By the 6th century, Sur was an established centre for trade with East Africa. In the 16th century, it was under Portugueserule but was liberated by the Omani imam Nasir ibn Murshid and underwent an economic revival, as a trade centre withIndia and East Africa. This continued until the mid-19th century, when the British outlawed the slave trade. The city was further ruined by the opening of the Suez Canal, which saw it lose trade with India.
Sur was battered badly by Cyclone Gonu in June, 2007
