About

Muscat Governorate is located in northern Oman. Its capital is Muscat, the capital of Oman, with a population of 632,073 and an area of 3,500 km2. It borders South Al Batinah to the west, Ad Dakhiliyah to the southwest, Ash Sharqiyah North to the south, Ash Sharqiyah South to the southeast, and the Gulf of Oman to the north. It administers six provinces. Muscat City is the capital and largest city of Oman, serving as a major port city. It is located at 23° 36′ N, 58° 35′ E. While it belongs to the Muscat Governorate, the governorate's administrative center is Seeb. The city's population was 734,697 in 2010. The city area is 368 km², while the metropolitan area spans 3,500 km², which is six times the size of Seoul, housing 1.72 million people—about one-third of Oman's total population. In addition to Arab Omanis, many Afro-Omanis, Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis reside here, leading to the use of Swahili, English, Hindi, Malayalam, and Bengali. This reflects Muscat's historical role as an international trade hub connecting the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Unlike other Arab regions, 75% of residents follow the Ibadi school of Islam. Ibadism is relatively tolerant of other religions, so there are many Hindus and Christians, with churches and Hindu temples available for them. The Old Town features the Sultan's Palace, pre-modern buildings, museums, and structures from the Portuguese colonial era. The New Town houses cultural facilities like the Royal Opera House, the Grand Mosque, government buildings, embassies, and business centers. However, due to strict height restrictions, there are no skyscrapers like those in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, or Abu Dhabi, UAE. Since it is not far from Dubai in the neighboring UAE, many tourists cross the land border to visit. It is one of the hottest cities in the world. In June, the average temperature is 30.6°C, and the maximum temperature in July reaches 49.2°C. The lowest temperature in January is 11.5°C, which is higher than the average March temperature of 10.6°C in Seogwipo, Korea's warmest city. Winter (December–February) is mild and pleasant, though occasional heavy rains can cause significant damage. In summer (March–November), despite the desert climate, the humidity is quite high due to its coastal location, similar to Dubai. It is not a desert climate where one can survive by staying in the shade; rather, the summer weather is closer to Southeast Asia. Specifically, it features merciless sun, temperatures exceeding 40°C, humidity over 80%, no rain, and plenty of dust. Perhaps for this reason, Oman has a much smaller population than neighboring Yemen, which has cooler highlands. Muscat International Airport is located in Seeb, a large city next to Muscat. Between Fort Al Mirani and Fort Al Jalali lies Al Alam Palace, used for receiving foreign dignitaries.