Time Zone |
Africa/Niamey |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+1 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Time Zone |
Asia/Muscat |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+4 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Diffa, the capital of the Diffa region in southeastern Niger, is located on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and shares a border with Nigeria, making it one of the most important border cities in Niger. The city is located in the lower Niger River basin around the climate of the tropical desert climate, hot and dry throughout the year, the average annual precipitation is less than 300 millimeters. The economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry, and the surrounding areas are rich in millet, sorghum and livestock. Diffa, as a regional trade center, undertakes the function of cross-border trade with neighboring countries, such as Nigeria, and is especially famous for the trade of livestock, agricultural products and handicrafts. The city is culturally diverse, with Hausa, Tuareg and Kanuri ethnic groups living in the area, and is unique in its crafts such as traditional leather weaving and silversmithing. Despite infrastructural challenges, Diffa remains an important economic and cultural node in the south-east of the Niger, thanks to its strategic location and rich cultural heritage.
Sur is a major coastal city in the Eastern Province of Oman, situated on the shores of the Gulf of Oman, and has been a hub of navigation and trade in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula since ancient times. The city is famous for its millennia-old shipbuilding industry, where the traditional single-hulled wooden sailing ship, the Bukhari, is still being crafted to support the ancient pearl trading network in the Indian Ocean. Strolling through the Old City of Sur, the mottled walls and scattered houses speak of the past, while the Sur Castle and the Pearl Museum vividly illustrate the history of the maritime civilization. Nowadays, Sur is not only an important fishing and port city in Oman, but also attracts tourists from all over the world to explore the beauty of Arabian tradition and modernity by virtue of its unique cultural charm and magnificent coastal scenery.