Oman: A Vast Geography of Former Exclaves

The Sultanate of Oman's geography is unique. Many geography blogs have already blogged before about its exclaves on the Musandam Peninsula. This exclave branches off the United Arab Emirance and serves as the Arab side to the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz. This exclave allowed Oman to monitor, and to a certain extent control, trade between Persian Gulf ports and the Indian Ocean port cities from the 1600s until European domination of Middle East trade in the 1800s.

Many people, however, do not know about the former exclaves of Oman which made the geography of the sultanate even more extended. The major one was Zanzibar, off the coast of present day Tanzania. In 1698 the Portuguese were forced off of Zanzibar by Oman. Oman used Zanzibar to act as its major spice, goods, and slave trade port for Africa. Sultan Said bin Sultan loved Zanzibar so much that in 1837 he made Zanzibar the capital of Oman! After his death his sons divided the empire with one brother getting Oman and a few other possessions while the other became the sultan of an independent Zanzibar.

Though the British made the sultanate a protector after the shortest war in the history of the world, the Arab descendants of Zanzibar ran the country until a revolution and ethnic cleansing led by Marxist Black Africans against the Arab rulers and Indian business class in 1964.

The other major exclave of Oman was Gwadar in present-day Pakistan. In the 1500s to 1800s Oman kept very close ties to the various Muslim states in the Indian subcontinent due to trade. This links survives with Oman's food being spicy like Indian food (unlike Arab food) and with many Indian/Pakistani Muslims and even some Hindus living in Oman today.

In 1783 the exiled former Sultan of Oman, Saiad Sultan, used his personal connections to become ruler of the small port city of Gwadar. He later retook control of Oman. Once Saiad moved back to Oman but he continued to rule Gwadar through a governor. Gwadar stayed under Oman's control until Pakistan bought the small port in 1958 for three million dollars.

Oman's African and subcontinent exclaves are no longer on the political map but their legacies still survives. As mentioned above there is a strong Indian presence in Oman and many shipping lanes and airplane routes continue to connect the subcontinent to Oman. The ties are even stronger between Oman and Zanzibar. Most Omani and Zanzibaris (and even some Pakistanis around Gwadar) are Ibadi Muslims, neither Sunni or Shia but a unique denomination which recognizes philosophy, use of a smaller and separate hadiths, and other beliefs. Oman is responsible for the survival of the Ibadi Muslim faith as the only Ibadi Muslims who cannot claim Omani descent or influence are a few remote Berber tribes in the Saharan Desert. These exclaves cannot be found on a map but their legacy lives on in the realm of human geography.


Geographic Travels

Tanzania’s Ambassador to the U.S., Announces Second Annual Vip Business/Leisure Safari To “Discover Tanzania”

Following the success of last year’s inaugural Discover Tanzania VIP Safari, H.E. Mwanaidi S. Maajar, Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United States of America, will again lead a small group of business executives on the second annual VIP business and leisure safari to Discover Tanzania, scheduled for June 22-July 3, 2012.

Through this personal journey with Amb. Maajar, participants will be able to enjoy Tanzania’s natural and cultural attractions as well as explore Tanzania’s business and investment opportunities. The VIP Safari will also feature two exclusive dinners, one in Dar es Salaam with guest of honor, H.E Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania; and the second in Zanzibar with guest of honor, H.E Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, President of Zanzibar.

According to the World Bank’s Tanzania: Country Briefs, “Tanzania is becoming one of the best performers in Sub Saharan Africa…in recent years growth in gross domestic product (GDP) averaged between 5 and 7 percent.” The potential for profitable foreign investment in the country is huge in such a diverse range of industries as tourism, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, transportation, and mining.

H.E. Maajar stated that “Tanzania is rich in natural resources and natural wonders, including world-renowned tourist attractions (Serengeti National Park, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, and the spice islands of Zanzibar); prime geographical location (six landlocked countries depend on Tanzanian ports); abundant arable land; a skilled labor force; warm, friendly people; and assurance of safety.” On December 9, 2011, Tanzania celebrated its 50th anniversary as a peaceful and stable democracy.

Ken Flechler, Vice President, Pike Electric Corp, based in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, joined the first VIP Safari in 2011, together with Pike CEO, J. Eric Pike, his wife Belinda Pike and their two sons, Will and Ben. Pike Electric’s operation in Tanzania represents the Company’s first international venture. Flechler said, “Beyond the natural beauty throughout the countryside, the excitement of the safari and the diversity of culture, this VIP Safari led by Ambassador Maajar, afforded Pike the chance to strengthen existing relationships here in Tanzania as well as the opportunity to develop new friendships that will have a broader impact for the country and our operations around the world. This is an exciting time to be part of Tanzania’s development, growth and expansion, Pike looks forward to becoming an integral part of the country’s future and a key partner for helping develop a strong partnership with the United States.”

