling methods are still retained. In the inland city of Nizwa, we caught up with the local weekend market, which is like a Chinese market. Omanis in long robes crowded around and conducted various transactions. What impressed us the most was the cattle and sheep market there. People brought cattle and sheep there, then formed a big circle and started buying and selling. Throughout the cattle and sheep market, cries kept coming and going, and cattle and sheep were passing back and forth, making it very lively.
The handicraft market is even more dazzling, most of which are silver jewelry, wood carvings and pottery from neighboring countries in the Middle East. The only ones that are truly from Oman are machetes. The traditional Omani scimitar, also called the Khanjar, has evolved from the earliest weapon into an ornament. The scimitar reveals the wearer's identity. The scabbard has a bend that is close to a right angle, and there is also a gorgeous belt with extremely rich styles. The most luxurious symbol is the seven silver rings, which are worn by the king.
Other handicrafts come from different countries such as China and India. I don’t know whether it’s because things are rare, or because Omanis are too rich, but everything on the market is relatively expensive. However, here as in China, everything can be bargained for. The owners of both large and small shops are relatively friendly and can bargain in English, which adds a different life experience while shopping.
In the coastal city of Sohar, we also visited the fishing market. The fishermen placed the fish they had just caught from the sea on the shore. Some of them were already surrounded by buyers before they could even take them out of the boat. Some even started negotiating the price while standing in the water. . After the transaction is completed, it is immediately loaded onto the refrigerated truck that has been prepared and transported to the market for sale. The fish market is really busy. Before the ship returned, people came from all directions and were waiting on the beach early. As soon as the fishing boats arrived, they swarmed aboard. Some were busy carrying fish to the shore, some were talking to each other about the prices, and some were using their mobile phones to contact business! There are rows of huge tuna on the beach, and fish weighing dozens of kilograms only cost more than a dozen dollars each. We thought these fish could only be caught in the deep sea, but fishermen said there are plenty of them in the sea nearby.
An earth-shaking life
Thirty years ago, Oman was very backward: there were only 16 kilometers of asphalt roads in the country, and the electricity supply was only enough for more than 500 people in the capital Muscat and one hospital. There are only 12 hospital beds, and there are only 3 schools in the country. From Muscat to Sohar, which is 200 kilometers away, taking a boat is faster than land transportation!
The current King Sultan Qaboos, who studied in the UK and was influenced by Western civilization, completely changed everything after he came to power. He opened the country and implemented various economic revitalization plans to let the world know Oman and promote and develop tourism. At the same time, underground oil exploration was vigorously exploited. All these have helped Oman’s economy take off rapidly. Today, 30 years later, relying on its unique geographical advantages and open policy, Oman has developed into a moderately wealthy country in the world.
Now, the per capita GDP of Omanis is about US$10,000.
Citizens across the country enjoy publicly funded medical care, and children enjoy free education. Every household has a car, and many families even have one per person. Perhaps because of the hot climate, Omanis love to drive when traveling. As a result, it is rare to see pedestrians on the streets, let alone Omani women. Even the women seen in hotels and schools mostly wear scarves and black robes. However, compared to women in other Arab Gulf countries, Omani women are still much more open-minded. In daily life, the clothes are very colorful, and there are almost no veiled people in the city. In the bustling commercial district, you can see many pairs of couples browsing stores. As more and more women enter the workforce and participate in social activities, their awareness of individuality and self-liberation is also increasing. Whether they are female students, female museum guides, or volunteers from the Women's Committee who come into contact with us, all of them are well-spoken and have their own ideal pursuits.
The land of frankincense
Knowing a woman by smelling her fragrance does not seem to work in Oman. Because no matter where you go, you will smell a tangy fragrance. This is Oman's famous spice - frankincense. However, it should be noted that frankincense is not just for women. Spices are as indispensable to Omani men as three meals a day. The obvious difference between Omani men's white robes and other Arabs is that there is a 15 cm long tassel hanging from the neckline, which is specially used for dipping perfume. Therefore, in Oman, you can see exquisitely decorated perfume stores everywhere. Not only are the perfumes good, but the bottles containing the perfumes are also of various shapes and are particularly exquisite.
The best quality frankincense in the world is produced in Dhofar Province, Oman, and is called "silver incense". It is said that "silver incense" is scraped from an unattractive tree. From April to June every year, it is the harvest season. A tree can scrape 10-20 kilograms of frankincense every year.
The Dhofar people have long used frankincense to purify drinking water. Frankincense can also be used as medicine. Local people also like to chew frankincense as chewing gum in their mouths to feel refreshed. Historically, frankincense was as valuable as gold and was a symbol of power and wealth for rulers. The frankincense trade has been a mainstay of Oman's economy for a long time. Therefore, Oman also enjoys the reputation of "the land of frankincense".