Everything you need to know about Oman: news, reviews, in-depth analysis, opinion and more
Oman: Strategic Country on the South Western Arabian Peninsula
Islam was introduced in Oman only during the 7th Century although Arabs started inhabiting this Mediterranean country since 9th Century B.C. Oman was ruled by the Portuguese from 1508 to 1648 A.D. and later the Turkish rule followed that lasted till 1741 when Sultan Ahmad ibn Said finally overthrew the Turks. The Said dynasty continues to rule this strategically important country located at the western tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Oman was relatively isolated during the reign of Sultan Said bin Taimur who was finally deposed by his son Qaboos bin Said in 1970. The country has since undertaken important economic and political reforms including granting voting rights to everyone above 21. Oman also entered into a free trade pact with US in 2006.
Oman Facts and Stats:
Omanis enjoy a hot and dry climate in the interior while Omanis living along the coast are accustomed to a humid existence. Oman was covered by oceans long eons back and the greatest evidence of this are the fossilized shells found in the Omani deserts.
Oman Culture and Cuisine:
Although Arabic is the major language spoken in Oman, the country is linguistically diverse with a fair sprinkling of Balochi, Swahili, French, Zanzibar, Hindi and many local dialects across the Omani plains. Although Oman is a relatively conservative country its Sultan Qaboos bin Said allowed women to stand for the local council elections. Islam is the dominant religion and Oman is the last stronghold of the Ibadi sect of Islam. Oman is popular for the curved Khanjar knives worn during ceremonies with ceremonial dresses. Omanis are a hospitable creed and visitors to Omani homes would be greeted with a bowl of dates, qahwa and fruit.
Omani cuisine is quite simple and the preparation often involves marinade and generous sprinkling of meats and spices, the meat eaten include chicken, fish and mutton. No Mediterranean country can ignore Dates and dry fruits and Oman is no exception. Laban, a salty, buttermilk yoghurt drink is a favourite among the Omani people.
Oman Economy:
Oman economy is largely oil fuelled that has bestowed an affluent lifestyle upon the Omanis but the future may not be as rosy on account of Oman’s limited oil reserves in comparison to other Mediterranean states. Agriculture practised is of subsistence level and the main Omani agricultural produce includes dates, limes, grains and vegetables. Oman’s capital Muscat has recently become a tourist hub and also a financial centre.
Oman Tourist Attractions:
Oman has recently emerged as a preferred tourist hub owing to many sightseeing opportunities available to the tourists. Tourists who prefer hiking and trekking should definitely climb the beautiful Jebel Shams Mountain whereas those interested in sand skiing, camel safaris and swimming should let go at by the beautiful coastline that is laden with golden sands.
Other Places to See in Oman include:
Dubai, May 13 (IANS) Nearly half of over $61 billion sent by expatriates in the Gulf countries in 2012 went to India, according to new data.
Hyderabad, May 11 (IANS) Iran is looking for more business with India in non-oil sectors to boost the bilateral trade, said its Consul General Hassan Noorian who sees great potential for cooperation in various non-oil fields like pharma, IT, electronics, automobile spare parts and food processing.
New York, May 10 (IANS) An international gang of cyber thieves, accused of stealing $45 million from banks around the globe in "a massive 21st-century bank heist", infiltrated an unnamed Indian card-processing company in one of their operations, according to a media report.
Washington, May 10 (ANI): In another incident of cyber-crime, 45 million dollars have been stolen by hacking a prepaid debit card database, followed by draining ATMs across the world, according to federal prosecutors.
Hamilton (Bermuda), May 7 (IANS/CMC) Half-centuries by Pradeep Airee and Sharad Vesawkar helped Nepal beat Uganda by five wickets to secure the 50-overs ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division 3 title at the National Sports Centre.
New Delhi, April 23 (ANI): An eleven-member Omani parliamentary delegation, led by Abdullah Salem Nasser Al Makhaini, Member of the Shura Council. met External Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed here.
