Soon after Vasco da Gama’s voyage around the Cape of Good Hope to India, the Portuguese arrived in Oman, occupying the region from 1507. The Portuguese fortified Muscat as used the town as a port from which to protect their trade routes to India.
Unhappy with how they felt the Portuguese were exploiting their presence in Oman, the powerful Al-Ya’ribi clan agreed to a treaty with the British East India Company to allow the British to have rights in their ports. This weakened Portuguese control in Oman, and on November 18th 1650, Imam Sultan Bin Saif led a rebellion that expelled the Portuguese from Oman and its ports.
The independence from Portugal in 1650 means that Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab world.
To mark the day, students sing the national anthem of Oman, known as-Salâm as-Solṭâni.
National Day events include parades, fireworks, camel races, an equestrian show, a marine festival and once every five years, a military show. The two-day holiday means that many Omanis will take the opportunity to return to their home villages which means that traffic levels on these days may be much heavier than usual.