Country Guide

This small Arab state occupies the southeastern coast of the Arabian peninsula. It has coastlines on the Gulf of Oman to the north and the Arabian Sea to the south. Inland it is bordered by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.

The northern part of Oman consists of the Jebel Akhdar, a mountain range rising to just over 3,000 m/10,000 ft. The annual rainfall on the higher parts of the Jebel Akhdar probably exceeds 400 mm/20 in. In the rest of Oman the annual rainfall is below 125 mm/5 in except in the hills of Dhofar in the extreme south.

Along the south coast the cloudy rainy season is between June and September, but in the Jebel Akhdar and in the lowlands of the north rain may fall at any time of the year. Very occasionally a tropical cyclone in the Arabian Sea brings a spell of very wet, windy weather to the coast of Oman and this may cause damage through wind and flood.

Temperatures and humidity are high throughout the year on the coast and the period May to September is the hottest and most unpleasant season. Temperatures rise even higher inland towards the Rub' al Khali, but here humidity is lower so that the high temperatures are more tolerable and the nights are cooler.

Unless sensible precautions are taken there is a danger of heat exhaustion or even heatstroke during the hottest weather. Sunshine amounts are high throughout the year. See the table for Muscat and details for Saudi Arabia.