London, Apr. 18 (ANI): Justin Bieber's latest concert in the Persian Gulf state of Oman has been cancelled as he was deemed too sexy to perform there.
Moscow, April 17 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Iran's first nuclear power plant in Bushehr was not affected by the devastating earthquake that hit the country Tuesday, Russia's federal atomic agency Rosatom said.
Tehran, April 16 (IANS) Iran's national football team will face Oman in a friendly match May 22 in Muscat.
Tehran, April 16 (IANS) At least 40 people were killed when a powerful quake shook Iran Tuesday, a week after 32 people were left dead and 850 wounded in a temblor in Bushehr province which is home to Iran's nuclear plant.
Hamilton (Bermuda), April 7 (IANS/CMC) New Bermuda skipper Steven Outerbridge has urged his team-mates to change their mindset as they gear up for a challenging eight-day ICC World Cricket League Division 3 World Cup Qualifying Tournament starting here later this month.
London, Apr. 3 (ANI): Late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's daughter has been granted asylum in Oman after she was thrown out of her Algerian safe-house because she repeatedly set it on fire in fits of anger.
Chennai, April 2 (IANS) Water treatment company Va Tech Wabag is confident that water desalination will be a big business in the near future and it is gearing up to have a sizeable share of that pie.
Sydney, March 26 (IANS) Australia avoided a shocking upset Tuesday after the Socceroos recovered from two goals down to draw with Oman 2-2 in an Asian qualifier for the 2014 World Cup.
Muscat:, Mar. 26 (ANI): Oman has granted asylum to late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's widow and her family on humanitarian grounds, an official at the foreign ministry has said.
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) It was a joyful reunion with their families for rescued Indian sailors who returned home Monday after long months in the captivity of Somalian pirates.
28 rescued Indian sailors of MT Royal Grace and MT Smyrni, which were hijacked by Somalian pirates last year, have safely returned to India on Monday.
New Delhi, Mar 18 (ANI): Pain, torture and wait was finally over for captive Indian sailors on board MV Royal Grace and MV Smyrni on Monday when they arrived at the Delhi Airport.
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) A total of 28 rescued Indian seafarers aboard MT Royal Grace and MT Smyrni, which were hijacked by Somalian pirates last year, are set to return to India Monday.
Tehran, March 12 (IANS) Iran has repelled an American U2 reconnaissance plane as it tried to enter the Iranian airspace, a senior Iranian military commander said Tuesday.
Muscat, Mar 10 (ANI): A teenage Indian boy has disappeared from outside a market area in Muscat, Oman.
Chennai/New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) All 28 Indian sailors on two ships held by Somalian pirates have been freed and will soon be back in the country, Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan Saturday but official sources in the capital said only 17 sailors had been released from one ship.
Hyderabad, March 9 (IANS) Expanding its global footprint in executive education, Indian School of Business (ISB), one of the country's top business schools, has tied up with a leading institute of Japan to offer courses for Japanese executives.
Muscat, Mar. 8 (ANI): The Indian Coast Guard's first pollution control vessel, Samudra Prahari, has arrived in Oman for a four-day friendly visit.
Dubai, March 7 (IANS/WAM) Women leaders, ministers, academics and entrepreneurs have gathered in Dubai for the 16th Global Women Leaders Conference (Woibex).
New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Thursday proposed a hike of over 16 percent in the external affairs ministry budget in 2013-14 at Rs.11,719 crore ($2.154 bn), with aid to neighbouring countries getting special focus.
Mumbai, Feb 28 (IANS) Ram Gopal Varma's ambitious project "The Attacks of 26/11", a movie based on the 26/11 Mumbai terror strike, has hit a rough patch with the UAE censor board. The film has been rejected after it was reviewed by the Dubai censors.
Nairobi, Feb 27 (IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has given a call for a collective regional action to address sand and dust storms.
New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) Thirtysixth-ranked Oman men's team beat 70th-ranked Fiji 7-3 in a hard fought match on the seventh and last day of the Hockey World League Round 2 here Sunday.
Moscow, Feb 23 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Iran has found more uranium deposits and selected 16 new sites for nuclear power plants, the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) said Saturday.
