Musandam

Musandam مسندم
Governorate
The village Bukha on the Musandam peninsula
Musandam, Governorate of Oman
Country	Oman
Capital	Khasab
Area
• Total	1,800 km2 (700 sq mi)
Population (2010 census)
• Total	31,425
• Density	17/km2 (45/sq mi)

The Musandam Governorate (Arabic: محافظة مسندم‎‎ Muḥāfaẓat Musandam) is a governorate of Oman. It is located on the Musandam peninsula, which juts into the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entry into the Persian Gulf, from the Arabian Peninsula. The Governorate is an exclave, separated from the rest of Oman by the United Arab Emirates. Its location gives Oman partial control, shared with Iran, of the strategic strait. In the northern section of Musandam, around Kumzar, the language is Kumzari, which is a southwestern Iranian language closely related to Larestani and Luri. The Musandam Peninsula has an area of 1,800 square kilometers (695 sq mi) and a population of 31,425 people.

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.

Musandam Governorate consists of four provinces:

Khasab city is the regional centre of the Governorate.

The area has great strategic importance owing to its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz.

The administrative head of Governorate is the Muhafiz (محافظ; Governor). The current Muhafiz is HE Al-Sayyid Khalifa Bin Murdas Bin Ahmad Al-Busaidi (السید خلیفہ بن مرداس بن احمد البوسیدی).