Muscat, Oman: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Muscat (also Maskat and Masqat - in Arabic السيب), population 709,812 (2002) and 723,300 (2004), is the capital of Oman. The city region incorporates Al-Amerat, Al-Ghubra, Al-Khuwair, Al-Qurm, Al-Seeb, Azaibah, Bausher, Ghala, Madinat Qaboos, Mina Al-Fahal, Old Muscat, Mutrah, PDO, Quriyat, Ruwi, Shati Al-Qurm, Sidab, and Wattayah.

Despite its rather moderate population for the country's largest and capital city, Muscat is a well-planned and spread-out city that covers an approximate area of 1500 sqkm. Because of this much of the city is empty and open to future development. There are pockets of dense residential and commercial districts however but these are in concentrated locations. These can be split into three main groups:

West Muscat: Al-Seeb, Azhaiba, Bausher, Al-Ghubra and Ghala
Central Muscat: Al-Khuwair, Madinat Qaboos, Shati-Al Qurm, Qurm and PDO
East Muscat: Wattayah, Ruwi, Muttrah, Kalbuh, Old Muscat, Sidab and Al-Bustan

Geography and Location

Aerial map

History

Muscat was captured by the Portuguese in 1508 and kept by them until 1648. Persian rulers held the city until 1741, when it became the capital of Oman.

Dates, dried fish, mother of pearl, and frankincense are major exports.

The main airport is Seeb International Airport located around 25Km from the city's business district of Ruwi and approximately 15-20km from the main residential localities of Al-Khuwair, Madinat Qaboos, Shati Al-Qurm and Al-Qurm. Muscat is one of the three headquarters of Gulf Air and the headquarters for the local-based airlines Oman Air, both of which fly to several destinations within the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent and East Africa. In addition Gulf Air flies to select destinations in Europe, Great Britain, North Africa and East Asia. Most popular airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, Swiss International, Kuwait Airways, Air India and Thai Airways also fly through Seeb International Airport.

There are also two seaports in Muscat, one located in Mina Al-Fahal that caters solely to the oil refinery district of PDO (Petroleum Development Oman) and the other in Mina Qaboos (Muttrah), a regular seaport.

Public transportation in Muscat and Oman in general leaves much to be desired unfortunately. There is no rail or metro network in the whole of Oman. The two most popular forms of public transport include the Baiza buses, which inherit their name from the cheap form of currency units in Oman, known as Baizas (like Cents and Pence). They are very cheap while slightly more expensive public buses also exist but do not usually go into the smaller streets and stick to the main highway. Baiza buses on the contrary travel both the main highways but also the smaller bylanes and inner workings of Muscat city.