Dr. Syed Mehboob
Economic and Political Analyst
http//: www.thenewslark.com
Oman is a small country in terms of population having only 5.82 million people and an area of 315,331 square kilometers but in terms of qualities, attributes, richness in culture, language and history, it is a great country. Peace, love and hospitality where joins together it is OMAN. Whenever you meet Omani people anywhere in the world their uniqueness of dress and sweetness of language immediately introduce that you are meeting with an Omani. His Excellency Engineer Sami Abdullah Salim Al Khanjari is dynamic, active and a popular diplomat and enjoys high respect and admiration from the people of Pakistan.
There is no prevailing viewpoint as to the origin of the name “ OMAN” some tracing it to “ Uman of the Al Qahatani tribe, others to a linguistic derivation meaning “ staying “ or setting . Ibnul Qabi writes “ OMAN means those who occupy a place, as in the adjective “aamen” . Today Oman is synonym to peace, love, brotherhood, tolerance and hospitality. Those who really want to experience high quality hospitality must visit Oman and see this wonderful country with one’s own eyes.
Oman is a peaceful country in the southern Arabian Peninsula in west Asia. It shares land boundaries with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. It is the only country in the world with which has marine border with Pakistan.
Oman’s coastline faces the Arabian Sea to the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. Madha and Musandam are surrounded by the United Arab Emirates on their land borders, while Musandam’s coastal boundaries are formed by the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. Oman’s oil reserves are ranked as the 22nd largest globally. In 2010, the United Nations’ Development Programme ( UNDP) recognized Oman as the most improved country in the world in terms of development during the preceding fourty years. Less reliant on fossil fuels than other Persian Gulf States, it is boosting its tourism, trade of fish, dates and other agricultural products. The World Bank classifies Oman as a High Income Economy (HIE). As of 2024, Oman ranked 42nd most peaceful country in the world of 193 countries as per Global Peace Index ( GPI).
Omani Sultan is like a father for country people, he cares and loves his people very much and every possible step has been taken by government to facilitate, provide relief and comfort to its people. Sultan Qaboos bin Said served as the Sultan from 1970 to his death in 2020. His reign saw a rise in the country’s living standards, the abolition of slavery, the end of the Dhofar Rebellion, and the Promulgation of Oman’s constitution. In 2020, His Excellency Haitham bin Tariq succeeded Qaboos as the Sultan of Oman. Oman is an active member of United Nations Organization ( UNO), the Arab League(AL) the Gulf Cooperation Council ( GCC) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
In 1971, Oman joined the United Nations Organization (UNO), along with Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In 1981, Oman became a founding member of the Six-Nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Political reforms and serious efforts to improve the life standard of people were started. The country adopted its National Flag in 1995. In 1979, a royal decree was issued granting women the right to vote, and stand for election to the Majlis ak Shura, the Consultative Assembly of Oman. Two women initially were elected. In 2002, voting rights were extended to all citizens over the age of twenty one, and the first elections to Consultative Assembly were held in 2003. In 2004, the Sultan appointed Oman’s first female minister with portfolio, Sheikha Ayesha Sultan Khalfan bin Jameel al-Sayabiyah, to the post of National Authority for Industrial Craftsmanship.
In 2013, Oman achieved its status as the elimination of malaria , according to the World Heanth Organization (WHO) report.
Oman is known for Arabian horses, dromedaries, wild asses, green turtles, the Oryx antelope (the national animal), frankincense trees, and date palms.
Oman is famous for its ancient aflaj oases irrigation system, terraced orchards (Jebel Akhdar), adobe fortresses, lots of mosques, wadis (stream valleys), dhows (traditional Arabian sailing ships), meteorites, and Al Said, the world’s third-largest yacht, owned by the Sultan.
The country’s staple food is chicken, fish, and lamb (no pork, please) and coffee.
Economically, Oman has diversified beyond oil, investing in sectors such as tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing to ensure sustainable growth. The government promotes initiatives to enhance education and infrastructure, aiming to improve the quality of life for its citizens. Overall, Oman presents a fascinating intersection of tradition and progress, inviting exploration and appreciation from visitors worldwide.
Education in Oman is free and compulsory for ten years. Students attend primary school from the ages of six through nine and attend secondary school thereafter. Enrollment levels are high. Grades 11 and 12 provide vocational and religious instruction.Oman has 97 percent literacy rate.
Oman’s health care system has benefited greatly from improvements made by the sultan. Before the 1970s, Omani life expectancy was under fifty years. . In 2024 the estimated average life expectancy at birth was 75.5 years for men and 79.4 years for women.
Potable tap water is now available throughout the country, and major disease such as malaria have been wiped out. In addition to these changes, more than one hundred hospitals and health centers, along with a free health care system, have been established. The system, available to all Omanis, includes social security and welfare. Oman ranked 59th out of 193 countries and territories on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index, which put the country in the Very High human development category.
There are many cafes and restaurants around Muscat, many of which serve Lebanese cuisine. Meats such as mutton, goat, and camel are cooked in curries and soups. Fish is also widely eaten in Oman, including tuna, shark, anchovies, and cod.
Common Omani dishes include a meat curry called qabooli, a stew called mak bousa, and harees, a meal of steamed wheat and boiled meat. Laban, a form of drinkable yogurt , is a popular beverage, as is camel’s milk.
Indigenous crafts are a substantial aspect of Omani art, and craftworks are often sold at the souk. Traditional crafts include cloth making, pottery, weaving , rug making, brasswork, and woodcarving.The Omani Society of the Fine Arts was established in 1992 to increase interest in painting, sculpture, and calligraphy.
Shipbuilding is one of Oman’s most famous art forms. The Sohar, a ship built in 1980 as a replica of a traditional Omani ship, was built without using nails, and was sailed to China.
Architecture is important to Omani culture as a way of preserving the traditions and history of the region. Muscat’s buildings feature large domes and arabesque windows. The Bahla mud-brick fort is considered an architectural marvel and is listed as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage.
Music is discouraged by Ibadhi Muslims, but is used in come ceremonies and celebrations. Omani festivals often incorporate music played on drums, flutes, and a stringed instrument called the rababa. The sword dance is the most common form of ceremonial dance in Oman.
Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Oman. Other popular sports in Oman include camel racing and bull-butting, a bullring sport in which the animals are not killed.
H Oman’s national holiday is National Day, celebrated on the birthday of the sultan, November 18. The celebrations of National Day last two days and include a military parade and public decorations. Renaissance Day, celebrated in July, honors the sultan’s efforts to modernize Oman. Most holidays observed in Oman are Muslim celebrations, such as Lailat al-Mi’raj, which commemorates the ascension of the Prophet Muhammad is also celebrated. (CONTINUED)
