Introducing The Sultanate Of Oman

Introducing

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Contents Introduction to The Sultanate of OmanMuscat ClimateFoodLanguageReligion Clothing Working MoneyBanksHealthcareShopping Malls SouqsGetting around

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Introducing The Sultanate of Oman

Getting aroundTravelEducationChildcareHousing / MaidsPets Newspapers and magazines HolidaysLeisure NizwaSalalahVisas

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Oman is home to approximately 600’000

expatriates

Introducing Oman

The Sultanate of Oman is situated in the south-eastern quarterof the Arabian Peninsula, with a land area of 300,000 squarekilometers, and a population of approximately 2.5 million.

The country is divided into eight administrative regions: threegovernorates (Muscat, Dhofar and Musandam) and five regions(A’ Dakhliyah, A’ Dhahirah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta and A’Sharqiyah). Each region is further divided into smaller ‘wilayats’(districts) headed by a ‘wali’ (district governor) and the capital ofthe country is Muscat.

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Muscat

The metropolitan area of Muscat spansapproximately 1500 km² and as of 2008, thepopulation of the area was 1,090,797. Therocky Western Al Hajar Mountains dominatethe landscape of Muscat and the port-district ofMuttrah, with its corniche and harbour formsthe north-eastern periphery of the city. Theascension of Qaboos bin Said as Sultan ofOman in 1970, has led to the growth of avibrant economy and a multi-ethnic society.


vibrant economy and a multi-ethnic society.Muscat's economy is dominated by trade,petroleum and porting.

Evidence of communal activity in the area around

Muscat dates back to the 6th millennium BCE

Climate

Oman’s climate varies considerablywith the different regions, but sunnyblue skies and warm temperaturescan be expected most of the year.The north is hot and humid duringthe summer, with temperaturesreaching 48°C during the day andaveraging about 32°C at night.Humidity can rise to 90%. The meansummer temperature in Muscat is33°C, but the ‘gharbi’ (western) wind33°C, but the ‘gharbi’ (western) windfrom the Rub Al Khali can raisecoastal town temperatures byanother 6°C to 10°C.

Information on local weather and meteorological conditions is available by dialing 1102 (Arabic) or 1103 (English)

from within Oman

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Food

The Omani people are well known for theirhospitality and offers of refreshment. Omanimeals often have rice as the main ingredientalong with meat. Maqbous is a rice dish,tinged yellow with saffron and cooked over a

Supermarkets

Oman has a good range of supermarkets andgrocery stores that cater to the multinationalpopulation’s culinary needs. Carrefour, theSultan Center, Lulu Hypermarket and Al Fairare the largest and most populartinged yellow with saffron and cooked over a

spicy red or white meat. Fish is also verypopular and feautures in many dishes such asMashuai, a meal comprising of whole spit-roasted kingfish served with lemon rice.Omani sweets are well-known throughout theregion, with the most popular being halwa.

American fast food chains such as KFC,McDonalds, and Burger King, are located inthe larger cities of Muscat and Salalah.


are the largest and most popularsupermarkets. There are also smallersupermarkets such as Al Jadeed, Pic n Saveand Family Supermarket. Al Fair supermarket,with branches in Al Qurm, Madinat SultanQaboos, Al Sarooj and Zakher Mall, isrenowned for its British, European and Asianfoods. It’s the only supermarket in the countrythat sells pork products such as paté,proscuitto, salami and ham.

Language

The official language of Oman is Arabic,however English is widely spoken. Othercommonly heard languages include Urdu,Baluchi, Swahili and Hindi. Most road signs,shop signs and menus are written in bothArabic and English.

Start practicing!

