Population
Population
Oman had around 4.52 million inhabitants in 2021. It is likely that the number has again increased, as it has generally been on the rise in recent decades. The birth rate of almost three children per woman not only reflects the Arabian love for large families, rather, it is an expression of the deep satisfaction that persists in the country and of the fact that people have experienced a transformation in the last few decades that is second to none. Due to this fact, more than half of Omanis are under 18 years old and more than 30 % are under 15. The people of Oman today have a much longer life expectancy than they did some three decades ago. Only parts of the country can really be described as inhabited. Oman is about the size of the Federal Republic of Germany, but a much smaller population. In addition, about 78 % of the people in Oman live in metropolitan areas. Only 5 % of the people live as Bedouins even the desert dwellers have mostly traded their tents for permanent houses. In addition to high birth rates and low mortality rates, many European expatriates have contributed to the strong growth of the population in recent decades, which has almost quintupled in the last 30 years.
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Diving in Oman
Over the past few decades, Oman has transformed from a country with a deep historical connection to pearl diving into one of the world’s most fascinating diving destinations. With a diving tradition that dates back to the 6th millennium BC, the country was shaped by the brave pearl divers, known as “ghai ghawwas,” who dove as deep as 20 meters, equipped with nothing more than basic tools like nose clips and leather caps to retrieve the ocean’s precious treasures. Today, while Oman no longer draws divers with pearls, it offers unspoiled dive sites that captivate both experienced divers and adve...
Frankincense Oman
It is reported in traditions that camel caravans had to cover more than 100 days' marches to reach their destination Gaza after 3400 kilometers. Frankincense was considered a miraculous remedy of the gods during the times of the Roman Empire and was transported in tonnage. The high demand for frankincense in ritual practices was responsible for the prosperity of the route, as well as the cities and empires it connected, since the 5th century BC....
Modern Era
The Portuguese began to establish small settlements, which were exemplary of the strategy in the Middle East. Yet even here, the Portuguese struggled to establish them long-term. Time and again, they had to defend themselves against the Ottomans, English, Persians, and Dutch. In 1650 AD, it was the Yaruba dynasty that initially unified Oman and expelled the Portuguese. This dynasty had a significant influence on East Africa, bringing great wealth through the slave trade and trade with India. A civil war, lasting about 25 years and resulting from power struggles, allowed the Persians to reemerg...