The Goverenate of Muscat comprises a narrow coastal strip in the northeast of the Sultanate of Oman. It extends from the village of Seeb in the northwest to Fins in the southeast, and includes Mutrah, the main port of the country, and the capital Muscat.
Until the early 1970s, activities in this area were very much concentrated on the twin city of Muscat-Mutrah and a few fishing communities and inland villages. However, as wealth, mainly derived from the oil, became available, large-scale building, often in the beautiful Oman-Arab architectural style, has transformed the almost empty area between Mutrah and Seeb into a continuous stretch of prosperous districts linked by modern highways that are bordered by trees and flower beds. These districts, which include Ruwi, Qurm, Medinat Sultan Qaboos, Al Khuweir, Ghubra and Azaiba, house the main businesses, residential areas, and ministries. Approximately one-third of the total population of Oman lives in this area. |
