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Oman Facts & Worksheets

Oman, officially known as the Sultanate of Oman, is the oldest Arab state.

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Oman, officially known as the Sultanate of Oman, is the oldest Arab state. This generally peaceful country is located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia bordered by the Arabian Sea, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

See the fact file below for more information on the Oman or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Oman worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

INTRODUCTION

  • Oman, known in antique times for its frankincense and metalworking, established trading links with other cultures over the centuries.
  • This country was sometimes governed by foreign powers, but it kept most of its traditional ways intact.
  • Only after 1970 did the country adopt a modernization program that brought big changes to its economy as well as its society.
  • With an area of 119,684 square miles (309,980 square kilometers), Oman’s population is 4,690,000 as of 2019.
  • Muscat is the country’s capital city.

ETYMOLOGY

  • The origin of the name of Oman is uncertain but apparently, it dates back at least 2,000 years as Pliny the Elder mentioned an “Omana” and an “Omanon” by Ptolemy.
  • Oman means those who occupy a place, according to Ibn al-Qabi, as in the adjective aamen, or amoun, meaning settled people, from which Oman was derived.
  • Some say Oman was named after Oman bin Ibrahim al Khalil, the person who built the city of Oman.
  • Others consider Oman to be taken from that of Oman bin Loot.
  • A different explanation is that Oman was derived from the name of a valley in Yemen at Ma’rib presumed to have been the origin of the founders of the city which was the Azd, a tribe migrating from Yemen.

BRIEF HISTORY

  • Oman was recorded as being a superb source of copper by the Sumerians of Ancient Iraq as early as 2,300 BCE. In ancient times Oman was additionally a source of frankincense.
  • After about 500 BCE Oman was dominated by the Persian Empire based on what is now Iran. Later they were ruled by different Iranian empires, the Parthians and the Sassanids.
  • In the 7th century, the people of Oman adopted Islam and became an Islamic country early in its history. At that time, the influence of Iranian ended.
  • The Portuguese arrived in Oman by sea in 1507 since they needed bases to protect their sea lanes to India. In 1515, they conquered Muscat.
  • The Portuguese took control over the coast of Oman for nearly 150 years but in 1650 the Omanis of the interior drove out the Portuguese.
  • In 1646 Oman signed a trade treaty with England and became a strong ally.
  • In 1698 Oman captured Mombasa (Kenya) and Zanzibar. In the early 1800s, Oman turned out to be the most powerful country in Arabia.
  • Qaboos bin Said Al-Said became the sultan of Oman in 1970, and has ruled ever since.
  • He modernized the country after 1970, in what became known as the Omani Renaissance.
  • The sultan has opened the country more to the outside world and trade. Oil wealth changed Oman from being a poor country to a rich one.
  • Oman joined the Arab League and the United Nations in 1971.
  • From the years 1970 to 2013, life expectancy in Oman greatly increased.
  • Women in Oman were allowed to vote in 2003 for the first time.

GEOGRAPHY

  • Oman borders the mouth of the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Oman, and shares land borders with Saudi Arabia to the west, the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, and Yemen to the southwest.
  • Oman’s area totals 309,500 square kilometers, of which 82% is desert and 15% mountainous and if compared is the same size to that of France or Spain.
  • Most of the land is a gravel desert plain that largely covers central Oman, with mountain ranges along the north (Al Hajar Mountains) and southeast coast (Qara or Dhofar Mountains) where most of Oman’s population lives.
  • Oman also holds a small piece of land on the tip of the Musandam Peninsula, cut off from the rest of the country by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  • The climate of Oman is hot and dry in the interior, humid along the coast, and moderate in winter. There is a strong south-west summer monsoon, or Kharif, from May to September in the southern area around Dhofar.

DEMOGRAPHICS

  • According to UN data, the 2020 population of Oman is estimated at 5,106,626 people at mid-year. Predominantly, Omani people are descents of Arab, Baluchi, and African.
  • Ethnolinguistic minorities include Zanzibaris, Alajamis, and Jibbalis within the Omani population.
  • The official language of Oman is Arabic. Besides Arabic, English, Baluchi (Southern Baluchi), Urdu and various Indian languages are the main languages spoken in Oman, according to the CIA.
  • The government of Oman is an absolute monarchy ruled by Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said.
  • All legislative, executive, and judiciary power ultimately rests in the hands of the hereditary Sultan thus, Freedom House has routinely rated the country “Not Free.”
  • The sultan has absolute power and issues laws by decree.
  • Ibadi Islam is the official religion of Oman. It is a branch distinct from both Sunni and Shi’a beliefs, that originated just about 60 years after the Prophet Mohammed’s death.
  • Omani(s), the nationality of Oman, celebrates the birthday of Sultan QABOOS, November 18 (1940) as a national holiday.

Oman Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Oman across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Oman worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Oman, officially known as the Sultanate of Oman, which is the oldest Arab state. This generally peaceful country is located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia bordered by the Arabian Sea, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Oman Facts
  • General Info
  • Introduction Facts
  • Oman’s Timeline
  • Draw the Map
  • Oman Crossword
  • More Facts
  • Omani Renaissance
  • Sultan Said
  • All About Oman
  • My Travel Plan

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Link will appear as Oman Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 20, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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