Muscat, Oman

Muscat (Arabic: مسقط Masqaṭ, IPA: ) is the capital and largest city in the Sultanate of Oman. It is the largest city in the mintaqah (governorate) of Muscat (sometimes referred to as Masqat to differentiate it from the city). The city of Muscat has a 2005 estimated population of 600,000 .

The greater metropolitan area of Muscat, known locally as the "Capital Area", currently covers an area of approximately 1500 km². Since the ascession of Qaboos bin Said as Sultan of Oman, Muscat has seen a growth of infrastructural development and urbanization Pockets of dense residential and commercial districts are interspersed with undeveloped land. The major centers of development can be split into three main groups:

In general, Muscat presents a relatively homogeneous appearance of low (rarely more than five story), generally white buildings, with residential, government, and commercial architecture frequently recalling, at least by allusion, historic regional styles. For a city at the edge of the Arabian peninsula and in Oman's sometimes fierce climate, Muscat is remarkably green, with tree-lined main streets linking the various districts, several sizeable public parks, and grass, shrubs, and flowers decorating many traffic circles and other public areas.

On June 6, 2007, Muscat was hit by Cyclone Gonu causing extensive damage to properties and rendering electricity, telephone lines and the international airport inoperative. An estimation of the damage to life and property caused by the cyclone is yet to be released. Commercial centres and residences at Qurm, Ghubra and Ghala localities were among the worst hit.