Oman Declares Independence

Date: November 18, 1971 • Location: Haymā’, Oman

Oman declares its independence from the United Kingdom.

Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country in the southeastern Arabian Peninsula in West Asia. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, and maritime borders with Iran and Pakistan. Its coastline extends along the Arabian Sea to the southeast and the Gulf of Oman to the northeast. The exclaves of Madha and Musandam are surrounded by the United Arab Emirates on their land borders, while Musandam's coastal boundaries are formed by the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. With an area of 315,331 km2 and a population of approximately 5.46 million, Oman is the third-largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. Muscat is the capital and largest city, Islam is the state religion, and Arabic is the official language.