The
Sultanate of Oman strategically occupies the south eastern tip of the
Arabian Peninsula and lies between Latitudes 16° 40' and 26° 20' North,
and Longitudes 51° 50' and 59° 40' East.
The coastline extends 3,165 Km from the
Strait of Hormuz in the north, to the borders of the Republic of Yemen
in the south and overlooks three seas: the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman
and the Arabian Sea.
The Sultanate borders Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia in the West; the United Arab Emirates in the Northeast, the
Republic of Yemen in the Southwest; the Strait of Hormuz in the North
and the Arabian Sea in the East. It has several islands such as Salama
Island, Halanyat and Masirah Islands in the Arabian Sea.
The total land area is approximately
309,500 Km2 and it is the third largest country in the
Arabian Peninsula
The Musandam Peninsula forms the
country's northern tip, and includes the only coast the Sultanate has on
the Arabian Gulf. Musandam is just over 50 Km south of the Islamic
Republic of Iran across the Strait of Hormuz.
Topography:
Oman possesses a rich diverse
topography that divides the country naturally into three distinct
regions, each with its own identity. These regions range from rugged
mountains and rocky deep water fjords in the North, to
the spectacular dunes of Sharqiyah (Wahiba) Sands and
two large salt flats in the Centre, to the lush green
hills of Dhofar region in the South, with rugged coasts
and placid beaches stretching along the 3,165 Km coastline.
The northern coastal strip along the
Gulf of Oman is known as the Batinah Coast; a narrow fertile
plain separated from the rest of the country by the Hajar
Mountains. The highest peak is Jabal Shams (Sun Mountain) at
3,009 m. The southern slopes of the range are notable for their oasis
towns where date groves flourish in the dry desert air.
In the south lies the second mountain
range in Oman; the Qara mountains, which attracts the light
monsoon rains during the mid-summer months, turning them green with
vegetation whose roots help delay the effects of erosion, resulting in a
soft rolling landscape more akin to Central Africa. As in the north, a
narrow fertile coast plain lies between the mountains and the sea at
whose centre Salalah lies, surrounded by lush vegetable farms and
coconut groves.
Climate :
The varied geography of Oman resulted in a wide variety of climatic
conditions. Although lying in the tropics, The Sultanate is subject to
seasonal changes like the more temperate regions of the world.
During the winter it is cool and
pleasant, but summer at the coast is hot and humid. The interior remains
hot and dry, except for the mountains where temperature can drastically
drop at night.
The hottest months are June through
August. Summer monsoon touches the southern coast of Dhofar during these
months bringing regular light rain, resulting in a cool and misty
summer.
Rainfall varies but in general remains
sparse and irregular. In the south, most of the year's rainfall occurs
during the summer monsoon months. In the north, the opposite occurs.
Here most rain comes from occasional winter storms which descend out of
the eastern Mediterranean during the months of January through March,
depositing an annual average of 10 cm of rain on the capital area.