Republics vs Sultanates

Republics vs Sultanates: A Comparison Between Lebanon and Oman

Home, for the past 18 years of my life, has been the Sultanate of Oman. Yet my identity has always been Lebanese. These two countries are, to say the very least, the two opposite ends of a spectrum; there is a hustle to the life in Lebanon, and specifically in its heart Beirut, that perhaps no other place can fully grasp and an enchanting quiet to Oman that is its very own. And while both are Middle Eastern countries, respectively possessing extensive histories as all Arab countries do, within their differences lies each’s individuality.

Geography:

Oman is a large country with a generous area of 309,500 square kilometers. The sultanate boasts one of the hottest climates in the world, and mostly consists of deserts and rocky mountain ranges.

                       

Yet, far along the south of Oman and 900 km away from the capital, Muscat, lies Salalah which is a coastal city with a tropical climate that is relatively cooler than other regions.

Lebanon on the other hand, has a limited area of 10,452 square kilometers. It enjoys a Mediterranean climate with long moderately hot and dry summers and shorter winters which tend to be cold and rainy. In addition, it can be snowy in certain regions with sufficiently high altitudes such as Faraya.

It is extremely geographically diverse country; Lebanon has a very narrow coast which spans along its length and rises into the Mount Lebanon range where most ski resorts are found. Another mountain range is the Anti-Lebanon range which separates Lebanon from Syria, and in between the two ranges lies the Bekaa plateau. This incredible diversity is one of the main reasons tourists flock to this country; there is so much that can be done within a short period of time.

Cultural History:

Omanis have been traditionally associated with the making of ships and sailing for so long; it could even be considered to be the staple which sets them apart from the rest of the cultures in the Arabian Peninsula. A lot of their cultural diversity could even be traced back to the fact that they have historically ruled regions of Eastern African coasts and have had large control over the Indian ocean and other waters over which the sultanate watches.

Lebanon, on the other hand, has a culture that is the by-product of the cultures of all the different civilisations that have either called it their homeland or conquered it out of desire for its strategic geographical location and the goods that it bore. Relics of the presence of Canaanites, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs amongst others remain to this day, their magnificence undeterred by the fact that time has left them as mere ruins. An example of this is the Temple of Jupiter which is found in Baalbek, the City of the Sun.

A link that is worth noting between the Phoenicians and the people of Oman is their unrivalled expertise in ship-making and sailing. Due to the uncanny fact that two coastal cities, one on an Omani coast and the other on a Lebanese one, share a single name, Sur, historians have long hypothesized that this was the work of the Phoenicians sailing from one city to its sister. In fact, some even believe that the Phoenicians were originally the people of Oman or vice versa.

Food:

One of the most traditional Omani dishes is Shuwaa, which according to custom is made on festivities like Eid in the presence of the extended family or even the whole village. Perhaps what is most unusual is the method in which it is cooked; the meat marinated in a date paste containing a wide variety of spices before being initially wrapped in banana tree leaves and then in aluminium foil. Then it is lowered into a pit dug in the ground that is filled with burning coal and wood and finally covered. A couple of days later the wrap will be unburied, and now tender, the meat will be served with white rice. A dessert that is also found at festivities and served with Omani coffee is halwa in all of its varieties; made out of ghee saffron, sugar and, occasionally, crushed nuts.

Lebanon’s diet is Mediterranean and therefore one of the healthiest around the world. It is highly dependent on olive oil, fish and vegetables. Amongst the most famous are regional favourites such as hummus, fattoush and tabbouleh. Yet, some remain strictly Lebanese regardless of the cultural mixing between Levant countries such as kibbeh nayyeh; which is made with raw meat and bulgur. The Lebanese have an unrivalled sweet tooth; knefeh, baklava and halewet jeben are some of the favourites.  

The differences between these two countries are perhaps too many to count, yet they both remain Arab countries that at the very minimum solidly share customs and traits such as generosity and hospitality, regardless of whether or not forcibly filling your guest’s plate with food is considered to be overbearing at times.