Peace be upon you – Al Salamo Alaikom

Welcome/Hello – Marhaba

What? - Matha

Goodbye - Ma Salama

Who? - Man

Thank You - Shukran

Where? - Ayina

Please - Min Fadlak

How many? - Kam

How much does it cost? - Bekam

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How much does it cost? - Bekam

How are you? - Ke fa ha’allaq

Why? - Lematha

Yes - Na’am / Aiwa

Excuse me - Affwan

No - La

I don’t know - Lusto Adree

Good Morning - Sabah Al Khair

Religion

Islam is the official religion of Oman, with most Omanis following the Ibadhi sect, named after itsfounder Abdullah bin Abadha. Ibadhism is regarded as ‘moderately conservative’ and adistinguishing feature is the choice of a ruler by communal consensus and consent. Muscat hastwo Hindu temples – a Shiva temple and a Krishna temple and churches of several Christiandenominations are located in a multi-denominational compound in Ruwi. The Roman Catholicchurch of Saints Peter and Paul is also located in Ruwi, and a second Roman Catholic church, theHoly Spirit Church, is located in Ghala.


Clothing

Most Omanis wear traditional dress duringwork and social hours. Men wear an anklelength, collarless gown with long sleeves(dishdasha). On their heads men usuallywear a brimless embroidered hat, kumah.

The silver dagger, Khunjar, is the mostdistinctive part of a man's attire. Traditionalwomen’s costumes are very colorful andvary from region to region. In public, womencover their normal clothes with a full-length,cover their normal clothes with a full-length,black cloak-dress (abaya). Islamic idealsprovide the conservative foundation ofOman's customs, laws and practices.Visitors and expats are expected to remainsensitive to the Islamic culture, and to notdress in a revealing or provocative style.This includes wearing of sleeveless shirtsand blouses, halter tops and shorts.

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Working

Across the GCC, many local companies prefer to start work a little earlier, break for a long lunch(usually three hours), and return to work for a late-afternoon session. Split-shift timings are usually


(usually three hours), and return to work for a late-afternoon session. Split-shift timings are usually08:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 19:00. Not all companies follow these hours however, and many worka ‘straight shift’ with short lunch break. Most private sector companies work straight shifts, as dogovernment organizations. Straight-shift hours are usually 07:00 to 14:00 for governmentorganizations, and 07:00 to 16:00 for private companies (although hours do vary from onecompany to another.) Independent shops normally work the split shift, and many of the smallshopping malls also close for an extended period at lunchtime. Most supermarkets remain openfrom 08:00 to 21:00, and some of the bigger malls (such as Muscat City Centre, Qurum City Centreand Markaz Al Bahja) are open from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm. The official weekend in Oman isThursday and Friday.

Money

The monetary unit is the Oman Rial (RO or OR)which is pegged to the US dollar at a rate ofapproximately US $1 = RO 0.385. The Rial isdivided into 1,000 Baisas.

Cash is the preferred method of payment inOman, although credit cards are accepted inlarger department stores, restaurants andhotels. Cash and traveler's cheques can beexchanged at licensed exchange offices, banksand international hotels. A passport is requiredfor exchanging traveler's cheques.Local cheques are generally accepted inbusiness but not for personal purchases. Thereare no restrictions on the import or export of anycurrency other than Israeli currency which isprohibited.

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Banks

The well-structured and ever-growing network of local and international banks, strictly controlled bythe Central Bank of Oman, offer a full range of commercial and personal banking services.Transfers can be made without difficulty as there is no exchange control and the Oman rial is freelyconvertible to other currencies. Bank headquarters are clustered in Ruwi, Muscat’s central businessdistrict (CBD). There are also bank branches all over Muscat and Salalah, and in major towns suchas Nizwa, Sur and Sohar. Banking hours are usually 08:00 to 12:00 or 1:00 pm (Sunday –Thursday).


Healthcare

The general standard of healthcare in Oman ishigh, both in the public and private sectors.There are many private specialist clinics,private and government hospitals, all staffed byqualified professionals.

Hospitals include:

� The Adam Hospital ph: 968-434 055

� Al-Buraimi Hospital ph: 968-650 033

� Al-Nahda Hospital ph: 968-707 800

Useful numbers

Country code 968 Emergencies/Fire 999

Police:Muscat 560099Ruwi 701099Salalah 290099

� Ibra Hospital ph: 968-470 535

� Khoula Hospital ph: 968-563 625

� Quriat Hospital ph: 968-645 003

� Royal Hospital ph: 968-592 888

� Rustaq Hospital ph: 968-875 055

� Sohar Hospital ph: 968-840 299

� Sultan Qaboos Hospital ph: 968-211 151

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Shopping Malls

Muscat is the shopping capital of Oman andoffers a cosmopolitan range of shops andgoods ranging from expensive boutiques tohandicraft stalls. Wednesday, Thursday andFriday nights are the busiest shopping timesand many shops have sales during theannual Muscat Festival in January and in themonths around the two Eid holidays.

