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.

Discover Oman with experts who have called it their home

Your dream holiday, tailor-made by experts.

We don't just know Oman from books, we visit the country several times a year to experience the culture, landscape and people first-hand.

From your first enquiry to your return home, we are there for you personally - by phone, email or WhatsApp, whenever you need us. Our trips are as unique as you are: individually planned and provided with exclusive privileges and high-quality arrangements that will make your trip unforgettable.

You might also like this

An oryx antelope standing among tall grass and sand dunes in a desert landscape.

Oryxantelope

2 min read

The Arabian oryx belongs to the subfamily of horse antelopes and is a distinct genus. Its natural habitat is traditionally found in semi-arid and arid landscapes, such as the Arabian Peninsula. Thus, Oman is also part of its natural habitat. In places where the sun shines year-round and it often exceeds 30 degrees even in winter, the Arabian oryx is native. Characteristic of both sexes are its very light, almost white coat and its spiral, slightly curved horns. The shoulder or body height is about 80-100 cm, while the horn length usually measures 50-70 cm. Another feature is the dark brown an...

Pink and white flower petals spread out on a mat with traditional clay jars with woven covers in the background.

Traditional production of rose water

2 min read

The rose gardens of Jebel Akhbar come to life every year between the end of March and the beginning of May. Every morning, the rose growers go to their fields to pick the blossoms of their roses. These are collected in large baskets and then taken to the distillery, where rose water is made from the blossoms. The harvest season is short, and in comparison, the efforts throughout the year are significant to achieve the best possible harvest. However, the still quite high prices that farmers can achieve on the markets for their rose water more than compensate for the efforts. The high price that...

An elderly man with glasses and a checkered headscarf squinting in bright sunlight, sitting outdoors with a blurred blue background.

Literacy

2 min read

That the topic education is given such high importance that nearly a quarter of the civil expenditures of the state budget flows into the education system was not always the case in Oman. Until 1970, there were only Quran schools in the country, primarily focused on imparting religious values, as well as three public schools. These were boys' primary schools, with one located in Muscat, in Mutrah and in Salalah . In the entire country, only 909 students were taught by around 30 teachers. It was only in the following years that a school system was established, which is provided free of charge t...