Modern Era
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 reemerge before Ahmad ibn Said successfully pushed them back. Since 1746 and until today, the Said dynasty has ruled with the current ruler Haitham ibn Tariq. In 1798, Great Britain gained influence in Oman through a treaty with the Sultan of Muscat and the East India Company. In 1840, Sultan Said decided to move his seat of government to Zanzibar. Despite British influence, this was a flourishing time in history, but after his death, there were disputes in the succeeding generation, leading to the division of the realm into Oman and Zanzibar in 1856. From that point on, the economy went downhill. Maritime trade collapsed, aided by the opening of the Suez Canal and the advent of steamships. Until 1970, the father of the current Sultan kept his country in isolation.
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Oil & Pipelines in Oman
When the first cargo ship loaded with oil set sail from Oman in 1967 and headed out into the world, a new era began for the country on the Persian Gulf. Once a trading superpower that traded with China and maintained its own trading posts in Africa, Oman had become a simple and impoverished desert state where people lived off agriculture and livestock farming in the few arable areas. There were hardly any other sources of income, leaving the population poor and largely uneducated. The vast land was barely governable, leading to regular tribal conflicts and sometimes civil war-like conditions. ...
History of Oman
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...
Wadi Shuwaymiyah
The Wadi Shuwaymiyah is a remote oasis in the desert of Oman. Here you will find untouched nature and fascinating rock formations. The wadi is a true insider tip for adventurers. There are cave systems to explore and colorful plays of light on the rocks to admire. The wadi is uninhabited and forms a gravel landscape shaped by nature. Palm groves and unusual access roads feel like a time long past.With an off-road vehicle, Wadi Shuwaymiyah can be explored. Here you experience the untouched flora and fauna of Oman and see unique natural rock formations. With a bit of luck, you might also witness...