Musandam Governorate
Governorate of Musandam lies in
extreme north of the Sultanate. It is separated
from the rest of the Sultanate by a strip of UAE
land. Its rough mountains rise to 1800 metres
above sea level.
Governorate of Musandam is distinguished for its
strategic location, with part of it known as Ras
Musandam - overlooks the international water
passage called the Strait of Hormuz.
It is worth noting that not the whole of the
Strait is good for navigation. The part suitable
for sea navigation falls within the territorial
waters of the Sultanate, which made Omanis
shoulder a huge responsibility in organizing
navigation in this Strait since the old ages. The
strategic importance of this Strait has increased
nowadays, as it turned to be a crossing point to
90% of the Gulf's oil shipped to all over the
world.
Governorate of Musandam consists of four wilayats:
Khasab. bukha, Daba Al Bayah and Madha. Khasab
town is the regional center of the Governorate
located 481 kilometers from the capital Muscat.
Wilayat Khasab is situated in the north corner of
the governorate. It has taken its name from the
fertility of its soil, and it has a port (Khasab
port). As regards Wilayat Daba AI Bayah, it is
situated in the south east of Musandam. Its
inhabitants depend on fishing, agriculture and
ship building.
Tourist attractions
Wilayat khasab
The Wilayat of Khasab
is located in the furthest north of the Governorate of Musandam. It lies
between the two Wilayats of Dibba and Bukha, overlooking the Gulf of Oman in
the east and the Arabian Sea in the north west. It also overlooks the
Straits of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which 90% of the oil
production of the Gulf region passes to the international consumers. This
area of the Gulf has a tortuous fjord-like coastline.
It contains about 136 villages on the coasts and in the mountains. Its name is
attributed to the fertility (khasab) of its rich land with its fresh
subterranean water, which flows down through the great wadis when rain
falls.
There are a number of castles, forts and towers. The castle of Khasab dates
back to the beginning of the era of Al Busaid. It was renovated at the
beginning of 1990 by the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture.
The exact date of construction of Khasab Al Kamazara is not known, it is
located in the village of Al Kamazara. There are also three towers, Al Siba
which is located in the place of the same name, the tower of Kabas Al Qasr -
of which only ruins remain, and the tower of Said Bin Ahmad Bin Sulaiman Aal
Malik, which is located in Bani Sanad. It is all that remains of a huge fort
which, with the passing of time, has fallen into oblivion.
There are also old mosques, such as Al Siba which is called 'the western
mosque' it was restored in 1980. The two mosques of 'Al Suq and Al Kamazara
were also restored during the era of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
There are many tourist attractions in Al Rouda and Al Khalidiya, in addition
to Wadi Khan, Masifah, Hiyut and Khur Najd. There are also a number of bays
and gulfs and islands. The most important are Khalij Khasab, Khalij Kamzar,
Khalij Shisa, Khur Sham, Khur Al Need, Khur Hablain, Khur Qabl. Khur Ghab
and Khur Qadi. The most important islands are Al Ghanam, Musandam, Um Al
Tair, Salama and its girls, Um Al Fayarin, Al Khail, Makhbook, Abu Makhalif,
Sawik (Al Suda).
Wilayat Bukha
Located on the coast of the Arabian Gulf, on the
west side of the Wilayat of Khasab it neighbours the Emirate of Ras Al Khaima in
the west. It contains approximately 86 villages.
There are a number of touristic attractions. The fort of Al Bilad, in the centre
of the Wilayat was built in 1250 AH. There is also the fort of Al Qala'a,
located on a mountain top which can be clearly seen from all over the Wilayat;
also a .ruined mosque in the west of the Wilayat, together with two castles and
a spring in the village of Al Jadi. There are also many caves in the mountains.
Wilayat Dibba
It is located in the south east of the
governorate, to the north and west are mountain ranges linking it to the other
parts of the region, in the east is the Gulf of Oman, and in the south the U.A.E. It contains about 114 villages.
