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| Continent | Asia |
|---|---|
| Region | West Asia |
| Coordinates | 21°00′N57°00′E / 21.000°N 57.000°E /21.000; 57.000 |
| Area | Ranked 70th |
| • Total | 312,560 km2 (120,680 sq mi) |
| • Land | 100% |
| • Water | 0% |
| Coastline | 3,165 km (1,967 mi) |
| Borders | Saudi Arabia: 676 km (420 mi) UAE: 410 km (250 mi) Yemen: 288 km (179 mi) |
| Highest point | Jebel Shams 3,008 metres (9,869 ft) |
| Lowest point | Arabian Sea sea level |
| Natural resources | petroleum, copper, asbestos, Limited marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas |
| Natural hazards | Large sandstorms in interior in summer; large floods after rains;tropical cyclones |
| Environmental issues | Soil salinity rising; oil spills; very limited fresh water resources |
| Exclusive economic zone | 533,180 km2 (205,862 sq mi) |
Oman is a country on the southeast coast of theArabian Peninsula, situated inWest Asia, bordering theArabian Sea,Gulf of Oman, andPersian Gulf, betweenYemen and theUnited Arab Emirates (UAE). The coast of Oman was an important part in the Omani empire and sultanate.
Oman is located in the southeastern quarter of theArabian Peninsula and covers a total land area of 312,560 km2 (120,680 sq mi). The land area is composed of varyingtopographic features:valleys anddesert account for 82 percent of the land mass; mountain ranges, 15 percent; and the coastal plain, 3 percent. Thesultanate is flanked by theGulf of Oman, theArabian Sea, and theRub' al Khali (Empty Quarter) ofSaudi 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. TheRub' al-Khali, difficult to cross even with modern desert transport, formed a barrier between the sultanate and the Arabian interior. TheHajar Mountains,[1][2] which form a belt between the coast and the desert from theMusandam Peninsula (Ras Musandam) to the city ofSur, almost at Oman's easternmost point,[3] formed another barrier. These geographic barriers kept the interior of Oman free from foreign military encroachments. The southwestern corner of Oman's exclusive economic zone is situated a few miles off thePuntland-adjacent Yemeni archipelago ofSocotra, which lies amidst theGuardafui Channel and the Somali Sea to the south.[4]
Natural features divide the country into six distinct areas:Ru'us al-Jibal, including the northern Musandam Peninsula;[5]the Batinah plain running southeast along the Gulf of Oman coast;[2] the Oman interior behind the Batinah coast comprising the Hajar Mountains, their foothills, and desert fringes; the coast fromMuscat-Matrah around the point ofRas Al Hadd,[2] and down theArabian Sea; the offshore island of Masirah; and finally the barren coastline south to theDhofar region in the south.
Except for the foggy and fertile Dhofar, all of the coast and the lowlands around the Hajar mountains are part of theGulf of Oman desert and semi-desert ecoregion, while the mountains themselves are a distinct habitat.
The northernmost area,Musandam, extends from the tip of the Musandam Peninsula to the boundary with theUnited Arab Emirates (UAE) atHisn al-Dibba. It borders theStrait of Hormuz, which links thePersian Gulf with theGulf of Oman, and is separated from the rest of the sultanate by a strip of territory belonging to the UAE. This area consists of low mountains forming the northernmost extremity of the Western Hajar.[5] Two inlets,Elphinstone (Khawr ash-Shamm) and Malcom (Ghubbat al-Ghazirah), cleave the coastline about one third of the distance from theStrait of Hormuz and at one point are separated by only a few hundred meters of land. The coastline is extremely rugged, and the Elphinstone Inlet, 16 kilometres (9.9 miles) long and surrounded by cliffs 1,000 to 1,250 m (3,280 to 4,100 ft) high, has frequently been compared withfjords inNorway.
The UAE territory separating Ru'us al Jibal from the rest of Oman extends almost as far south as the coastal town ofShinas. A narrow, well-populated coastal plain known asAl-Batinah[2] runs from the point at which the sultanate is re-entered to the town of As-Sib, about 140 km (87 miles) to the southeast, split into two Wilayats,Al Batinah North andAl Batinah South. Across the plains, a number ofwadis, heavily populated in their upper courses, descend from the Western Hajar Mountains to the south. A ribbon of oases, watered by wells andunderground channels (aflaj), extends the length of the plain, about 10 km (33,000 ft) inland.
South ofAs Sib, the coast changes character. For about 175 km (109 miles), from As-Sib to Ras al-Hadd, it is barren and bounded by cliffs almost its entire length; there is no cultivation and little habitation. Although the deep water off this coast renders navigation relatively easy, there are few natural harbors or safe anchorages. The two best are at Muscat and Matrah, where natural harbors facilitated the growth of cities centuries ago.
