Geography of Oman

The Sultanate of Oman’s vital geographical location has been an important factor in its political and economic development. Situated in the extreme south-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, extending from latitude 16.40 to 26.20 degrees north and longitude 51.50 to 59.40 degrees east, its 3,165 kilometre-long coastline runs from the Arabian Sea and the entrance to the Indian Ocean in the far south-west, to the Oman Sea and Musandam in the north, where it overlooks the strategic Strait of Hormuz and the entrance to the Gulf.

Oman shares borders with the Republic of Yemen to the south-west, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west and the United Arab Emirates to the north. It has sovereignty over a number of small islands in the Oman Sea and the Strait of Hormuz such as Salamah and Her Daughters, as well as Masirah and the Hallaniyat Islands in the Arabian Sea.

The Musandam is dominated by its rugged mountains which soar to some 1,800 metres

Lying on the Tropic of Cancer, the Sultanate is generally in a hot, arid region. However, the south of the country has a tropical climate. As well as dominating the oldest and most important sea trading route in the world between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, Oman – with an area of 309,500 sq. km. - is also crisscrossed by the old north- south and east-west overland Arabian trade routes.

A country of considerable geographical diversity, Oman’s outstanding feature is the Hajar mountain range, that runs in a huge arc from the north-west of the country to the south-east , from Ru’us al Jibal in the Governorate of Musandam (by the Strait of Hormuz, the gateway to the Gulf) to Ras al Hadd in the south-eastern extremity of the Arabian Peninsula, which overlooks the Indian Ocean. Its highest point in the Jabal al Akhdhar -reaches a height of 3,000 meters.

The mountains soar to heights of some 1,800 meters above sea level in the Governorate of Musandam, where the Strait of Hormuz lies between the Omani and the Iranian coast. The Strait’s navigable international shipping lanes lie on the Omani side. Omanis compare the Hajar mountain range to a human backbone. The region lying on the Oman Sea is known as the Batinah, while the area to the west of the mountains is the Dhahirah. The Batinah is the coastal strip formed by the wadis that flow from the mountains and is between 15 and 80 kms wide and over 300 kms long. It is the Sultanate’s main agricultural area with farms and orchards fed by groundwater.

The Batinah, which extends northwards from Muscat to the borders of the United Arab Emirates, is the Sultanate’s most populous region. Its wilayats include – among others - Barka, al Musana’ah, Suwaiq, Khabourah, Saham, Sohar and Shinas. Several wadis cut through this range of mountains; the largest - Wadi Sumail - links the city of Muscat on the coast with the wilayats of Izki and Nizwa in the interior. Omanis call the mountain area to the west of the Wadi the Hajar al Gharbi (Western Hajar); this region includes the Jabal al Akhdhar and the wilayats of Rustaq, Nakhal, al Awabi and several others. The mountain area to the east of Wadi Sumail is called the Hajar al Sharqi (Eastern Hajar). Sumail and Bidbid are two of its wilayats. Jabal Shams in the Dakhiliyah region - the highest peak in the Hajar range - rises to a height of 3,000 metres above sea level.

At al Qurm Heights in Muscat, the Omani coast narrows and becomes rocky with numerous inlets. The shoreline from South Muscat Point to Ras al Hadd is similar. From Ras al Hadd to Filim on the shore of Masirah Bay in the Sharqiyah region, the Sharqiyah Sands extend over a band of terrain some 160 kms long by 8 kms wide. To the south-west of Masirah Island lies a vast flat, stony area known as the Jiddat al Harasis. To the west of the Sharqiyah Sands is a stretch of low-lying rocky terrain around 250 kms wide and crossed by wadis running from north to south; these include Wadi Halfain and Wadi Andam.

To the west of Masirah Island is the peninsula of Barr al Hikman, which is separated from Masirah by a channel 14 kms wide. The Barr al Hikman consists of salt flats which, at some times of the year are covered by the sea, frequently reaching as far as five kilometres inland. The population of this area earns a living from fishing. The Sultanate of Oman extends along the shore of the Arabian Sea for 560 kms, some 130 kms of which are exposed to the monsoon rains. This stretch consists of a coastal plain between 8-10 kms wide which includes the city of Salalah and several wilayats such as Mirbat, Taqah, Sadah, Rakhyut and Dhalkut. The coastal waters of the Governorate of Dhofar are rich in fish, particularly sardines; the surplus sardine catches are frequently utilized as animal fodder and fertiliser.

The mountain region of Dhofar runs from east to west for a distance of around 400 kms, from opposite the Hallaniyat Islands to the borders of Yemen. It forms a continuous chain which includes the Jabal Samhan mountains in the East and the Jabal Qamar in the West. At no point is this range more than 23 kms wide or higher than 2,500 meters.

A 75 kms swathe of these mountains is cloaked in greenery from June to September annually during the khareef (monsoon) season, when the south-west monsoon winds give the region a very different character from the rest of the Arabian Peninsula as the tropical rains transform it into a delightful summer resort with lush pastures. Frankincense trees grow in some areas – a reminder that Dhofar was once renowned for its trade in this substance, which was the main source of its wealth in ancient times. Fresh water springs flow in this region throughout the year.

The natural beauty of Khaluf beach, near the Barr al Hikman in the Sharqiyah region where one can see a variety of seabirds and dolphins enjoying the tranquil waters

The Sultanate’s strikingly varied and spectacular landscapes are a blend of its geological history and climate over the past few million years. Superb rock outcrops in the Al Hajar Mountains, the Huqf and Dhofar are a paradise for geologists from around the world. The country’s rock record spans around 825 million years and includes at least three periods when the country was covered by ice; somewhat surprising given its present latitude and climate.

Located at the southeast corner of the Arabian plate, Oman is being pushed slowly northward, as the Red Sea grows wider. The lofty Al Hajar Mountains and the now drowned valleys of the Musandam are dramatic reminders of this. Even to a lay person the sight of fossils of starfish and other sea creatures deeply embedded in the rocks that soar hundreds of feet above the deep, blue waters of the Strait of Hormuz, is a remarkable one and conclusive proof of the awesome geological changes this country has witnessed over the centuries. The discovery of dark coloured Semail ophiolites, or volcanic rocks from beneath the sea, locally rich in copper and chrome, confirm that in its geologically recent past, as today, Oman also lay at the margin of an ocean.

The Sharqiyah Sands – an unspoilt area with the Arabian Sea lying on its Eastern flank

The Interior plains of the Sultanate are made up of young sedimentary rocks, wadi gravels, dune sands and salt flats. Beneath them is a several kilometre thick stack of older sedimentary rocks that host the country’s hydrocarbon resources. Ancient salt, which comes to the surface in several salts hills, such as Qarat Kibrit, play an important role in forming many oil and gas accumulations.