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Article: Omanis
- Article from:
- Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 The Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Omanis
PRONUNCIATION:
oh-MAHN-eez
LOCATION:
Oman
POPULATION:
1.5 million
LANGUAGE:
Arabic; English
RELIGION:
Islam (Ibadi sect)
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INTRODUCTION
The present-day land of Oman was home to a fairly advanced civilization as far back as about 5000 bc. From 3000 bc until ad 1500, the Omanis were a prosperous, sea-faring, export-oriented people. During the sixth to seventh centuries ad, Islam was brought to Oman by the Arabs.
During the 1500s, the Portuguese invaded and built forts in the coastal towns to control the Arabian (or Persian) Gulf trade route. The Portuguese occupied the area for about 100 years until the Omanis drove them out. Oman had trade agreements and ...