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) India were lucky to escape with a 3-2 win over Ireland and continued their winning streak in the men's Hero Hockey World League Round 2 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here Thursday.
New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) India put on a dominating performance to crush Oman 9-1 for their second consecutive win in the men's Hero World Hockey League Round 2 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here Wednesday.
New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS) It didn't take long for the war cries to turn into a whimper as India hammered Fiji 16-0 in their opening match of the men's Hockey World League Round 2 at the Major Dhyan Chand National stadium here on a chilly Monday night.
12 teams will fight for the top spots of the Hockey World League Round-2 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here from Feb 18-24.
New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Twelve teams will fight for the top spots of the Hockey World League Round-2 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here from Feb 18-24.
Moscow, Feb 14 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russia's state-run arms dealer Rosoboronexport is supplying air-defence missile systems and maintenance equipment to Syria but not combat aircraft, the company's director has said.
New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) Indian men's and women's team will play their opening matches against Fiji and Kazakhstan, respectively, in the Hero Hockey World League Round 2 to be held here from Feb 18.
Kampala, Feb 8 (IANS) Hosts Uganda are set to face arch rivals Kenya in their first game when the World T20 qualifying tournament takes place here Feb 23-March 1.
Kochi, Feb 5 (IANS) India captain Sunil Chhetri said the transition from club to international football will be crucial as his team takes on Palestine in a friendly here Wednesday.
New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS) Sardar Singh will lead India's 18-man squad Hockey India in the Hero Hockey World League Round 2 to be played at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here Feb 18-24.
Madrid, Jan 25 (IANS) The Chinese national football team continued its pre-season preparations with a game against top Swiss side FC Basel in the Spanish city of Marbella but lost 1-2.
New Delhi, Jan.23 (ANI): World Consulting and Research Corporation (WCRC) has declared the genesis of Asia's most promising brands and leaders for fiscal 2012-13.
Moscow, Jan 22 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russia sold a record $15.16 billion worth of weaponry in 2012 to countries including India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Venezuela and in the Middle East, a federal military agency has said.
Dubai, Jan 4 (IANS/WAM) The UAE's first commercial batch of cheese made from camel's milk is expected to hit supermarket shelves soon after a year of test production.
Washington, Dec 31 (ANI): Al Qaeda's branch in Yemen has offered a bounty of gold worth 160,000 dollars to anyone who assassinates U.S. ambassador Gerald M. Feierstein.
Islamabad, Dec 30 (IANS) Pakistan's national hockey team returned home after winning the men's Asian Champions Trophy 2012 in Doha, Qatar.
Moscow, Dec 29 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Iran Saturday rejected Western media reports it was planning to close the Strait of Hormuz during a six-day naval drill that was launched Friday.
New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, welcoming the five Indian sailors who arrived in India Saturday after spending more than two and a half years in captivity, said the government would pursue the release of 37 other captive Indian seafarers with determination.
New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) Indian officials, accompanying five Indian sailors freed from Somali pirates, also lent a helping hand to two Pakistani seafarers who were also onboard the hijacked cargo ship MV Iceberg-1.
New Delhi, Dec.29 (ANI): Indian officials bringing back five Indian seafarers from the MV ICEBERG-I who were rescued from captivity in Puntland, also extended a helping hand to two Pakistani seafarers.
Moscow, Dec 28 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The Iranian Navy Friday launched a six-day naval exercise that would rehearse border protection and piracy control operations, the Irna news agency reported.
Doha, Dec 21 (IANS) VR Raghunath's brace helped India beat Japan 3-1 giving them their second win in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here Friday.
London, Dec 21 (IANS) Oman has decided to buy 12 Eurofighter Typhoons, becoming the second Gulf country to opt for the four-nation warjet.
Lahore, Dec 18 (IANS) The Pakistan hockey squad Tuesday morning departed to participate in the upcoming second Asian Champions Trophy commencing Dec 20 in Qatar.
