Geography of Oman

Oman is a country on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula, situated in West Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The coast of Oman was an important part in the Omani empire and sultanate.

Location

Oman is located in the southeastern quarter of the Arabian Peninsula and covers a total land area of . The land area is composed of varying topographic features: valleys and desert account for 82 percent of the land mass; mountain ranges, 15 percent; and the coastal plain, 3 percent. The sultanate is flanked by the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter) of Saudi Arabia, all of which contributed to Oman's isolation. Historically, the country's contacts with the rest of the world were by sea, which not only provided access to foreign lands but also linked the coastal towns of Oman. The Rub' al-Khali, difficult to cross even with modern desert transport, formed a barrier between the sultanate and the Arabian interior. The Hajar Mountains, which form a belt between the coast and the desert from the Musandam Peninsula (Ras Musandam) to the city of Sur, almost at Oman's easternmost point, formed another barrier. These geographic barriers kept the interior of Oman free from foreign military encroachments. The southwestern corner of Oman's exclusive economic zone is situated a few miles off the Puntland-adjacent Yemeni archipelago of Socotra, which lies amidst the Guardafui Channel and the Somali Sea to the south.

Geographical regions

thumb|right|250px|Map of Oman

thumb|right|250px|Detailed map of Oman

Natural features divide the country into six distinct areas: Ru'us al-Jibal, including the northern Musandam Peninsula; the Batinah plain running southeast along the Gulf of Oman coast; The general elevation is about , but the peaks of the high ridge known as Jebel Akhdar ("Green Mountain"), rise to more than . Jabal Akhdar is a home of the Arabian tahr, a unique species of wild goat. In the hope of saving this rare animal, Sultan Qabus ibn Said has declared part of the mountain a national park. Behind the Western Mountains are two inland regions, Az-Zahirah and Inner Oman, separated by the lateral range of the Rub al Khali. Adjoining the Eastern Hajar Mountains are the sandy regions of Ash-Sharqiyah and Jalan, which also border the desert.

Dhofar Governorate

Dhofar region extends from Ras ash-Sharbatat to the border of Yemen and north to the clearly defined border with Saudi Arabia. Its capital, Salalah, was the permanent residence of Sultan Said ibn Taimur Al Said and the birthplace of the present sultan, Qaboos ibn Said. The highest peak of the Dhofar Mountains, Jabal Samhan, is about . The coast of Dhofar is fertile, being watered by monsoonal fogs from the Indian Ocean and is part of the Arabian Peninsula coastal fog desert ecoregion.

Al Dharerah region consists of three parts: Dhank, Ibri and Yanqul.

Climate

upright=1.3|thumb|Oman [[Köppen climate classification map]]

thumb|right|250px|[[SeaWiFS captured this dust cloud blowing out over the Arabian Sea from Oman. 12 March 2000]]

thumb|Oman is the fourteenth most water stressed country in the world.

According to the Köppen climate classification, Oman has four different climates (BWh, BWk, BSk, BSh), however is highly dominated by the BWh (hot desert) climate.

With the exception of Dhofari region, which has a strong monsoon climate and receives warm winds from the Indian Ocean, the climate of Oman is extremely hot and dry most of the year.

Summer begins in March and lasts until September. The highest temperatures are registered in the interior, where readings up to a maximum of have been recorded. On the Batinah coastal plain, summer temperatures seldom exceed , but, because of the low elevation, the humidity may be as high as 90 percent. The mean summer temperature in Muscat is , but the gharbī (), a strong wind that blows from the Rub' al-Khali, can raise temperatures from the towns on the Gulf of Oman by to .

Winter temperatures in December and January are mild and pleasant, ranging between .

Precipitation on the coasts and on the interior plains ranges from a year and falls during mid- and late winter. Rainfall in the mountains, particularly over Jebel Akhdar, is much higher and may reach .

Because the plateau of Jebel Akhdar is porous limestone, rainfall seeps quickly through it, and the vegetation, which might be expected to be more lush, is meager. However, a huge reservoir under the plateau provides springs for low-lying areas. In addition, an enormous wadi channels water to these valleys, making the area agriculturally productive in years of good rainfall.

Dhofar, benefiting from a southwest monsoon between June and September, receives heavier rainfall and has constantly running streams, which make the region Oman's most fertile area.

Occasionally, a cyclone from the North Indian Ocean makes landfall, bringing with it heavy rain, such as Cyclone Kelia did in 2011. Oman was hit by Cyclone Gonu on 6 June. Large areas in the capital area region in the Governorate of Muscat and in Amerat and Quriyat were severely affected. Gonu first hit the southern city of Sur late on 5 June 2007. Cyclone Mekunu is the strongest and only major cyclone to make landfall in the nation or indeed the entire Arabian Peninsula.

Area and boundaries

;Area:

:* total:

:**country rank in the world: 69th

;Area comparative

:* Australia comparative: slightly more than times the size of Victoria

:* Canada comparative: slightly less than the size of Manitoba

:* EU comparative: approximately the size of Poland

:* United Kingdom comparative: approximately larger than the United Kingdom

:* United States comparative: approximately the size of New Mexico

;Land boundaries

:* border countries:

:**Saudi Arabia:

:**United Arab Emirates:

:**Yemen:

;Coastline:

;Maritime claims:

:*territorial sea:

:*contiguous zone:

:*exclusive economic zone: and

Resources and land use

Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, Limited marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 0.1%
permanent crops: 0.12%
other: 99.77% (2011)
Irrigated land: (2004)
Total renewable water resources: (2011)

Environment

Natural hazards: Summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in the interior during periodic droughts. Following rain, wadis can fill with rainwater water and vast tracts of land can be flooded. A cyclone making landfall can severely flood large areas, or blow sand all over the place.
Environment – current issues: Drought and limited rainfall contribute to shortages in the nation's water supply. Maintaining an adequate supply of water for agricultural and domestic use is one of Oman's most pressing environmental problems, with limited renewable water resources. 94% of available water is used in farming and 2% for industrial activity, with the majority sourced from fossil water in the desert areas and spring water in hills and mountains. The soil in the coastal plains, such as Salalah, have shown increased levels of salinity, due to over exploitation of ground water and encroachment by seawater on the water table. Pollution of beaches and other coastal areas by oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman is also a persistent concern.
Geographical note: Oman is in a strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil.

References

External links

Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs Open Environmental Data