Barka, Oman
Place in Al Batinah South Governorate, Oman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Barka (Arabic: بَرْكَاء, romanized: Barkāʾ) is a coastal city and Wilayah (Province) in the Al Batinah South Governorate in northern Oman. Bordered by the Sea of Oman and the Hajar Mountains in southern Batinah, Barka is about a half-hour drive from As-Seeb and roughly an hour's drive from Al-Khuwair and Ruwi.
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Barka
Barkāʾ (بَرْكَاء) Borca | |
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  Barka Location in Oman  Barka Barka (Middle East)  Barka Barka (West and Central Asia) | |
| Coordinates: 23°41′47.1″N 57°53′16.0″E | |
| Country |  Oman |
| Subdivision | Al Batinah South Governorate |
| Population (2017) | |
• Total | 130,000 |
| Time zone | UTC+4:00 United Arab Emirates Standard Time |
History
Barka was destroyed in 865 CE.[1] Mohammad Taqi Khan Shirazi led a military campaign in Oman in 1738, and unsuccessfully besieged Barka on 25 May.[2]
Construction on Barka Castle started under Saif bin Sultan and was completed during the reign of Ahmad bin Said al-Busaidi.[3]
Barka was seized by rebels at the outbreak of the Muscat rebellion, but were driven from the town by HMS Fox and HMS Dartmouth in 1914.[4]
Demographics
Barka has a community of Indian merchants in the 1910s.[5] A community of Al-Lawatia exist in Barka.[6]
Attractions
Nearby is Bait Na'aman (Nu'man), a four-towered fort of Imam Bil'arab bin Sultan of the 17th century, renovated in 1991.[7]
Economy
Al Bloushi, Al-Farsi, Al Zadjali, Al Habsi, Al Ajmi, Al Owaisi, Al Amri, Al Badri and Al Raisi tribes live here. The area is known for its agricultural beauty, fishing, and traditional pastimes like horse and camel racing, halwa making, and Omani-style bullfighting.[8]
A new quarter is now under construction in Sawadi, called the Blue City. The development is 8 km from Sawadi beach, and many international companies are involved in Barka development projects. There is an estimated $15 billion in new construction currently taking place here. Barka is the site of several power and water plants, including:
- The Barka 2 water and power plant, with generation capacity of 678 MW and desalination capacity of 26.4 million gallons of potable water per day.[9]
- The Barka 3 gas turbine power plant, with generation capacity of 744 MW, sponsored by Engie, Yonden and Sojitz.[10]
- A new 281,000 m³/d desalination plant is to be commissioned: Itochu, Degrémont and International Power were named preferred bidders in 2015.[11]