Details for the VIP 2012 Discover Tanzania Safari include:
· The trip begins in Arusha, a place which has traditionally been a springboard to Tanzania’s renowned national parks, with a brief city tour and meets with the city’s influential business community.
· A dinner with guest of honor, H.E Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
· A dinner in Zanzibar with guest of honor, H.E Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, President of Zanzibar.
· Visit Lake Manyara, a concentrated park whose main attraction is the legendary tree-climbing lions.
· Experiencing the world-acclaimed Ngorongoro Crater, the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” home to over 30,000 animals that are supported within its ecologically rich environments.
· Flying to the Selous Game Reserve in Southern Tanzania, to explore the rugged wilderness and its inhabitants.
· Participating in VIP activities on the opening day of “Saba Saba,” Tanzania’s premier international trade fair, including an opportunity to network with the Tanzanian business community.
· Optional extensions to the spice islands of Zanzibar.
The number of people on the safari is limited in order to provide each participant with an individualized experience.


TW

African violets enjoy worldwide appeal

African violets have a fascinating background in African history. They come from Tanzania, a country whose name was derived by combining Tanganyika and Zanzibar. (I love saying those names.) Tanzania is surrounded by countries we have often heard of — Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique — and borders the Indian Ocean in eastern Africa.

Tourist trade and safaris take people there today, but life was quite different in the late 1800s. Imperial Germany conquered the region, ended the slave trade and made it a colony. In 1892 a colonial official, Baron Walter von Saint Paul-Illare, an amateur botanist, discovered a wonderful, “hairy” flowering plant. In his honor the violet’s botanical name is Saintpaulia. (Post World War I this area came under British rule.)

Saint Paul sent plants (or seeds, no one is quite clear on this) to his father in Germany, where they flourished in his care. Herman Wendland, director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Herrenhausen, named the first flowering specimen S. Ionantha, which translates to “with violet-like flowers,” hence the emergence of their commonly known name, African violets.

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The delights of a coastal town

Every city has its own characteristics that distinguish it from others. However, sometimes these characteristics leave you with a smile. If you are walking in the streets of an African city and you hear whistles behind you, then you know you are in Dar es Salaam, but don’t worry no one is after you, they are just drawing people’s attention to the cold water bottles they are selling. A much needed drink in the tropical weather of this coastal town that used to be the capital of Tanzania.

Many years after my initial visit to Dar, there seems to be little change in terms of infrastructure, a few new malls, some modern villas built along the coast line, but much more traffic than ever before.
If you happen to arrive in the city after a rain storm and on a working day, then you should prepare yourself to sit in a car that is “floating” in water, in a jam that does not seem to be moving anywhere any time soon! And it happened that just a few days before our visit, the worst flooding in 57 years hit the city, causing human causality and leaving thousands of people homeless.

Apart from a few new high-rise buildings, there are no skyscrapers shooting up on the scene, but what seems to have sky rocked is the prices of land and real estate.While here in Uganda people rush to sell their land as soon as an offer knocks the door, Tanzanians tend to favour long or short term leasing of their land which allows them keep the land title, get a rent and at the end of the day they are still land owners. How Ugandans have by now missed on this point, is now beyond repair!

Our hotel had an amazing view of the harbor where one could see ships, and cargo vessels docking. I was hoping to see more traffic here than on the roads, but that was not meant to be. Coming from a landlocked country like Uganda that depends totally on its neighbours Kenya and Tanzania in terms of sea cargo, I wished there was more activity in that port to take away some of the pressure from long queues in Mombasa port causing the late arrival of cargo in Uganda, but that seems to be a long term project, or a far-fetched one for now.

One of the best attractions for most tourists seems to be taking the ferry from Dar to Zanzibar, the legendary island of spices and white sand beaches. Just hop into one of the most prominent carriers- Azam marine and costal fast ferries- and two hours later you arrive in this magical island mentioned in tales that kept us mesmerised in our chairs. When adults were telling us stories, hoping to keep us busy and away from mischief, little they knew that as soon as the story came to an end, we had already created our own version of the adventures. Buckets of water were our ocean and broom sticks our swords, there was no wall too high to climb and our ultimate treasure hunt was to find the sweets meant for visitors that our parents hid away from us.

Back to life in Dar es Salaam, I think the historical background of the country seems to influence its present, it is still living in a sort of cocoon. While they are kind and welcoming to visitors, encouraging new investors seems not to be a priority.

A large tax payer told us that the constant increments of taxes and the ‘little flexibility’ of the Revenue authorities is pushing new investors to think twice before making a move.
I hope the future brings better news, having new blood in the economy has its advantages. In our world today there is no more room for vacillation.


The Monitor