Seeb

Landmarks include the Naseem Garden, the Royal Stables and Equestrian Centre, Royal Guard of Oman Technical College, Al Baraka Palace, Muscat International Airport and Markaz al Bahja.^[2]

History

The "Fort of Sibo" was located here. It complemented the defence of Muscat Square, which was one of its first and most important roles.^[3] It was part of a series of fortified cities that the Portuguese put up to control access to the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, like Khor Fakan, Muscat, Sohar, Seeb, Qurayyat and Muttrah. It has been demolished, at its former location today stands the Muscat International Airport. As-Seeb is known for being the venue in which the Treaty of Seeb agreement took place between the Imamate of Oman and the Sultanate of Muscat on 25 September 1920. This treaty divided Oman into two distinct regions, the hinterland and the coast, which were separated historically by the Hajar Mountains.^[4][5]

• 
  Portuguese Fortress of Seeb (Sibo). Livro das plantas de todas as fortalezas, cidades e povoaçoens do Estado da India Oriental / António Bocarro [1635].
• 
  Main cities, ports and routes of the

  Portuguese empire in the Persian Gulf in the 16th and 17th

  centuries

The province has many different district that are diverse in culture and nature, these include Al Khoudh, where Sultan Qaboos University is located, Al-Mabellah, Al-Hail, Ar-Rusail, Muscat Hills, and Wadi Lawami.^{[citation needed]}

Intelligence gathering

In June 2014 The Register disclosed that Seeb is the location of a "beyond top secret" GCHQ internet monitoring site.^[6]

Sports

Wadi Al-Khoudh is a Valley in Seeb which is a major tourist attraction for locals and foreigners, and it is located near Old Al-Khoudh Village in the state, The valley is most popular for off-road adventurers. The valley has a beautiful mixture of mesmerizing sights varying from clear water pools, green outcrops, and rock formations and is recommended for a picnic.[7]

Sultan Haitham City

In May 2023, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq inaugurated the new Sultan Haitham City that will be built on an area of approximately fifteen million square meters of undeveloped land in Seeb. The intention for the new city is to house 100,000 residents from Muscat's growing population^[8]. There will be nearly three million square meters of green spaces including a central park. The city will be organized into nineteen walkable neighborhoods with thirty-nine schools, eleven health facilities, and a university^[9]. Construction began in February 2024 and phase one is expected to be completed by 2030^[10].

Climate

Seeb has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) with very hot summers and warm winters. Precipitation is low, and falls mainly in the months from December to April.^[11]

References