Governorates of Oman

Oman is divided into 11 governorates (muhafazat), which are subdivided into 63 wilayats. The current structure dates from October 2011, when Al Batinah and Ash Sharqiyah were each split into North and South governorates.

The 11 governorates at a glance

Governorate	Capital	Wilayats	Approx. area (km²)	ISO code
Muscat	Muscat	6	3,500	OM-MA
Musandam	Khasab	4	1,800	OM-MU
Al Buraimi	Al Buraimi	3	7,460	OM-BU
Al Batinah North	Sohar	6	12,500 (both)	OM-BS
Al Batinah South	Rustaq	6		OM-BJ
Ad Dakhiliyah	Nizwa	9	31,900	OM-DA
Ad Dhahirah	Ibri	3	37,000	OM-ZA
Ash Sharqiyah North	Ibra	7	36,400 (both)	OM-SS
Ash Sharqiyah South	Sur	5		OM-SJ
Al Wusta	Haima	4	79,700	OM-WU
Dhofar	Salalah	10	99,300	OM-ZU
Oman	Muscat	63	≈309,500	OM

Areas are rounded and approximate: published figures differ between sources and editions, and the North/South splits of Al Batinah and Ash Sharqiyah are shown combined. For official statistics (area, population by wilayat) use Oman's National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Governorates by part of the country

North coast and Musandam

Muscat is the capital governorate and has the largest population. Al Batinah North (capital Sohar) and Al Batinah South (capital Rustaq) cover the fertile Batinah coastal plain between Muscat and the UAE border and the mountain wadis behind it. Musandam (capital Khasab) is the exclave on the Strait of Hormuz, separated from the mainland by UAE territory; it is the smallest governorate by area.

Interior

Ad Dakhiliyah (capital Nizwa) contains the heart of the Western Hajar — Jebel Akhdar, Jebel Shams, Bahla and Jabrin. Ad Dhahirah (capital Ibri) runs from the mountains out to the gravel plains and the Bronze Age sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn. Al Buraimi borders Al Ain in the UAE.

East, centre and south

Ash Sharqiyah North (capital Ibra) includes most of the Wahiba Sands and Wadi Bani Khalid; Ash Sharqiyah South (capital Sur) includes Wadi Shab, Ras al-Jinz and Masirah Island. Al Wusta (capital Haima) is the thinly populated centre: the Jiddat al-Harasis plateau and Duqm. Dhofar (capital Salalah) is the largest governorate, reaching from the monsoon-touched coast to the Empty Quarter.

Practical tips

• Governorates are administrative; for trip planning the natural regions of Oman are often more useful.
• The full list of the 63 wilayats, grouped by governorate, is on the wilayats of Oman page.
• Musandam can be reached by a domestic flight to Khasab or by road through the UAE (two border crossings).

Frequently asked questions