A view of deep canyon with steep rocky cliffs and sparse vegetation in a desert landscape.

Geography

Geography

Written by: Nils Lindhorst Last updated at: May 21, 2025

The Sultanate of Oman is located in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula. To the northwest, the country borders the United Arab Emirates, to the west Saudi Arabia, and to the southwest Yemen. The 1,700-kilometer-long coast in the east forms a natural border. There, Oman borders the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf. The total area of the country is 309,000 square kilometers. Thus, the state is just slightly smaller than Germany. The territory includes the exclave Musandam at the Strait of Hormuz. The United Arab Emirates separate Musandam from the rest of the country.

The relief in Oman is clearly recognizable. Both the north and the south are traversed by mountain ranges, in front of which lies a narrow coastal strip. In the middle is a large plain that borders the Indian Ocean to the east and the sand desert Rub al-Khali to the west.

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The territory of today's Sultanate of Oman was inhabited as early as the Stone Age. Around 2000 BC, Magan, as the region was then called, experienced a peak in copper mining. From 563 BC, Oman was ruled by various Persian rulers. The Persians facilitated the rebuilding of overseas trade with India, Ceylon, and East Africa. An important innovation introduced by the Persians was the so-called 'falaj'. These are canals that secured the water supply in the villages and the irrigation of the fields and are still used today. When in 630 AD the population of Oman voluntarily accepted the faith of I...

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