Al Sharqiyah is the northeastern region of the Sultanate of Oman and overlooks the Arabian Sea to the east and includes the inner side of the Eastern Hijr Mountains.
The region consists of the following governorates:
The desolate coastal tract from Jalan to Ras Naws has no specific name. Low hills and wastelands meet the sea for long distances. Midway along this coast and about fifteen kilometers offshore is the barrenMasirah Island. Stretching about 70 km (43 miles), the island occupies a strategic location near the entry point to the Gulf of Oman from the Arabian Sea. Because of its location, it became the site of military facilities used first by the British and then by the United States, following an access agreement signed in 1980 by the United States and Oman.
West of the coastal areas lies the tableland of central Oman. The WadiSamail (the largestwadi in the mountain zone),[citation needed] a valley that forms the traditional route between Muscat and the interior divides the Hajar range into two subranges:Al-Ḥajar Al-Gharbī (TheWestern Hajar) andAl-Ḥajar Ash-Sharqī (TheEastern Hajar).[2] At the same time, mountains in the central region, where the highest of the Hajar are located, are recognised as the "Central Hajar".[6] The general elevation is about 1,200 m (3,900 ft), but the peaks of the high ridge known asJebel Akhdar ("Green Mountain"), rise to more than 3,000 m (1.9 miles). Jabal Akhdar is a home of theArabian tahr, a unique species of wild goat. In the hope of saving this rare animal, SultanQabus ibn Said has declared part of the mountain a national park. Behind the Western Mountains are two inland regions, Az-Zahirah and Inner Oman, separated by the lateral range of the Rub al Khali. Adjoining the Eastern Hajar Mountains are the sandy regions of Ash-Sharqiyah and Jalan, which also border the desert.
Dhofar region extends from Ras ash-Sharbatat to the border ofYemen and north to the clearly defined border with Saudi Arabia. Its capital,Salalah, was the permanent residence of SultanSaid ibn Taimur Al Said and the birthplace of the present sultan,Qaboos ibn Said. The highest peak of theDhofar Mountains,Jabal Samhan, is about 2,000 metres (1.2 miles).[7] The coast of Dhofar is fertile, being watered by monsoonal fogs from the Indian Ocean and is part of theArabian Peninsula coastal fog desertecoregion.
Al Dharerah region consists of three parts: Dhank,Ibri and Yanqul.[citation needed]
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According to theKöppen climate classification, Oman has four different climates (BWh,BWk,BSk,BSh), however is highly dominated by theBWh (hot desert) climate.
With the exception ofDhofari region, which has a strong monsoon climate and receives warm winds from the Indian Ocean, the climate of Oman is extremely hot and dry most of the year.
Summer begins in March and lasts until September. The highest temperatures are registered in the interior, where readings up to a maximum of 50.8 °C (123.4 °F) have been recorded.[citation needed] On the Batinah coastal plain, summer temperatures seldom exceed 47 °C (116.6 °F), but, because of the low elevation, the humidity may be as high as 90 percent. The mean summer temperature in Muscat is 33 °C (91.4 °F), but thegharbī (Arabic:غَرْبِي,lit. 'western'), a strong wind that blows from the Rub' al-Khali, can raise temperatures from the towns on the Gulf of Oman by 6 °C (10.8 °F) to 10 °C (18 °F).
Winter temperatures in December and January are mild and pleasant, ranging between 18 and 26 °C (64.4 and 78.8 °F).[8]
Precipitation on the coasts and on the interior plains ranges from 20 to 100 millimeters (0.8 to 3.9 in) a year and falls during mid- and late winter. Rainfall in the mountains, particularly over Jebel Akhdar, is much higher and may reach 900 millimeters (35.4 in).
Because theplateau ofJebel Akhdar is porous limestone, rainfall seeps quickly through it, and the vegetation, which might be expected to be more lush, is meager. However, a huge reservoir under the plateau provides springs for low-lying areas. In addition, an enormouswadi channels water to these valleys, making the area agriculturally productive in years of good rainfall.
Dhofar, benefiting from a southwestmonsoon between June and September, receives heavier rainfall and has constantly running streams, which make the region Oman's most fertile area.
Occasionally, a cyclone from the North Indian Ocean makes landfall, bringing with it heavy rain, such asCyclone Kelia did in 2011. Oman was hit byCyclone Gonu on 6 June. Large areas in the capital area region in the Governorate of Muscat and in Amerat andQuriyat were severely affected. Gonu first hit the southern city of Sur late on 5 June 2007.[9]Cyclone Mekunu is the strongest and only Major Cyclone to make Landfall in the nation and WholeArabian Peninsula.
