Muscat:     The Capital area now extends from the town of A’seeb in the North to the fishing port of Quryat in the South. With its commercial Centres, industrial area, Government offices, foreign embassies and Hotels, the Governorate of Muscat is the most densely populated and developed part of Oman. Civil war:          Unfortunately, on the death in 1718 of the Imam, Sultan bin Saif (2nd), civil war broke out over the election of his successor. Persian troops occupied Muttrah and Muscat but failed to take Sohar, which was defended by Ahmad bin said, who continued fight the Persians and drive them from Oman after the civil war had ended. Portuguese Occupation:      In the early 16th century after the Portuguese under Vasco de Gama had discovered the sea route round the cape of good hope to India, they occupied Muscat for a century and a half in order to dominate the trade which had until then been an Arab monopoly. The Portuguese were expelled from Muscat in 1650 by Sultan bin Saif al-Yarubi.