Muscat

Muscat is the capital and most populous city of Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information, the population of the Muscat Governorate in 2022 was 1.72 million.

The metropolitan area includes six provinces, called wilayat, and spans approximately 6,500 km2 (2,500 sq mi). The Hajar Mountains dominate the view from Muscat. The city lies on the Gulf of Oman, near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Low-lying white buildings are a typical feature of its architecture.

The city's port district of Muttrah, with its corniche and harbour, are at the north-eastern edge of the city. Muscat's economy is dominated by trade, petroleum, liquified natural gas and porting.

Known since the early 1st century CE as a leading port for trade between the west and the east, Muscat was ruled successively by various indigenous tribes, as well as by foreign powers such as the Persians, the Portuguese Empire and the Ottoman Empire.