Title: The Relationship And Interaction Between Humans And The Natural Environment In The Omani Peninsula (The Case Of Bait Al-Qifl)
Authors: Huda Abdul Rahim Abdul Qader
Volume: 9
Issue: 11
Pages: 334-351
Publication Date: 2025/11/28
Abstract:
The Sultanate of Oman is characterized by its great environmental diversity, encompassing coasts, mountains, deserts, and valleys. This diversity forms a platform for human interaction with the natural environment, where humans both influence and are influenced by it. This research aims to analyze this interaction by examining how humans utilize resources, the obstacles they face, the resulting impacts, and how a balance can be achieved between development and environmental conservation. The Sultanate also boasts a unique biodiversity that encompasses plains, mountains, deserts, and seas. Under these conditions, the Omani people were able to adapt to the natural environment, as seen in the Musandam region, renowned for its rugged terrain and towering mountains. There, people adapted to their surroundings, focusing on the essentials of life, the first of which was suitable housing. They built homes in a harsh environment, where obtaining necessary materials was difficult. One such dwelling was the "Bayt al-Qifl" (lock house), which stands as a testament to the interaction between the Omani people and their natural environment. The Sultanate's efforts to facilitate interaction and adaptation to the natural environment and its challenging climatic conditions have not been limited to this. These efforts have included enacting a set of laws and regulations and establishing numerous institutions dedicated to this purpose. This interaction between people and the natural environment in Oman reveals a dynamic interplay that offers significant opportunities for development. However, it also presents serious challenges, such as resource depletion and the alteration of ecosystems. Therefore, sustainable development with respect for the environment is the only and best way to ensure a balanced future. This research presents an analytical study of the relationship and interaction between humans and the natural environment in the Omani Peninsula, using the traditional Omani fortified house (Bayt al-Qifl) as a case study. It focuses on four main areas: the natural and geographical environment of the Omani Peninsula; scientific theories of human-environment interaction; the Bayt al-Qifl (applications of human-environment interaction); and the sustainable development of the natural environment in Oman.