HUMANITIES

NAME – PRATIK BAPECHA

ROLL NO. - 01
CLASS – T.Y. BARCH -A
Abstract
During the past two decades, the Gulf countries have experienced the most
rapid urban growth in the world. The traditional societies in this region have
been guilelessly opened on the market economy and western lifestyle. In spite
the progress realized at many levels, these societies became victims of its
consumerist style. This article aims to present an overview of the urban
development in Oman since it started its ‘modernization’. This study is not only
interested in how the country has been developing since its “renaissance” in
the 1970s, but also how does this development appear, compared to its traits
in the neighbouring Gulf countries. Based on the assumption that urban
research is a tool of analysis that can enlighten future decisions and actions in
the domain of urban development, this study is also a critical review of the
published research about the urbanization in Oman since the 1970s. This
research showed that, although it shares several aspects with what the other
Gulf cities have witnessed, urbanization in Oman was slower, less drastic and
relatively more controlled. It concluded that even if these urban studies have
progressively broadened in their topics, disciplines and case studies, their
effect on the new orientations chosen for the future developments in these
countries remains negligible. Expansion of cities is an international
phenomenon that occurs mainly due to population growth. This city was
selected because of its inherent value in history, economy, and tourism in the
country and the region. To understanding how the accessibility is affected in
terms of vehicle movement, space syntax theory and its associated
methodology -i.e., Axial Maps- is used. Using DepthMapX software, Integration
radius 3 was calculated for the old city before and after the expansion of
Muscat, and the data were analysed statistically. The results showed that the
expansion has positively affected the accessibility to the old city while altering
the spatial structure within it.

General characteristics of the city

• Surrounded by a plethora of buildings and houses painted in white, one
is bound to get confused as to which locality they are in. Structures of
any kind ranging from office complexes to malls are whitewashed, and
any other colour requires prior permission from the government with
adequate reasons.
• Being a fantastic ship maker courses through an Omani’s veins. They are
well known for building ships which have stood the test of time and bear
 testimony to their mastery of this skill. Partly surrounded by the sea,
Omanis have refined this craft over time and built some of the most
significant naval ships which have been lauded for their versatility.
• An average Omani’s love for mountain dew knows no bounds. Willing to
go to any extent for this carbonated drink, this beverage enjoys a
monopolised market with no equal to rival it. Since the introduction of
mountain dew in Oman, it is one of the few drinks which has the highest
rate of consumption for any middle eastern country.
• Oman being the kingdom it was had its defences well placed in the form
of castles and forts. These forts were scattered throughout the boundary
and the coastline to thwart any attempts from land or sea-based threats.
Today, these forts serve to reflect their culture and act as major tourist
hotspots.

Major factors affecting the city

Construction in Oman is an important sector that contributes greatly to the
country’s economic growth. Recently, the construction projects in Oman have
been delayed which has led to delays in the projects’ completion and
sometimes to their failure. This study aims to examine the critical factors
affecting the success of construction projects in Oman. The extent to which
factors related to project parties affect this success was assessed. A
quantitative approach based on systematic literature review and questionnaire
survey technique was used. The factors were identified and classified into six
main categories, namely, time; finance; project designing, planning, and
scheduling; quality; project progress and development; and environment and
nature. The factors are also classified as client-, consultant-, contractor- and
external related factors. This study was conducted by distributing
questionnaires to people who experienced working in the public and private
construction sectors in Oman.

Decade it belongs to
Founded 900 years ago and famous for its historical role, it is an oasis of
greenery, cleanliness, and order, characterized by a modern road network and
advanced organized services. Evidence of communal activity in the area around
Muscat dates to the 6th millennium BCE in Ras al-Hamra, were
burial sites of fishermen have been found. The graves appear to be well formed
and indicate the existence of burial rituals. South of Muscat, remnants of
Harappan pottery indicate some level of contact with the Indus Valley
Civilisation. During the second half of the 19th century, the fortunes of the Al
Bu Said declined and friction with the Imams of the interior resurfaced. Muscat
and Muttiah were attacked by tribes from the interior in 1895 and again in
1915.A tentative ceasefire were brokered by the British, which gave the
interior more autonomy. However, conflicts among the disparate tribes of the
interior, and with the Sultan of Muscat and Oman continued into the 1950s,
and eventually escalated into the Dhofar Rebellion (1962).

Migrants people in the city

From February 2021 show that 29% of Oman’s population, roughly 1,440,000
of 4,496,000, are foreigners. This number includes 140,000 domestic workers
who are subject to the kafala sponsorship system. The five biggest source
countries are Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Egypt.

Overall, however, the number of expatriates leaving the country has caused
Oman’s population to drop dramatically in recent months according to data
from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), thus prompting
journalists to evoke an exodus of expats. It is now hardly possible to obtain
clear expat community figures as all are experiencing continuous and
significant decreases. As an example, the number of Indians dropped by 21% to
reach 492,276 at the end of 2019 while the Bangladeshi community has lost
100,000 of their countrymen over the last 10 months.

Culture
The relatively recent and artificial nature of the state of Oman makes it difficult
to describe a national culture; however, sufficient cultural heterogeneity exists
within its national boundaries to make Oman distinct from other Arab States of
the Persian Gulf.Oman's cultural diversity is greater than that of its Arab
neighbours, given its historical expansion to the Swahili Coast and the Indian
Ocean. Oman has a long tradition of shipbuilding, as maritime travel played a
major role in the Omanis' ability to stay in contact with the civilisations of the
ancient world. Sur was one of the most famous shipbuilding cities of the Indian
Ocean. The Al Ghanja ship takes one whole year to build. Other types of Omani
ship include As Sunbouq and Al Badan.

Conclusion
The scrutiny of the published research about the urbanization in Oman
revealed that, although it shares several aspects with what the other Gulf
countries have experienced, then urbanization in Oman was slower, less drastic
and more controlled. The literature studied showed that urban research about
Oman, and the GCC countries in general, was insignificant before the rise of
the leading cities of Dubai then Doha to the status of global cities. Since the
early 2000s, this research has been growing broader in its topics, disciplines
and case studies. Nonetheless, its effect remains inconsequential on the new
orientations of the future developments in Oman