Al Buraimi

Al Buraimi is situated in Oman, between the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi) and Oman (Ad Dhahirah, Al Batinah). Its coordinates are 24°15′N 55°45′E.

Al Buraimi is the newest governorate of Oman which was split from the Ad Dhahirah region.

Until October, 2006, the area was part of Ad Dhahirah region. At this time, the new governorate was created from the wilayats Al Buraymi and Mahdah. A third wilayat, Al Sinaihah was created from parts of the two.

Geography:

The surrounding landscape of Buraimi differs vastly from that of Al Ain, consisting mainly of wide open gravel plains and sharp jutting rocks. Samr and Ghaf trees are fairly common on these gravel plains.

History:

Buraimi was part of Oman from early historical times from around 600 AD the Azd tribes of Oman occupied the area. Then Al Buraimi town was abandoned in the 700s. Al Nuaimi tribe, the original people of the town, ruled it rebuild it and ruled it in the 1800s to the 1950s. It had only two rulers, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al-Hamood Al Qurtasi Al Naimi, then Sheikh Saqer bin Sultan bin Mohamed Al Hamood Al Qurtasi Al Naimi. The late President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was born in Abu Dhabi but was brought to Al Ain by his mother, Shaikah Salaamah, following the assassination of his father, Sultan bin Zayed. Zayed was raised in a fortified house in the Muaiji district of Al Ain. Since 1761, Abu Dhabi had been ruled by sheikhs of the Al Abu Falah dynasty.

The community of Buraimi is probably best known as the result of an incident known as the "Buraimi Dispute", an episode that contributed to the confirmation of Zayed as the most astute leader in the region.

The Buraimi Dispute arose from Saudi Arabia's claim, first made in 1949, of sovereignty over a large part of Abu Dhabi territory where oil was suspected to be present and an area in a 20-mile circle around the centre of the Buraimi Oasis. The Saudis relied on historical precedent and tax records. Their claim was backed by the American oil company Aramco, which provided logistics and research to support Saudi Arabia. In 1952 a small group of Saudi Arabian guards led by the Saudi Emir of Ras Tanura, Turki bin Abdullah al Utaishan, crossed Abu Dhabi territory and occupied Hamasa, one of three Omani villages in the Oasis, claiming it as part of the eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The Sultan of Muscat and Imam of Oman gathered their forces to expel the Saudis but were persuaded by the British Government to exercise restraint.

A standstill agreement was implemented and, on 30 July 1954, it was agreed to refer the dispute to an international arbitration tribunal. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia embarked on a campaign of bribery to obtain declarations of tribal loyalty on which its case was based. This campaign even extended to Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahayan, brother of Sheikh Shakhbout, Ruler of Abu Dhabi whom he would later overthrow in 1966. Zayed reportedly turned down an offer of $20,000,000, a very large sum in those days. In 1955 arbitration proceedings began in Geneva only to collapse when the British abitrator, Sir Reader Bullard, objected to Saudi Arabian attempts to influence the tribunal and withdrew. A few weeks later, the Saudi party was forcibly ejected from Hamasa by the Trucial Oman Levies, a British-backed force based in Sharjah. Together with a few refugee sheikhs and their families, the Saudis were taken to Sharjah and dispatched to Saudi Arabia by sea. The dispute continued to rumble on for many years to come until settled in 1974 by an agreement, known as the Treaty of Jeddah, between Sheikh Zayed and King Faisal of Saudi Arabia.

Capital:

The town Al Buraymi is an oasis town in northeastern Oman, on the border of the United Arab Emirates. An adjacent city on the UAE's side of the border is Al Ain. For many decades there has been an open border between Al Buraimi located in Oman and Al Ain. Effective from 16 September 2006, this border has been relocated to an area around Hilli which is around 8 kilometers from the traditional open border. The traditional border near Al Ain city is now closed to all except to those with valid visas.

Buraimi is considerably smaller than the adjoining city of Al Ain and is visibly less affluent. Streets in Buraimi are not named and development could be considered "piece meal" with large villas often appearing some metres from the roads, and footpaths do not occur away from the main streets.

No coat of arms

You can get here from London by taking a plane from London-Heathrow Airport to Queen Alia International Airport then to Al Ain International Airport and then go by car to Al Buraimi.