History of Oman

History of Oman

Oman is a small country located in the southeastern part of Arabian peninsula. Officially known as the Sultanate of Oman ,the country shares its boundary lines with United Arab Emirates ,Saudi Arabia and Republic of Yemen. The country is situated on the coast of the Arab Peninsula which comprises of Arabian sea and Gulf of Oman. The History of Oman is divided into different stages and tells a lot about the advancement of the country.

The History of Oman can be traced back to the ancient times. Earlier Oman was only a connecting point on the trade routes. It was an area which linked Mesopotamia to Indus valley. The country was not developed at that time. Centuries later ,the southern most region of Oman gained importance . This region was known for the Frankincense trees which were rare and aromatic trees used for making gums. The cultivation and trade of the products from the trees made the region a center of trade.

In the 7 th century, Islam was gaining importance and was spreading in the Arab world. Oman's History relates that the people of Oman gradually accepted the faith. Oman also witnessed political and cultural differences between the coastal and interior areas . The coastal areas always had an edge in politics and economics.

In 1507 the Portuguese rulers occupied Oman and started their operations from Hormuz. They made Oman as a halting point for their route to India. In 1622 they shifted their base to Muscat . But in !650 the people of Oman turned out the Portuguese from their country. In the History of Oman, this is marked as Oman's independence. The state of independent Oman started trading with the British,the French and the Dutch and consolidated their position in the Arab world.

The Omanis,as the people of Oman are known as,established an empire which was at its peak in the 19 th Century. The empire ruled Mombassa and Zanzibar and had trading posts till African coast. The capital of the empire was shifted to Muscat by the first ruler of the present dynasty. In the 20 th century the Oman Empire faced a territorial dispute but with British help was able to hold back the Buraimi oasis. The ruler at that time was Sultan Said bin Taimur. He was opposed to any change and took important measures to stop progress.

The present ruler of Oman, Sultan Qaboos came to power in 1970. He changed the name of the country to 'The Sultanate of Oman' .Under his leadership the country started progressing and trade and commerce is spreading far and wide.

The Oman Overview gives information about the various important aspects of the country.

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