Musandam Governorate

Access to the peninsula was formerly difficult, with the only options being limited flights or a ten-hour drive through four immigration posts. The Shinas fast ferry service between Muscat and Musandam was launched in August 2008 to alleviate this problem and make the region more accessible. The governorate is accessible by land only from the United Arab Emirates. Mainland Musandam can be accessed by Ras Al Khaimah near Al Jeer via Route 2, and an exclave of Sharjah, Dibba Al-Hisn. Oman Air provides an air link between Cairo, Dubai, the capital of the country, Muscat, and the main administrative town of the governorate, Khasab.

History

Isolated from surrounding powers by mountainous terrain and a rocky coast, the Musandam peninsula was historically self-ruled by local tribes including the Shihuh and Habus. By the early 20th century, Musandam was claimed by the Sultan of Oman who stationed a representative in Khasab. The Sultan did not exert effective control over the area, neither collecting tax nor establishing a military presence, and the peninsula continued to be ruled by local tribes. In 1970–71, following the British-backed 1970 Omani coup d'état, British and Trucial Oman Scouts forces invaded Musandam ending local rule and establishing a permanent Omani military force.