THE SULTANATE OF OMAN - GEOGRAPHY
The Sultanate of Oman occupies the south-eastern tip of the Arabian
Peninsula. Oman is bounded by sea on two sides, the Gulf of Oman to
the northeast and the Indian Ocean to the southeast. The Sultanate's
landward borders are with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west and
the Republic of Yemen to the south, while the United Arab Emirates borders
Oman to the north.
The country is predominantly open desert consisting of gravel plains
and areas of sand dunes. The largest of these dune fields comprise the
Ramlat al Wahaybah (Wahaybah Sands) in the east and Ar Rub al Khali (the
Empty Quarter) in the west. There are also two large mountain ranges.
The northern coastline is dominated by the Al Hajar Range (the
Eastern Hajar and the Western Hajar) whose highest
mountains are the Jebel Akhdar (or Green Mountains) peaks, rising to
more than 3000 metres (Jebel Shams) above sea level. This upland region is heavily dissected by deep
wadis (dry river valleys) which remain dry throughout most of the year
but can flood after winter storms. On the northern side of the
Al Hajar Range lies a narrow fertile strip of coastal land called the
Batinah where the majority of the nation's population lives. The southern
slopes of the mountains are notable for their oasis towns where date
groves flourish in the dry desert air.
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The southern province, the governorate of Dhofar is dominated by a range of coastal
mountains known as the Dhofar Mountain Chain. The height of the Dhofar
Mountain Chain helps to capture valuable moisture during the
summer monsoon season, which impacts only the southern region. The character
of the mountains in the south is quite different to those in the north.
During the summer monsoon the southern mountains turn green with vegetation
whose roots help delay the effects of erosion resulting in a soft rolling
landscape more akin to central Africa than the Middle East. As in the
north, a narrow fertile coastal plain lies between the mountains and
the sea at whose centre lies the southern city of Salalah, surrounded
by lush vegetable farms and coconut groves.
The governorate of Musandam, projecting into the Straits of Hormuz,
the enclave of Madha and numerous islands complete a country of great
diversity of terrain and stunning natural beauty.
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