Shopping Malls include:

Jawaharat A'Shati Complexwww.jascomplex.com

Landmark Group (City Plaza)www.landmarkgroupco.com

Markaz Al Bahjawww.markazalbahja.com

Muscat City Centre


Muscat City Centrewww.citycentremuscat.com

SABCO Commercial Centrewww.sabcogroup.com

Qurum City Centre mall

Souqs

Oman has some of the most lively, most authentic and colorful traditional markets ‘souqs’ in theregion. Distinguished old men in their ‘dishdashas’ sit behind the counters in small shops, whilebejeweled women in their ‘abaya’ haggle with authority. One of the oldest preserved souqs inOman is in Muttrah, on the Corniche. Gold and silver jewellery is found in abundance as well asnumerous wooden carvings, ornaments and spices.

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Getting around

The most popular way to get around Muscatand to the interior cities of Nizwa, Sur andSohar is by car. If you don’t own a car, you canhire one or make use of the many taxisavailable. Due to the heat very few people walkor cycle. There are no trains or trams in Omanhowever there is a reasonable public busservice in Muscat. Road signs are almostalways signposted both in English and Arabic,always signposted both in English and Arabic,as are street and house numbers. However,people tend to rely on landmarks rather thanroad names to give directions. Landmarks areusually shops, hotels, petrol stations ordistinctive buildings. To confuse mattersfurther, places are sometimes referred to by anearby landmark, rather than their real name.


Travel

Muscat is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa and is an easily accessible city. MostEuropean cities are only seven hours away, however, Muscat’s proximity to larger Middle East hubslike Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha mean that you typically have to connect via another Gulf city.There are some direct flights to London (on Oman Air, British Airways or Gulf Air), and there aredirect flights to India, Pakistan and numerous Middle East countries.

Muscat International Airport is located 35km, or about 20 minutes, from the centre of Muscat.

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Education

Oman, and Muscat in particular, is home toseveral international schools catering tochildren of various nationalities. Governmentschools are for Omani citizens only, thereforeif you are living in Oman as an expat you willhave to send your child to a private school.

For a complete listing of the educational institutions in Oman

you may like to visit:http://www.schools-oman.com/


Childcare

If you have a child of nursery age, you will find quite a lot of choice in Muscat. Facilities andstandards vary enormously, as do the fees. Some nurseries accept children as young as sixmonths, however this is the exception rather than the rule. There are often waiting lists for the morepopular nurseries. Nurseries are usually open in the mornings only with some offering flexibility interms of how many days per week your child will attend. If you don’t want your child to go to school

for a full five days a week, you may be able to choose four, three or even two days a week.

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Housing

Muscat is spread out into distinct residential areas,mostly divided by mountains, valleys or highways.The main areas are Muscat, Mutrah, Ruwi,Wattayah, Qurm, Shatti Al Qurm, Madinat SultanQaboos (MSQ), Al Khuwayr, Ghubbrah, Azaibahand Seeb. Renting is the main option foraccommodation for expats. When driving aroundMuscat you will see several ‘To Let’ boards hangingup outside available properties. A reliable estateagent can save you a lot of time and effort byarranging viewings of suitable properties. Maid Servicesarranging viewings of suitable properties.

Electricity

Water and electricity services are supplied by thegovernment and are generally efficient and reliable.

Voltage: 220-240 Volts

Outlets in Oman generally accept

1 type of plug:

Maid Services

One of the perks of expat life is howcommon it is for people to have domestichelp. Most expat families have some sort ofhome help, whether it’s a full-time, live-inhousemaid, or a part-time ironing lady. Thereare several reliable maid agencies who canrecommend a good maid and in somecases, help you with the paperwork.


