The Batinah Region

The Batinah region, also known as the Batinah Coast, is a strip of land between the sea and the mountains that has played a highly influential role in the Sultanate’s history. One of the country’s most important geographic and economic regions and situated along the southern shore of the Gulf of Oman, it has more wilayats a total of 12 than any other region.

The Batinah has long been Oman’s main sea and maritime trading link with the other countries of the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Its extensive economic resources include the country’s largest agricultural plain the Batinah Plain and its numerous mineral deposits are currently being exploited as the basis for a series of major heavy industry projects.

Sohar in the Batinah region is economically prosperous today, and described as being “…rich and beautiful” by Istakhri in the 2nd half of the 10th century

Port Sohar, which is now nearing completion, is an economic mega project and the surrounding Sohar industrial estate has succeeded in attracting a large number of huge industrial and manufacturing enterprises, including projects related to the petrochemical, aluminium and fertiliser industries. The opening of Sohar Airport, on which construction is scheduled to begin, will give a further boost to the area. With 735,669 inhabitants according to 2007 estimates, the Batinah has the largest population of Oman’s five regions. With its 12 wilayats - Sohar, Rustaq, Shinas, Saham, Liwa, al Khabourah, al Suwaiq, Nakhal, Wadi al Ma’awil, al Awabi, al Musana’ah and Barka the Batinah region extends along the coast of the Oman Sea from Khatmat Malaha in the north, to the wilayat of Barka in the south.

It is enclosed between the Oman Sea to the east and the slopes of the Western Hajar mountain range to the west. Along with general advances in the Batinah region’s economic and social life, particular attention has been focused not only on the roads, telecommunications, construction and services sectors, but also on areas such as urban landscaping, town planning, public parks and the development of tourist sites. These include two of the Sultanate’s most famous natural hot springs Ain al Kasfah in Rustaq and Ain al Thuwwarah in the wilayat of Nakhal.