City in Ash Sharqiyah Region, Oman
About Sur, Oman
Sur is the capital city of Ash Sharqiyah South Governorate, and the former capital of Ash Sharqiyah Region in northeastern Oman, on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. It is located about 203 km southeast of the Omani capital Muscat. Historically, the city has been an important port connecting the Gulf and the Indian subcontinent via the Arabian Sea since as early as 16th century.
History
By the 6th century, Sur was an established centre for trade with East Africa. Ibn Battuta commented on his visit to this "roadstead of a large village on the seashore." 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. In 1937, a Vickers Vincent operated by No. 84 Squadron RAF crashed in Khor Gharma while in its initial climb, killing all three crew members. At the time, it was the worst and first plane crash in Omani history.
Geography
Nearby villages include Dughmur and Qalhat.
Notable people
Suhail Bahwan (born 1938/39), Omani billionaire businessman Salim Rashid Suri (circa 1910–1979), Omani musician Ahmed Mubarak Al-Mahaijri (born 1985), Omani footballer
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