Pets

Dogs or cats that are brought into the Sultanate of Oman need to be accompanied by certified Ministry Health Certificates and an import license. Each animal imported must have a valid vaccination certificate for rabies.

Further information in respect to bringing your pet into Oman can be found at the Al QurumVeterinary Clinic website: http://muscatvets.com/index.htm

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Newspapers and magazines

Oman Daily Observerhttp://omanobserver.com/

Oman Tribunehttp://www.omantribune.com/

Times of Omanhttp://www.timesofoman.com/

TheWeekhttp://www.theweek.co.om/home.aspx

Media

Due to the laws of supply and demand, therange of imported books and magazinesavailable in Muscat is relatively limited. To bringa title into the country, it must first be checkedfor its content. Books that are deemed to beagainst the religious, cultural, political or moralsensitivities of the country will be banned.Foreign newspapers and magazines are flownin regularly but are expensive.

http://www.theweek.co.om/home.aspx

Al Shabibahttp://www.shabiba.com/

Al Watanhttp://www.alwatan.com/

Oman Dailyhttp://www.omandaily.com/


Holidays

Muslim festivals are timed according to localsightings of various phases of the moon and thedates given are approximations.

2009Ras as-Sana (Islamic New Year)Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet)Leilat al-Meiraj (Ascension of the Prophet)Renaissance DayEid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)

1 January9 March20 July

23 July21 September

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Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)National Day and birthday of HM Sultan QaboosEid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)Islamic New Year

21 September18 November

28 November18 December

National Day holidays are sometimes given aweek later to make a long weekend and ensurethat as many people as possible are in the countryduring the celebrations.

Sports & Leisure

Wadis, deserts, beaches, and mountains are areas which make Oman unique to its neighboring GCC nations. Jebel Shams is Oman's tallest mountain and highest point, and is a popular destination for camping. Other popular activities include sand skiing in the desert, mountain-climbing, camel racing, and camping. The Muscat Festival is usually held at the beginning of every year. During this event, traditional dances are held, temporary theme parks open, and concerts take place. Another popular event is the Khareef Festival, which is similar to Muscat Festival; however it is held in August in Salalah, Dhofar.


Nizwa

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Nizwa

Nizwa is the largest city in the Ad Dakhiliyah Region and is about 140 km (1.5 hours) from Muscat.The city is known for its handicrafts and agricultural products and has an expansive souqshowcasing an array of products. The main attractions in the city are the Nizwa Fort, the traditionalSouq and Falaj Daris. Nizwa fort was built in the 1650's and is Oman's most visited nationalmonument. A short drive from Nizwa centre is the old village of Tanuf, known for its seasonalwaterfalls. Waterfalls in Tanuf are unique to the area within the steep mountain sides and the waterreservoir. Tanuf with its dam, waterfalls, wadi and falaj is a very popular picnic destination duringrain time.

Salalah

Salalah is the second largest town inthe Sultanate of Oman and despitelying close to the Arabian desert,enjoys a tropical climate through mostof the year. Salalah is known as theperfume capital of Arabia and is apopular destination due to the naturalattractions of the nearby mountainsand abundant stands of frankincensetrees lining mountain wadi courses.


trees lining mountain wadi courses.Around the city and into themountains the countryside is lush andgreen during the monsoon period.The beaches and coastline are majorattractions for scuba diving and birdwatching. Salalah has an airport,mainly catering to domestic flightsfrom Muscat and some regional citiessuch as Kuwait, Dubai, and Doha.

Visas

A visa is required to enter Oman, whetherit is a visit visa, a work permit or aresidency visa. Visa requirements havebeen greatly simplified as the countrywelcomes increased tourism, however,regulations should always be checked priorto travel. A passport (valid for at least sixmonths and with enough blank pages) isrequired for all visitors, except nationals ofBahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UnitedBahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UnitedArab Emirates who hold national identitycards; and holders of a Macau (SAR)Travel Permit.

For further information you may like to referto this website:

www.rop.gov.om


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Introducing The Sultanate Of Oman

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