Sur, Oman
Encyclopedia
Sur is a capital city of Ash Sharqiyah Region
, northeastern Oman
, on the coast of the Gulf of Oman
. It is located at around 22°34′0"N 59°31′44"E, and is 93 miles (150 km) southeast of the Omani capital Muscat
. Historically the city is known for being an important destination point for sailors. Today the sea still plays an important part of life in Sur.
The main college in Sur is the Sur College of Applied Sciences. The college has over 4000 students and offers degrees in Business, Communication, Information Technology and Design. It is considered one of the better institutions of higher learning in Oman.
. In the 16th century, it was under Portuguese
rule but was liberated by the Omani imam
Nasir ibn Murshid and underwent an economic revival, as a trade centre with India
and East Africa. This continued until the mid-19th century, when the British
outlawed the slave trade. The city was further ruined by the opening of the Suez Canal
, which saw it lose trade with India.
Sur was battered badly by Cyclone Gonu
in June, 2007.
and the Indian Ocean
. Many ships have been built in this city, like the sambuk
and ghanjah
. They formerly went as far as China
, India
, Zanzibar
, Iraq
and many other countries. These vessels were also used in pearl
fishing.
Today the city has retained its reputation as a major dhow
-building town, the very same vessels that were used for trade two centuries previously.
climate with very little rainfall and high temperatures. Because of its coastal location, Sur's night-time temperatures are never very low. There is no distinct wetter season, but March tends to be the wettest month, and September the driest.
Occasionally, Sur gets battered by cyclones. In 2007, Cyclone Gonu
battered the city, and in 2010, Sur was hit by Cyclone Phet
.
Ash Sharqiyah Region (Oman)
Ash Sharqiyah is the eastern region of the Sultanate of Oman. The capital of Ash Sharqiyah is Sur....
, northeastern Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, on the coast of the Gulf of Oman
Gulf of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. On the north coast is Pakistan and Iran...
. It is located at around 22°34′0"N 59°31′44"E, and is 93 miles (150 km) southeast of the Omani capital Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
. Historically the city is known for being an important destination point for sailors. Today the sea still plays an important part of life in Sur.
The main college in Sur is the Sur College of Applied Sciences. The college has over 4000 students and offers degrees in Business, Communication, Information Technology and Design. It is considered one of the better institutions of higher learning in Oman.
History
By the 6th century, Sur was an established centre for trade with East AfricaEast Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
. In the 16th century, it was under Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
rule but was liberated by the Omani imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Nasir ibn Murshid and underwent an economic revival, as a trade centre with India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and East Africa. This continued until the mid-19th century, when the British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
outlawed the slave trade. The city was further ruined by the opening of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
, which saw it lose trade with India.
Sur was battered badly by Cyclone Gonu
Cyclone Gonu
Cyclone Gonu is the strongest tropical cyclone on record in the Arabian Sea, and is also the strongest named cyclone in the northern Indian Ocean...
in June, 2007.
Shipbuilding
One of the famous cities in the Persian Gulf in building wooden ships. Its historical location gives it the hand to monitor the Gulf of OmanGulf of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. On the north coast is Pakistan and Iran...
and the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. Many ships have been built in this city, like the sambuk
Sambuk
A Sambuk, Sanbuk or Sambuq is a type of dhow, a traditional wooden Arabic sailing vessel.It has a characteristic keel design, with a sharp curve right below the top of the prow...
and ghanjah
Ghanjah
A ghanjah or ganja , also known as kotiya in India, is a large wooden trading dhow, a traditional Arabic sailing vessel.-Description:...
. They formerly went as far as China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and many other countries. These vessels were also used in pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
fishing.
Today the city has retained its reputation as a major dhow
Dhow
Dhow is the generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with lateen sails used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Some historians believe the dhow was invented by Arabs but this is disputed by some others. Dhows typically weigh 300 to 500 tons, and have a...
-building town, the very same vessels that were used for trade two centuries previously.
Climate
Sur experiences a semi-aridSemi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
climate with very little rainfall and high temperatures. Because of its coastal location, Sur's night-time temperatures are never very low. There is no distinct wetter season, but March tends to be the wettest month, and September the driest.
Occasionally, Sur gets battered by cyclones. In 2007, Cyclone Gonu
Cyclone Gonu
Cyclone Gonu is the strongest tropical cyclone on record in the Arabian Sea, and is also the strongest named cyclone in the northern Indian Ocean...
battered the city, and in 2010, Sur was hit by Cyclone Phet
Cyclone Phet
Cyclone Phet was the third named cyclone of the 2010 North Indian Ocean cyclone season. Phet developed from a low pressure area in the Arabian Sea that organized into a tropical cyclone on May 31...
.
External links
- World66 http://www.surcity.net