A century-old choice created one of the Gulf’s oddest geopolitical features
The Gulf villages of Madha and Nahwa are a rare example of a double enclave
THE BUSIEST petrol station in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), one local jokes, is not in the UAE. Head south from Khor Fakkan, a town on the country’s east coast, and a right turn takes you across a near-invisible border (see map). There are no police posts or customs checks, only a small sign welcoming you to Oman—and queues at the filling station, where a litre of petrol goes for 62 cents. Across the street, and across the border, it costs 18% more.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Double bubble”
Middle East & Africa January 14th 2023
- After eight dismal years, Nigeria prepares to replace President Buhari
- Ethiopia’s war in Tigray has ended, but deep faultlines remain
- Kenya’s blood shortage and the kicking of an aid addiction
- Protests have subsided in Iran, but clerics cannot yet proclaim victory
- A century-old choice created one of the Gulf’s oddest geopolitical features
- The Arab world’s rulers have turned journalists into courtiers
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