Resident of the Arab world's oldest continuously independent state

OMANI

This Gulf nation’s name sounds like a shortened version of a famous Middle Eastern sea.

This clue points to someone from Oman, which holds the title of the Arab world’s oldest continuously independent state—a fact often highlighted in geography and history. The answer "OMANI" refers to a citizen of Oman, making it a straightforward definition with no wordplay or hidden tricks. If you know Oman’s long-standing sovereignty, the answer becomes clear right away.