Source: TOI
Subject: Mapping
Context: Oman has been elected as a member of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Council for the 2025–2029 term during the 43rd UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand.
About Oman:
- What it is?
- Oman is a monarchy located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, known for its balance of traditional culture and rapid modernization under Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said.
- Capital: Muscat
- Neighbouring Countries: Bordered by United Arab Emirates (northwest), Saudi Arabia (west), and Yemen (southwest).
- Maritime boundaries with the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman.
- Geographical Features:
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- The Al-Hajar Mountains dominate the north, with Mount Shams (2,980 m) as the highest peak.
- The vast Rubʿ al-Khali (Empty Quarter) desert covers much of its interior, while fertile coastal plains like Al-Batinah and Dhofar support agriculture.
- Oman’s coastlines, monsoon-fed Dhofar region, and ancient falaj (irrigation) systems sustain its oasis-based settlements.
About UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Council:
- What it is?
- The Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme is UNESCO’s intergovernmental scientific initiative launched in 1971 to improve the relationship between humans and their environment.
- Aim: To promote biodiversity conservation, sustainable ecosystem management, and human–nature harmony through research, innovation, and education.
- Features:
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- Governed by the International Coordinating Council (MAB-ICC) composed of 34 Member States elected by UNESCO’s General Conference.
- Encourages scientific research, youth empowerment, and policy innovation to address climate change and sustainability challenges.
- Guided by the MAB Roadmap (2015–2025), with a new 2025–2035 roadmap to be adopted at the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves in Hangzhou, China (2025).
