A large percentage of foreigners
The high percentage of expatriates can be explained by historical and economic factors. The majority of foreign workers came to Oman in the 1970s, when Sultan Qaboos came to power, attracted by the opportunities offered by the numerous construction sites. These immigrants do not have the same rights as Omani citizens. They are dependent on a so-called sponsor, i.e. the local employer. They cannot own property (housing or land), nor benefit from free access to education or even health care. The majority of this foreign workforce comes from the Indian subcontinent and consists mainly of single people taking on jobs that Omanis refuse. The Omani-expatriate ratio, which will gradually evolve as the Omanization process progresses, remains fairly homogeneous in all regions, with the exception of Muscat, where 46% of non-nationals live, and Al-Dakhiliyah, where only 5.42% of expatriates live. The gender breakdown is moderately balanced if only nationals are considered, since there are 123 Omani men for every 100 Omani women.
The empire of diversity
Beyond the original Arabs, the ethnic composition of the Omani population reflects the migratory movements between Oman, East Africa and Asia (in particular the Indian subcontinent) over the past three centuries, and is the result of trade flows between these regions of the world. Muscat alone is home to 35% of the population.
The African Omanis are descendants of the Swahili coastal settlers of the early 18th century, who controlled the Zanzibar archipelago for over 250 years, keeping the Portuguese at bay. A seafaring adventure that ended in bloodshed during the Marxist anti-Oman revolution of 1964. Many then migrated to the Great Lakes of East Africa. Despite the diversity of their origins, they are known as Swahilis or Zanzibaris: some have retained the French of the Burundi they left in the 90s, while others have returned with their small staff, the ancestors of the black Omanis you'll come across around Salalah today.
The Lawatis, also known as Khojas, have been active in the Omani economy since the early 18th century. Although there is some doubt as to their exact origin (North-West India, Pakistani Sindh), their home is almost exclusively linked to the Mutrah souk, on the edge of which the Lawatis settled as soon as they arrived in Oman, and from which they have not moved for centuries. A veritable fortress within the city, this district of Muscat was surrounded by walls and protected by towers, and entry was in principle forbidden to foreigners, especially non-Muslims. This isolation ensured that these ex-Islamic Shi'ites, who had become Duodecimans, did not mix with others and were able to preserve their religion, their own culture and their Indo-Aryan language, Khojki. Today, a wall still separates the Lawatis' residential area from that of the souk, but the district is more easily accessible, even if the entrance, which is posted with a forbidden sign, is still limited to a single door. A merchant people numbering over 80,000 in the Gulf region, they actively developed trade between Oman, Africa and India, and grew rich in the process, as evidenced by the elaborate balconies and traditional house facades on the Mutrah corniche. Educated, they belong to a high socio-professional category, often occupying key positions in the local economy and taking pride in having offered the diplomatic service, in 1999, Oman's first female ambassador.
Mostly from Gujarat, Hindus (5.5% of the population) have been present in the sultanate for over five centuries and have historically settled in the al-Banyan district. Some of the most powerful and oldest families, such as the Khimji, have obtained Omani nationality. The others, although born in Oman, face the same problems as new immigrants. As if the winds of the monsoon and the memories of the great spice shipments had founded a special relationship, Oman assumes this "Indian part" in its cuisine, its fabrics and its dynastic chronicle, since Sultan Taimur, grandfather of Qaboos, is buried in Bombay, and Saïd, father of the father of the nation, studied in Rajasthan.
Originating from the Omani trading post of Gwadar, sold to Pakistan in 1958 for a mere three million dollars, the Baluch settled mainly in the Batinah region. An Iranian Sunni Hanafi people speaking an Indo-European language, they came to seek their fortune with the former colonial power. Their degree of integration into the Omani population depends on how long they have been in the country and how successful they have been. When he came to power, Sultan Qaboos offered them Omani nationality.
Arabic
The official language is Arabic, although English is widely used in business, education and everyday life. The further away you are from the big cities, where most foreigners live, the less English is spoken. Arabic is a Semitic language written and read from right to left. The alphabet comprises 29 letters. Depending on their place in the word, these letters can take on more or less different forms. Arabic words are written from a root composed exclusively of consonants, vowels being transcribed by signs or accents on the consonants. It's important to distinguish between classical and dialectal Arabic. Classical Arabic is the written Arabic of the poets of 6th-century Central Arabia and of the Koran, which is the reference for its codification and dissemination. All literate Arabs understand this Arabic, also known as literal Arabic. Dialectal Arabic is spoken Arabic and differs from region to region. In the Sultanate, for example, Omani Hadari is spoken in the Hajar Mountains, and Harsusi in the stony desert of Jiddat al-Harasis.