Al Asma'i says that it was one of the Arab markets in Oman. The Muslims
conquered it in the era of the Caliph Abu Bakr Al Sadiq in the 11th year of the
Hijra. Ka'ab Bin Suar Bin Bakr is one of the region's famous men, a leader and a
scholar, he became Judge of Basra during the era of the Caliph Omar Bin Al
Khatab, and Al Muhallab Bin Abi Sufra, was a leader of the Muslim armies at the
time of the Umayya State.
In the modern era Sheikh Salih Bin Mohammed Al Kamzari Al Shahi is famous, and
was mentioned in the book "Dangers of Exploration in the Arabian Peninsula" by
William Thomas.
One of the historical features of the Wilayat of Dibba is the castle called 'Al
Siba' which was restored in the age of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. There is also
the castle of 'Sabtaan' and the cemetery known as the Cemetery of Amin Al Jaish
which is attributed to the wars of apostasy.
Another of its tourist features are the vast 'fjords' known as the Gulf of Al 'Gabaiyain
in which the fishermen take refuge during storms at sea. The most important of
these 'fjords' are Khur Ma'ali and Almim. There is also a spring called 'Al
Saqata" as well as a number of vast caves in the mountains.
Wilayat Mudha
Located in the north of the Sultanate it neighbours the Emirate of Ras Al Khaima
in the west, the Emirate of Sharjah in the north and the Emirate of Fujairah in
the South. IIt contains about 10 villages.
Human settlement there goes back more than 3,500 years. There are many ancient
rock paintings, making it into a natural museum, with drawings which go back to
before Islam. There are also paintings and writings which go back to the first
centuries of the Hijra. In addition there are a number of ruins which date back
to the Iron Age and the years between 1000 and 1500 years B.C.
The Wilayat is famous for a number of secret storage places, beneath the earth,
which the people
there call "Makhazan Al Jahal". In addition there is an abundance of graves, the
most outstanding being the one of Hajar Bani Humaid which has paintings on its
white marble tombstone together with the names of the dead. There are also a
number of forts, castles and towers in Mudha, Al
Ghuana and Hajar Bani Humaid scattered on the mountain tops.
The Wilayat is distinguished geographically by its mountainous nature. It is one
of the Omani Wilayats that is irrigated with afalaj and springs; the most
outstanding of its falaj is called Al Sheikh Mohammed Bin Salim Al Madhani, its
water is cold in the summer and warm in the winter. The afalaj of Al Dair, Al 'Aadad,
Al Shariki, Al Muatarad, Al Qaba, Al Ruman, Al Suduq and Al Saruj are other
important afalaj. The springs are Al Shariki, Lishmah, Hajar Bani Humaid and Al
Samaai, which has sulfurous water - hot in winter and cold in summer. The people
of the area use this spring to treat skin diseases.
There are also caves and mountain grottos and
trees called "Al Rula" which are distinguished by their great size and age.
Traditional occupations
Wilayat khasab
There are a number of occupations, industries. The principal occupation is fishing followed by animal
husbandry, and agriculture - the production of dates, lemons, fruit, vegetables
and animal fodder.
The traditional industries are making fishing nets, weapons (known as Jarz),
pottery, weaving palm leaves, ship building and weaving.
Wilayat Bukh
The most important occupations are blacksmithery
and agriculture,producing dates, citrus fruit and fruit. The traditional
industries are making small fishing boats, fishing nets and handicrafts from
palm leaves.
Wilayat Dibba
The principal occupation is fishing then
agriculture - growing dates, citrus fruit and fruit, in addition to practicing
animal husbandry. The most important traditional industries are small ship
building, iron working, weaving palm leaves and weaving.
Wilayat Mudha
The Wilayat of Mudha has numerous occupations, industries. Agriculture is at the forefront of the
occupations, the
most important crops being dates, fruit, citrus fruit, vegetables and wheat,
in addition to pasturage and animal husbandry. The most important of the
traditional industries are rope making, mats made from palm leaves, sewing,
and embroidery etc.
Regions:-
Overview 
Muscat Gov
Dhofar Gov
Musandam Gov
Al Buraimi Gov
Al Dakhiliyah Gov
Al Batinah N & S
Al Sharqiyah N & S
Al Dhahirah Gov
Al Wusta Gov
|
H.M. News 