| Climate data for Muscat | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 34.6 (94.3) | 38.2 (100.8) | 41.5 (106.7) | 44.9 (112.8) | 48.3 (118.9) | 48.5 (119.3) | 49.1 (120.4) | 49.2 (120.6) | 47.2 (117.0) | 43.6 (110.5) | 39.4 (102.9) | 37.8 (100.0) | 49.2 (120.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.5 (77.9) | 26.1 (79.0) | 29.8 (85.6) | 34.7 (94.5) | 39.5 (103.1) | 40.4 (104.7) | 38.6 (101.5) | 36.2 (97.2) | 36.3 (97.3) | 35.0 (95.0) | 30.5 (86.9) | 27.1 (80.8) | 33.3 (92.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 21.3 (70.3) | 21.9 (71.4) | 25.2 (77.4) | 29.8 (85.6) | 34.2 (93.6) | 35.2 (95.4) | 34.3 (93.7) | 32.0 (89.6) | 31.4 (88.5) | 29.7 (85.5) | 25.7 (78.3) | 22.6 (72.7) | 28.6 (83.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.3 (63.1) | 17.6 (63.7) | 20.7 (69.3) | 24.7 (76.5) | 29.1 (84.4) | 30.6 (87.1) | 30.4 (86.7) | 28.4 (83.1) | 27.5 (81.5) | 24.9 (76.8) | 20.9 (69.6) | 18.9 (66.0) | 24.3 (75.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 1.6 (34.9) | 2.3 (36.1) | 7.0 (44.6) | 10.3 (50.5) | 17.2 (63.0) | 21.6 (70.9) | 23.5 (74.3) | 21.3 (70.3) | 19.0 (66.2) | 14.3 (57.7) | 9.4 (48.9) | 4.5 (40.1) | 1.6 (34.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 12.8 (0.50) | 24.5 (0.96) | 15.9 (0.63) | 17.1 (0.67) | 7.0 (0.28) | 0.9 (0.04) | 0.2 (0.01) | 0.8 (0.03) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.0 (0.04) | 6.8 (0.27) | 13.3 (0.52) | 100.3 (3.95) |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 63 | 64 | 58 | 45 | 42 | 49 | 60 | 67 | 63 | 55 | 60 | 65 | 58 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 268.6 | 244.8 | 278.3 | 292.5 | 347.4 | 325.7 | 277.7 | 278.6 | 303.9 | 316.9 | 291.9 | 267.0 | 3,493.3 |
| Source: NOAA (1961–1990)[10] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Salalah | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.3 (90.1) | 33.8 (92.8) | 36.7 (98.1) | 43.6 (110.5) | 42.3 (108.1) | 43.0 (109.4) | 32.7 (90.9) | 31.3 (88.3) | 33.0 (91.4) | 40.1 (104.2) | 37.4 (99.3) | 34.2 (93.6) | 43.6 (110.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.9 (82.2) | 29.9 (85.8) | 31.7 (89.1) | 32.4 (90.3) | 31.8 (89.2) | 28.4 (83.1) | 27.3 (81.1) | 29.0 (84.2) | 30.5 (86.9) | 30.8 (87.4) | 28.7 (83.7) | 29.7 (85.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 22.9 (73.2) | 23.7 (74.7) | 25.5 (77.9) | 27.6 (81.7) | 29.0 (84.2) | 29.0 (84.2) | 26.4 (79.5) | 25.2 (77.4) | 26.3 (79.3) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.9 (78.6) | 23.9 (75.0) | 26.0 (78.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.9 (64.2) | 19.2 (66.6) | 21.0 (69.8) | 23.4 (74.1) | 25.6 (78.1) | 26.5 (79.7) | 24.2 (75.6) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.4 (74.1) | 21.6 (70.9) | 20.4 (68.7) | 18.8 (65.8) | 22.1 (71.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 12.6 (54.7) | 10.8 (51.4) | 14.5 (58.1) | 18.0 (64.4) | 20.6 (69.1) | 23.5 (74.3) | 21.9 (71.4) | 20.5 (68.9) | 19.1 (66.4) | 16.5 (61.7) | 15.0 (59.0) | 14.1 (57.4) | 10.8 (51.4) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 2.2 (0.09) | 7.0 (0.28) | 6.3 (0.25) | 19.8 (0.78) | 17.1 (0.67) | 10.6 (0.42) | 24.6 (0.97) | 24.5 (0.96) | 4.1 (0.16) | 4.1 (0.16) | 9.6 (0.38) | 1.1 (0.04) | 131 (5.16) |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 50 | 58 | 62 | 68 | 75 | 80 | 89 | 90 | 81 | 67 | 55 | 50 | 69 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 289.6 | 256.8 | 297.6 | 308.3 | 335.1 | 199.5 | 43.9 | 42.4 | 188.0 | 314.7 | 304.7 | 296.8 | 2,877.4 |
| Source: NOAA (period of record varies, see source)[11] | |||||||||||||
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. Persian Gulf states : country studies.Federal Research Division. This article incorporatespublic domain material fromThe World Factbook.CIA.
