Wakan, Oman
{{short description|Village in Oman}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name =
| official_name = Wakan
| native_name = {{lang|ar|وكان}}
| native_name_lang = ar
| settlement_type = Village
| image_skyline = File:Village of Wakan, Oman.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = The village of Wakan overlooking Wadi Mistal
| pushpin_map = Oman
| pushpin_label_position = top
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Wakan in Oman
| pushpin_relief = yes
| coordinates = {{Coord|23|8|37|N|57|44|5|E|region:OM|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Oman}}
|subdivision_type1 = Governorate
|subdivision_name1 = Al-Batinah South
|subdivision_type2 = Wilayah
|subdivision_name2 = Nakhal
| area_footnotes =
| area_magnitude =
| area_land_km2 =
| area_metro_km2 =
| population_as_of = 2020
| population_density_km2 =
| population_density_sq_mi =
| timezone = GST
| utc_offset = +4
}}
Wakan, Wukan or Wekan{{cite web |title=Oman Tourism: Visit Picturesque Wekan |url=https://timesofoman.com/article/11221-oman-tourism-visit-picturesque-wekan |website=Times of Oman |access-date=27 December 2023 |language=en |date=14 June 2016 |archive-date=27 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227104846/https://timesofoman.com/article/11221-oman-tourism-visit-picturesque-wekan |url-status=live }} ({{langx|ar|وكان|wkān}}) is a village in the wilayah of Nakhal in Oman. It lies on the slopes of the Wadi Mistal mountains at an altitude of approximately {{convert|1500|m}} above sea level{{cite web |title=Oman Trekking Explorer |url=https://www.destinationoman.com/pdf/trekking+routs3.pdf |website=destinationoman.com |publisher=Minister of Tourism, Oman |access-date=27 December 2023 |date=2005 |archive-date=27 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227102146/https://www.destinationoman.com/pdf/trekking+routs3.pdf |url-status=live }}{{cite journal |last1=Al-Kalbani |first1=Basim |last2=Al-Yahyai |first2=Rashid |last3=Al-Sadi |first3=Abdullah |last4=Al-Mamari |first4=Al-Ghaliya |title=Distribution Of Pomegranates and Other Deciduous Fruit Crops in Omani Mountains |journal=Solid State Technology |date=30 July 2020 |volume=63 |issue=1 |pages=917–926 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353342490 |language=en |access-date=26 February 2024 |archive-date=27 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227081024/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353342490_Distribution_Of_Pomegranates_and_Other_Deciduous_Fruit_Crops_in_Omani_Mountains |url-status=live }}{{refn|group=nb|Several non-specialized sources report an altitude of 2000 m.}} in the Western Hajar Mountains, {{convert|140|km}} from Muscat and {{convert|56|km}} from Nakhal.
The village is known for its terraced gardens and orchards, where pomegranates, apricots, peaches and dates are grown. Unlike the majority of Oman, where the climate is hot and dry,{{cite web |title=World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal |website=Climate Change Knowledge Portal |url=https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/oman/climate-data-historical |access-date=16 February 2024 |archive-date=16 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216121101/https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/oman/climate-data-historical |url-status=live }} the village enjoys mild temperatures in summer and cold winters, thanks to its altitude and location.{{cite web |title=قرية " وكان " بوادي مستل مزار سياحي تجمع الطابع الجبلي والسهلي والتنوع الزراعي |url=https://www.omaninfo.om/topics/85/show/318457 |website=Oman Info |access-date=27 December 2023 |language=ar |archive-date=7 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107034125/https://www.omaninfo.om/topics/85/show/318457 |url-status=live }} A system of falaj runs through the village, carrying water from the top of the mountain to irrigate the fields.{{cite web |title=We Love Oman: Beckoning the season of apricots in Oman |url=https://cdn-3.timesofoman.com/article/128478-we-love-oman-beckoning-the-season-of-apricots-in-oman |website=Times of Oman |access-date=27 December 2023 |language=en |date=21 March 2023 |archive-date=27 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227085310/https://cdn-3.timesofoman.com/article/128478-we-love-oman-beckoning-the-season-of-apricots-in-oman |url-status=live }}
Farming and tourism are the main sources of income for its inhabitants.
Population
{{Historical populations
| title= Population census
| percentages = pdgr
| align = left
| footnote =
| 2003 |124
| 2010 |112
| 2020 |162
}}
As of 2020, the village counted 162 inhabitants. Of these, 135 were Omani nationals and 27 foreign residents (16.7%).
Tourism
Tourism contributes to the livelihoods of the village inhabitants. Tourists visit the village for its vantage point, offering views over the Wadi Mistal and the surrounding mountains, as well as for its terraced gardens. A walking trail of 700 steps starts at the entrance of the village and guides the visitors to the top through orchards and fields.{{cite web |title=We Love Oman: Terraced gardens of Wakan Village |url=https://timesofoman.com/article/123620-we-love-oman-terraced-gardens-of-wakan-village |website=Times of Oman |access-date=27 December 2023 |language=en |date=21 November 2022 |archive-date=27 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227085309/https://timesofoman.com/article/123620-we-love-oman-terraced-gardens-of-wakan-village |url-status=live }}
A tourist attraction is the apricot blossom season, from February{{cite book |title=The Rough Guide to Oman |date=1 October 2018 |publisher=Apa Publications |isbn=978-1-78919-507-1 |page=195 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3J6WDwAAQBAJ&dq=wekan%20oman&pg=PT195 |access-date=28 December 2023 |language=en |archive-date=27 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227081010/https://books.google.com/books?id=3J6WDwAAQBAJ&dq=wekan%20oman&pg=PT195#v=onepage&q=wekan%20oman&f=false |url-status=live }} to mid-March. The harvest season is usually in mid-April and lasts about two weeks.
The village is reached from the Nakhal-Awabi Highway 13, through Wadi Mistal on a graded road until the final ascent to the village, on a mountain road that requires a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Sport
The village is the starting point of two trekking routes:
- W24b: Wakan to Hadash ({{langx|ar|حدش}}) via Al Qawrah
- W25: Wakan to Hadash via the north flank of the Saiq Plateau
Wakan hosted the first edition of the Red Bull Titan of the Hill race, a downhill mountain biking and enduro competition, in 2017.{{cite web |title=Red Bull Titan Of The Hill makes event debut in Oman |url=https://timesofoman.com/article/107078/Oman/Mountain-biking-Titan-Of-The-Hill-held-in-Oman |website=Times of Oman |access-date=27 December 2023 |language=en |date=16 April 2017 |archive-date=27 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227113002/https://timesofoman.com/article/107078/Oman/Mountain-biking-Titan-Of-The-Hill-held-in-Oman |url-status=live }}
Notes
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