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Oman (MUSKAT a sultanate in Arabia)

or MUSKAT, a sultanate in Arabia (British Protectorate), partly on the Persian Gulf, partly on the Indian Ocean; area, estimated at 82,000 square miles; pop. about 500,000. The chief features of the country are stretches of barren sand or rock, mountains reaching the height of 10,000 feet; fertile valleys and plains, yielding abundance of grain, sugar, fruits, cotton, coffee, etc., Oman being the richest part of the Arabian his fleet. He was poisoned in 720. peninsula both in agricultural products and in mineral treasures. The inhabitants are very superstitious and immoral. They are mostly Arabs. The form of government is a monarchy (the ruler being styled Imam), limited by a powerful aristocracy with hereditary privileges.

Zanzibar and its dependencies formerly belonged to Oman. The capital is Muskat. Pop. 24,000. Since 1913 the interior has been in a state of continuous revolt. The Sultan's power really only extends along the sea-coast.