Самая БОГАТАЯ страна, о которой ты НИКОГДА не слышал

On the south-eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula hides a country that most people couldn't find on a map. It is incredibly wealthy, ranks among the safest states on the planet, and behind it lies the history of a great maritime empire that once ruled the shores of an entire ocean. And yet the world knows almost nothing about it. This is Oman — perhaps the most underrated country in the whole of the Middle East. In this video we'll figure out what makes this quiet state so remarkable. Why is it Oman that holds the key to the Strait of Hormuz, through which around a fifth of all the world's seaborne oil passes? How did a country so tiny by today's standards manage to build an overseas empire stretching from Zanzibar to the shores of India? And is it true that just half a century ago slavery was legal here, and people were forbidden to wear sunglasses? You'll learn about green Dhofar, where every summer real rains fall in the middle of Arabia, about the fjords of Musandam — the "Norway of Arabia," about the ancient fortresses of Nizwa and Bahla, about frankincense that was once worth its weight in gold, and about how Sultan Qaboos transformed a backward country into a modern state within a single generation. Oman is a rare blend of wealth without glitter, safety, tolerance and deep authenticity. A peacemaker nation that is called the "Switzerland of the Middle East." Living proof that you can carry enormous weight in the world and still quietly go about your own business.