CONFIDENTIAL THE TRIBES OF THE TRUCIAL COAST STATES 1. Introduction The economic position of the Arabian nomad has been declining for a number of years, and in many parts of the Middle East the tribal organization both of the nomad and of the sedentary Arab has begun to disintegrate. This tendency therefore has been least marked in Eastern Arabia, and it is stil essential to any political appreciation of the Trucial Baroda States to have a wasingmanna knowledge of tribal organization, These notes are an attempt to bring up-to-date the information contained in Lorimer's Gazeteer, and to collate all the information at present available concerning tribal organization In the case of many of the tribes this information is still far from complete, and these notes are issued in the hope that those working in the area may be able to amend them and add to them. 2. The tribes of the Trucial Coast may be put into the two main categories of nomad and sedentary tribes. There has been a tendency over many years for some of the nomads to become assimilated, joining sedentary tribes. There has also been a tendency for nomad tribes to split into smaller groups which, while bearing the same name, continue their lives largely independent of one another. In many cases two tribes which bear the same name must now be regarded as separate; but if they have common origins, in times of stress this may have a bearing on their political reactions, Therefore in these notes an attempt has been made to indicate which tribes or sections of tribes are connected by origin. 3. All the tribes of Oman and the Trucial States are divided into two great factions, the Hinawiyah and Ghafiriyah. These two factions derive from the civil war in Oman of the early 18th century. In normal times them factions are of little importance, but in the event of trouble between any two tribes, other tribes of the same faction are likely to sympathize with 2/their
