Oman - January 2024

Oman was, in the 19th century, a colonial power that stretched as far as Zanzibar and Pakistan; its wealth was mainly due to the Arab slave trade to Middle Eastern countries and Asia.
Once slavery was abolished, the economy collapsed until the discovery of oil deposits in the early 1960s.
In 1970, the enlightened Sultan Qaboos bin Said came to power and invested in infrastructure, healthcare and education. In foreign policy, Oman has always tried to maintain a certain neutrality towards everyone even though it has privileged relations with England and America. In 2020, the old sultan died and the throne passed to his cousin.
Omani employment is mainly concentrated in the public sector and in the oil and gas business, oil and gas, which is estimated not to last more than 35 years if no other deposits are found.
This is also why Oman has only recently opened up to tourism, hoping to quickly become a top destination for Western tourists.
The population is very young, the under-24s make up about half of the entire citizenry and foreigners account for about 60% of the entire workforce (mainly Asian workers: Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos).
The major tourist resorts are Muscat, Nizwa, Sohar and Salalah. The major attractions are the forts and castles, the wadis and the desert, the sea that offers beautiful sunsets, the cattle and fish markets, the majestic and modern buildings such as the Great Mosque in Muscat.
The coastal area is more cosmopolitan while the villages in the interior are more anchored in tradition.