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Oman is a 1,000-mile-long (1,700 km) coastal plain at the 

southeast tip of the Arabian Peninsula lying on the Arabian 

Sea and the Gulf of Oman. It is bordered by the United 

Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. The country is 

the size of Kansas. The Sultanate of Oman’s vital 

geographical location has been an important factor in its 

political and economic development. Situated in the 

extreme south-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, 

extending from latitude 16.40 to 26.20 degrees north and 

longitude 51.50 to 59.40 degrees east, its 3,165 

kilometre-long coastline runs from the Arabian Sea and 

the entrance to the Indian Ocean in the far south-west, to 

the Oman Sea and Musandam in the north, where it 

overlooks the strategic Strait of Hormuz and the entrance 

to the Gulf.

Oman possesses a rich & diverse topography ranging 

from rugged mountains and rocky deepwater 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 the Dhofar region in the South, 

with rugged coasts and placid beaches stretching along 

the 1,700 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 3,075 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 attract the light monsoon 

rains during the mid-summer months, turning them 

green with vegetation. The roots of this vegetation 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. Salalah lies in the centre of 

this coastal plain, surrounded by lush vegetable farms 

and coconut groves.

The varied geography of Oman results in a wide variety of 

climatic conditions. Although lying in the tropics, this Sultanate 

is subject to seasonal changes like the more temperate regions 

of the world.

The hottest months are June through to August. The summer 

monsoon just touches the southern coast of Dhofar during 

these months bringing regular light rain to Salalah and 

reducing the average daytime highs to 30° C.

The most pleasant months to visit Oman are mid October 

through May when daytime temperatures fall into the lower 

30s and below.

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

Even though Oman is a modern country, western influences are 

quite restricted. The Ibadi form of Islam is also conservative like 

Sunni Islam and Shi'a Islam. About 75% of Oman is Muslim. As is 

the case with most Middle Eastern countries, alcohol is only 

available in some hotels and few restaurants.

Although Arabic is Oman's official language, there are native 

speakers of different dialects, as well as Balochi, or offshoots of 

Southern Arabian, a Semitic language only distantly related to 

Arabic. Swahili is also widely spoken in the country due to the 

historical relations between Oman and Zanzibar. The dominant 

indigenous language is a dialect of Arabic and the country has also 

adopted English as a second language. Almost all signs and writings 

appear in both Arabic and English

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