Oman officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located in West Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Oman shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, while sharing maritime borders with Iran and Pakistan. Oman has a population of 5,492,196 and is ranked the 120th most populous country in the world.
Oman has a subtropical, dry climate with summer monsoons and hot, dusty winds. Average annual temperature ranges from 10°C to 12°C in the north while ranging from 16°C to 18°C in the south. Annual average rainfall ranges from 150 mm to 300 mm in the north while ranging from 50 mm to 150 mm in the south. There have been destructive tropical depressions, tropical cyclonic storms and severe cyclonic storms that have tracked toward Oman over the past decades from the north Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Such storms typically occur during the pre-monsoonal period (May – June) and the post-monsoonal period (October – November).
In a country steeped in tradition, locals in Oman wear traditional clothing for the region. The male national dress in Oman consists of the dishdasha, a simple, ankle-length, collarless gown with long sleeves. Most frequently white in colour, the dishdasha may also appear in a variety of other colours. The national dress for Omani women includes a dress worn over trousers (sirwal) and a headdress (lihaf). Usually, the materials used are of very colorful, vibrant colors. Traditionally, Omani women would wear a kind of wooden platform shoe, but nowadays, most prefer to wear sandals.
Traditional Omani culture is embedded in nearly every aspect of daily life, from clothing and food, arts and crafts, to the way Omanis welcome visitors. The uniquely Omani culture and heritage continues today in many of the same ways it has been for hundreds of years.
It is an Islamic country which is very accepting of other religions and cultures, allowing anyone to practice their faith freely without prejudice. It is this kind of peaceful and accepting culture that makes Oman one of the safest and most liveable countries in the world. Omanis are very welcoming of visitors from other countries, a fact that is reflected in the generous hospitality extended to guests.
Arabic is the official language of Oman. It belongs to the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic family.[169] There are several dialects of Arabic spoken, all part of the Peninsular Arabic family: Dhofari Arabic (also known as Dhofari, Zofari) is spoken in Salalah and the surrounding coastal regions (the Dhofar Governorate);[222] Gulf Arabic is spoken in parts bordering the UAE; whereas Omani Arabic, distinct from the Gulf Arabic of eastern Arabia and Bahrain, is spoken in Central Oman, although with recent oil wealth and mobility has spread over other parts of the Sultanate.
Even though the Oman government does not keep statistics on religious affiliation, statistics from the US's Central Intelligence Agency state that adherents of Islam are in the majority at 85.9%, while 6.4% are Christians, 5.7% Hindus, 0.8% Buddhists, and fewer than 0.1% are Jews; members of other religious affiliations comprise 1% and the unaffiliated 0.2%.Most Omanis are Muslims; these predominantly follow the Ibadi school of Islam, followed by the Twelver school of Shia Islam, and the Shafi`i school of Sunni Islam. Virtually all non-Muslims in Oman are foreign workers.
OMR is the currency code for the Omani rial. The OMR is the national currency of the Sultanate of Oman, located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The Omani rial is made up of 1,000 baisa. The Central Bank of Oman pegs the value of the Omani rial at $2.6008 (USD).
