Sohar () is the capital and largest city of the Al Batinah North Governorate in Oman. An ancient capital of the country that once served as an important port town on the Gulf of Oman,
At the 2010 census, Sohar's population was 140,006, making it Oman's fifth most-populated settlement.
History
As the largest town in the region, it has been argued that Sohar is to be identified with the ancient town called 'Omanah' () mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his
Natural History. This settlement is believed to have given
Oman its name.
According to Al-Tabari, in 893 or 894 Common Era, during the Abbasid era, there was a dispute about who should rule Oman amongst local factions. A faction that approached the was the Bani Sama, who were based in Buraimi, before moving to Sohar. The Bani Sama also referred to themselves as the Wajihids, and assumed leadership over the region. The present-day town of Al-Buraimi is part of a historical region that Tabari referred to as 'Tawam', which is now believed to have encapsulated much of the present day United Arab Emirates, and to have been named for St Thomas the Apostle of the East.
By the 10th century, Sohar was one of the richest ports of the Persian Gulf. It was praised by Ibn Hawqal and Al-Maqdisi, who called it "flourishing, populous, beautiful, pleasant and delightful", and compared it favourably with the ports of China. Agarwood, wood, bamboo, sandalwood and spices were brought from India and frankincense from Dhofar. The city was sacked by the Buwayhids in 971 and its trade went into decline. It also suffered from attacks by the merchants of Kish Island across the gulf, who briefly took control of the city around 1100. Sohar then became the initial seat of the Nabhani dynasty, under the rule of the Bani Nabhan dynasty. They achieved ascendancy after being appointed governors of Sohar by their Buyid dynasty suzerains.
Portuguese occupation
In the early 16th century, Sohar was conquered by the Portuguese Empire, which used the city to control the entrances to the Persian Gulf and trade in the region. It was part of a web of fortresses controlled by the Portuguese, from
Bahrain to
Hormuz Island, and was depicted in António Bocarro's 17th-century
Book of Fortresses.
Recent history
Starting on 26 February 2011, Sohar was the site of mass protests, part of the
Arab Spring uprisings. Although protests also occurred in
Muscat and
Salalah, the Sohar protests were the biggest in the country, attracting an estimated 2,000 people at times.
The protesters' initial demands were for more job opportunities and greater political participation; later demonstrations also called for the release of detained protesters and an inquiry into the use of violence by security forces.
The protests centered on Sohar's
Globe Roundabout. In response, Sultan Qaboos announced reforms and a jobs program, and reshuffled the Omani cabinet.
Infrastructure
Industry
A number of enterprises and investment projects in Sohar are centred around the Port of Sohar. Established in 2002, the port has a strategic importance due to its nearness to the Strait of Hormuz. It is operated by the Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIPC). With current investments exceeding $12 billion, it is one of the world’s largest port development projects. The port's container terminal, managed by Hutchison Ports
handles the majority of the container cargo of North Al Batinah region of the Sultanate.
The industrial development of Sohar was prioritised in the Omani Government's economic development plan in 2020. Investments include more than $5 billion in the steel industry in which Oman aims to be one of the Gulf Cooperation Council's leading producers. In addition to the steel industry, there is also the industry of aluminium in Sohar industrial area. The Sohar Aluminium Company was established in 2004
Education
Sohar has four high educational institutes:
-
Sohar University – a private university in association with the University of Queensland
-
Sohar College of Applied Sciences – a government owned college
-
Oman Medical College – a private university in association with West Virginia University School of Medicine
-
International Maritime College Oman
Suhar also has a number of international schools such as:
-
Al Batinah International School (owned by Sohar Aluminium & ORPIC) – only IB SCHOOL
-
Sohar International School (S.I.S)
-
Indian School Sohar
-
Pakistan School Sohar
-
Bangladesh School Sohar
Parks
Sohar has four main parks. The first is Sohar Park, located in Al Humbar. The second is the Silver Jubilee Park which is located in Sallan. The third is the Entertainment Park in Sanaiyyah. The fourth is in falaj alqabail. There are many other parks, like Alminyal, Alsanqar, Alsuwaihra, Al Ons, Corniche park and Aluwaynat park. The city also has the Sohar Regional Sports Complex.
Landmarks
-
Globe Roundabout
-
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
-
Sohar Gate
-
Sohar Fort
-
Sohar Coastal Market
-
Bull Fighting Arena
-
Handcrafts Market
-
Fish Market
-
Sohar Entertainment Center
-
Sohar Beach
-
Silver Jubilee Park, Sallan
Climate
Sohar has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification
BWh) with very hot summers and mild winters. Precipitation is low; more than half of the year's total rainfall falls in February, and summers are almost completely dry.
See also
Further reading
-
Fiorani Piacentini, Valeria. "Sohar and the Daylamī Interlude (356–443/967–1051)". Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 35 (2005): 195–206.
-
Wilkinson, J. C. "Suhar (Sohar) in the Early Islamic Period: The Written Evidence". South Asian Archaeology (1979): 887–907.
External links
