Sea turtles
Sea turtles
Sea turtles and the coastal landscape of Oman have formed a symbiosis for thousands of years. These prehistoric reptiles are, however, threatened with extinction and are protected worldwide. For this reason, the government of Oman has established several nature reserves along the coast. The approximately 2000 km long coastline of the country serves as an important site for egg-laying and thus reproduction for sea turtles. It is the most important breeding ground for sea turtles in the Indian Ocean. Of the seven species of sea turtles that live worldwide, five nest on the beaches of Oman. This is a world record.
Turtles live almost exclusively in water; only the female individuals come ashore to lay their eggs. On average, sea turtles live to be 100 years old and only become sexually mature at around 40 years of age. They feed on jellyfish, shellfish, seagrass, or algae.
The so-called Lepidochelys olivacea (Olive Ridley turtle) has its breeding site on the coast of Oman. Unfortunately, scientists predict a poor future for them. It seems certain that this species will be extinct in a few years. The situation is different for the Chelonia mydas (Green sea turtle). Its preferred nesting area is along the coastline between Ras al-Hadd and Ra’s ar Ru’ays. Further south, in the region around Masirah Island, is the largest population of Caretta (Loggerhead turtle). The Daymaniyat Islands are home to a reserve for the Eretmochelys imbricata (Hawksbill turtle). The fifth species of sea turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (Leatherback turtle), also inhabits the waters of Oman but does not breed here. The uniqueness lies in the size of this animal. It measures over 2 meters and weighs between 500 and 900 kg.
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Ancient times
Already in the third century, the eastern Arabian Peninsula was inhabited by the Umm an-Nar culture, whose territory extended from present-day UAE to the northern part of Oman. Important trading partners for this early culture were the Sumerians as well as the Indus Valley culture in present-day Pakistan. The land was then referred to as Magan and was limited to the present northern part of the sultanate. Little is known about the organization of this culture, aside from a mention by Naram-Sin of Akkad (2200 BC) about a victory over King Manium of Magan. Due to the existing copper deposits in...
Geography
The Sultanate of Oman is located in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula. To the northwest, the country borders the United Arab Emirates, to the west Saudi Arabia, and to the southwest Yemen. The 1,700-kilometer-long coast in the east forms a natural border. There, Oman borders the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf. The total area of the country is 309,000 square kilometers. Thus, the state is just slightly smaller than Germany. The territory includes the exclave Musandam at the Strait of Hormuz. The United Arab Emirates separate Musandam from the rest of the country. The...
Muscat Airport
Muscat International Airport (IATA code MCT) is located a few kilometers outside the capital in Seeb and was known until 2008 as Seeb International Airport. However, since people have long stopped speaking only of the city itself when referring to the capital Muscat but rather the entire capital region, it was only logical that the airport for the region was renamed accordingly. Muscat International Airport is the most important airport in Oman. It handles the largest number of passengers annually, and it is also the main hub for the international flights to Oman. From Provincial Airfield to ...