The Sultanate of Oman lies in the extreme south-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula extending from latitude 16.40 to 26.20 degrees north and from longitude 51.50 to 59.40 degrees east. Its 1,700 km long coastline stretches from its south-western extremity on the Arabian Sea and the entrance to the Indian Ocean, up to the Gulf of Oman and Musandam in the north, where it overlooks the strategic Strait of Hormuz and the entrance to the Gulf. [read more ...]
 
QABOOS THE LEADER
At his accession on 23rd July 1970, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said declared that a new era had begun for Oman and its people, one which would see the nation regain its former status as a thriving regional and global player and, in the intervening 37 years, a period sometimes referred to as 'the Renaissance', he has made good that promise.
In 1970, Omani people across the nation as well as those who had felt compelled to leave their homeland in search of education and opportunity elsewhere, were waiting for a leader who would take them on a journey towards progress and prosperity. Sultan Qaboos assured them he was that leader, and so it has proved.
Qaboos was born in Salalah, the most southerly city of Oman, on 18th November 1940, the only son of the late Sultan Said bin Taimur, and the eighth direct descendent of the royal Al Busaidi line, founded in 1744 by Imam Ahmed bin Said. Qaboos came to power in 1970, following a bloodless coup which deposed his father. Sultan Said had prepared his only son for power, encouraging him in his studies and his attendance at the internationally renowned Sandhurst Military Academy in England. With the accession of Qaboos to the throne came the changes that have shaped modern-day Oman. Apart from his responsibilities as ruler, Sultan Qaboos enjoys a diverse range of interests; he is an accomplished horseman and a keen tennis player and walker. Military training left His Majesty with a keen interest in weaponry and military equipment. He is a skilled marksman and proud of his country's shooting teams numerous successes. His passion for music led to the formation of the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra in 1985. Qaboos has an indefatigable quest for knowledge and has studied a variety of subjects, ranging from astronomy and religion to languages, literature, history and the environment. An outspoken advocate for the protection and preservation of nature and the environment, His Majesty encourages all Omanis to follow his lead. [read more ...]
Education:
Human development remains a top priority, His Majesty noted: "You are aware of the extent of the attention we accord to the development of human resources in order to provide our young sons and daughters with wider and better opportunities for education, training and employment. There can be no doubt that the human being is the basic component and the cornerstone of any viable civilization." [read more ...]
