Oman

The Sultanate of Oman lies in the far south-east of the Arabian Peninsula, overlooking a coast that extends 3,165 kilometres. It begins in the far south-east at the Arabian Sea and the entrance to the Indian Ocean, runs on to the Sea of Oman, and ends at Musandam in the north, overlooking the strategic Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Arabian Gulf. The borders of the Sultanate of Oman meet the Republic of Yemen to the south-west, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west, and the United Arab Emirates to the north.

From this position the Sultanate of Oman commands the oldest and most important maritime trade route in the world, the sea route between the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. From here too the caravan routes connected across the Arabian Peninsula, linking its west and east with its north and south.

Oman is a state as old as history. In many historical periods it contributed a substantial share to civilisation, and in others it was an influential maritime power whose relations and contacts extended to China, the United States, Britain and France, its ambassadors received in the capitals of those and other states centuries ago.

The area of the Sultanate of Oman is 309,500 square kilometres, and its population was 4,397,790 at the end of March 2016.

His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik has held the helm of government since 2020. The state follows a hereditary sultanic system of government and takes Muscat as its capital.