Shirva (Karnataka), Dec 17 (IANS) Amidst emotional scenes and a pall of gloom, about 5,000 people, including family members, relatives and friends, Monday bid a tearful adieu to Indian-origin nurse Jacintha Saldhana, as her mortal remains were laid to rest in a cemetery in this coastal Karnataka town.
New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) India is coordinating with its embassy in the UAE to help in the return of non-resident Indians who are without valid documents, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi told parliament Thursday.
New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) account for the maximum number of Indians working in the Gulf, the government said Wednesday.
New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) Fifty-four Indian military personnel missing since the 1965 and 1971 wars are believed to be in Pakistani custody, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Monday.
New Delhi, Dec 7 (IANS) Sardar Singh will lead defending champions India in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey to be held in Doha, Qatar Dec 20-27.
Ajman, Nov 28 (IANS/WAM) Ajman, one of the seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman have reviewed their existing relations and explored ways to strengthen them.
London, Nov 26 (IANS) Christo Javacheff is an artist renowned for wrapping the Reichstag in fabric, but his latest project 'Mastaba', the world's largest permanent sculpture to be built in Abu Dhabi will be much bigger in scale and rival Egypt's pyramids.
Cairo, Nov 13 (IANS) The Arab League (AL) Monday recognised the newly-formed Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces as the "representative of the aspirations of Syrian people", said Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani.
New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) The government Friday allocated flying rights to domestic passenger carriers to start operations to new international destination.
Gurgaon, Nov 2 (IANS) India Friday pitched for more robust "cooperative regionalism" among countries which share the Indian Ocean, a new theatre of maritime competition, and lauded the inclusion of the US as a sixth dialogue partner of the 20-member regional organisation.
New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) Days after taking over as foreign minister, Salman Khurshid is poised for two days of intense diplomacy with virtually back-to-back meetings with the foreign ministers of Iran, Sri Lanka, Oman, Kenya, Madagascar and the Seychelles.
New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Russia, the UK, Bangladesh and Nepal are among those who have congratulated Salman Khurshid since he was named India's foreign minister three days ago.
Abu Dhabi, Oct 28 (IANS/WAM) United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has come to the help of an Emirati citizen injured in a traffic accident in Oman, ordering a plane be sent to bring him back for treatment.
Gurgaon, Oct 28 (IANS) In the scrambled alphabet of global geopolitics bristling with new power clubs such as BRICS and IBSA, the IOR-ARC, a 19-member grouping of Indian Ocean littoral states, will be brainstorming to find a new acronym that captures more pithily and imaginatively the growing importance of this strategic resource-rich region.
Gurgaon, Oct 26 (IANS) Delegates from over 19 countries will be attending the Indian Ocean Rim - Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) meet here from Oct 29 to Nov 2, a government official said Friday.
Abu Dhabi, Oct 23 (IANS/WAM) The UAE and Oman have signed an agreement on media cooperation, it was announced Tuesday.
New Delhi, Oct 22 (IANS) With piracy becoming a growing trans-national security threat, ministers from 19 littoral countries of the Indian Ocean will gather here for an annual meeting later next month to map out new pathways of economic and security cooperation.
Muscat, Oct 16 (IANS) A 52-year-old homeless Indian worker in Oman, who has no job and is suffering from various diseases, has threatened to end his life unless he gets help to return to his home country.
Muscat, Oct 15 (ANI): A homeless Indian worker in Oman has threatened to end his life until and unless he gets help to return to his home land.
London, Oct. 14 (ANI): Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson reckons his club are second only to Barcelona when it comes to producing kids.
New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) Oman-based Composite Pipes Industry (CPI) plans to set up an Indian unit to make corrosion-proof pipes for use in industries like oil and gas, company chairman Sheikh Saif bin Hashil Al Maskery said Thursday.
Chandigarh, Oct 5 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Friday sought Defence Minister A.K. Antony's intervention to get a prisoner of war (PoW), presumed killed in the 1971 India-Pakistan war, released from an Oman jail.
