Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located in Western Asia, on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coastline is formed by the Arabian Sea to the south and east, and the Gulf of Oman to the northeast. It also has two enclaves, the Musandam Peninsula, in the north of the United Arab Emirates, and Madha, in the east of the same country. Beginning in the 17th century, Oman had its own empire and disputes with Spain and the Netherlands for control over the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, Oman's influence or control extended across the Strait of Hormuz to Iran and what is now Pakistan. reaching south of Zanzibar. Its power declined during the 20th century and the sultanate came under heavy British influence, although Oman was never formally part of the British Empire or a British protectorate. Oman has strong military and political ties with the United Kingdom and the United States, although it maintains an independent foreign policy. Oman is an absolute monarchy in which the Sultan of Oman exercises absolute authority, but his parliament has some legislative and supervisory powers. In November 2010, the United Nations Development Program named Oman, among 135 countries in the world, as the country that has improved the most in the last 40 years. According to the 2010 international indices, Oman is one of the most developed and stable countries in the Arab world.... THE ROUTES ARE STILL IN PREPARATION