10 Things You Didn’t Know About Oman

9. Oman is an absolute monarchy.

Oman, like many Arab countries, has an absolute monarch government where the Sultan is the head of state and government and wields absolute judicial, executive, and legislative power. The seat of the Sultan is hereditary and is bestowed on the Crown Prince upon the demise of the seating Sultan. In his capacity as head of state, the Sultan is the sole Oman representative in international affairs and is charged with establishing and implementing the country’s foreign policy. On the other hand, as head of government, the Sultan is mandated to authorize, conduct, and supervise all internal government policies. The Sultan supervises all judicial matters with the Omani judicial system being subordinate to him. The current Sultan of Oman is Sultan Qaboos.

10. Its capital city, Muscat, is historically one of the most important ports on the Indian Ocean.

Muscat is the capital city of Oman and is also the country’s largest city with a population of 630,000 residents. The city has been crucial in the growth of Oman with the port city being among the most important ports in the region. Muscat’s dominance in the region in trade and commerce was first recorded by Greek geographer, Ptolemy in the 1st century CE. Muscat grew in influence and prosperity over many centuries and later became the seat of government of the Sultanate.