Dubai, October 1 (ANI): Date palm leaves can be used to remove chemicals such as pharmaceuticals and dyes from hospital waste water before it is discharged into the municipal sewerage, scientists at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) have found.
Muscat, Oct 1 (IANS) Date palm leaves can help remove chemicals like pharmaceuticals and dyes from hospital waste water before it is discharged into the municipal sewers, says a scientist from a university in Oman.
Islamabad, Sept. 25 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has offered facilities at its National Cricket Academies to groom players of the associate Asian Cricket Council (ACC) member nations.
Kolkata, Sep 22 (IANS) City-based lubricants maker Tide Water Oil Co., an Andrew Yule Group company, has initiated a search for a partner to market the Veedol brand in Africa, a company official said.
Manama, Sep 20(ANI): Relatives of a deceased Indian in Oman have been forced to go through a traumatic 113-day-wait, which may further continue, as it has emerged that he had a fake visa and held illegal citizenship status.
Muscat, Sep 17 (IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman have explored new ways to strengthen their relations in different areas.
Islamabad, Sep 17 (IANS) Pakistan has begin culling over 21,000 imported Australian sheep after tests showed they were diseased, a media report said Monday.
Manama, Sep 16 (ANI): Two Pakistani nationals have been arrested in relation to the alleged racket in Oman, police officials have confirmed.
Mumbai, Sep 11 (IANS) Amitabh Bachchan, known to be very hospitable on the sets of "Kaun Banega Crorepati", was startled when a firecracker was lit on the sets of season six of the game show without warning the audience.
Muscat, Sept 10 (ANI): A 28-year-old Indian construction worker has reportedly been found dead in Oman.
Tehran, Sep 4 (IANS) Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Tuesday that the Iranian naval forces enjoy full intelligence command over all the movements of U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf, reported Xinhua, citing Press TV.
Abu Dhabi, Sep 2 (IANS/WAM) UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered the airlifting of seven UAE citizens injured in a traffic accident in Oman for treatment in their own country.
New Delhi, Sept. 2 (ANI): Indian nationals working in Malaysia complain the least about exploitation, ill-treatment and non-payment of salaries.
Tehran, Aug 29 (ANI): Iran is hoping that the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) presidency will boost Tehran's image in the world and rally more support for its nuclear programme.
Muscat, Aug. 28 (ANI): An Indian maid, ignorant of immigration laws, has been stranded in Oman with huge accumulated fines, hunger and sickness.
Washington, Aug. 27 (ANI): Weapons sales by the United States tripled in 2011 to a record high, a new study for Congress has revealed.
London, August 24 (ANI): One of Britain's richest young men, who was with Prince Harry during his recent nude Las Vegas scandal, has revealed that the person who had sold the pictures was "despicable" and had abused the royal's hospitality.
Moscow, Aug 12 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A guided missile destroyer of the US Navy collided with a Japanese oil tanker Sunday in the Persian Gulf, with no injuries reported on either vessel, the US Navy said on its website.
Jaipur, Aug 9 (IANS) A 45-year-old man was arrested at the Jaipur International Airport Thursday on suspicion of gold smuggling from Dubai and about 2.75 kg of gold jewellery was recovered from his possession, sources said.
Bangalore, Aug 4 (IANS) The Indo-Arab Chamber of Commerce & Industries has set up its south India chapter here to accelerate trade, investments and joint ventures between industries located in the four southern states and 18 countries in the Arab world.
Washington, July 20 (IANS) A US Navy helicopter crashed near Oman Thursday with five crew members on board.
Muscat, July 18 (IANS/AKI) Six people, including a woman, have been sentenced to a year in prison for offending Oman's monarch Sultan Qaboos Bin Said on social networking website Facebook.
Muscat, July 17 (ANI): The Indian Embassy in Oman has urged citizens of the sultanate to approach only authorised outsourcing agency, BLS International, for Indian visa services, in an attempt to curb the overcharging of fees for visas.
Panaji, July 16 (IANS) Football crazy Goan expats are rooting for the state to host a mini non-resident Indian (NRI) football 'World Cup'.
