Geography

Yemen lies along the southwestern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered on the east by Oman, on the north by Saudi Arabia, on the west by the Red Sea, and on the south by the Gulf of Aden. Yemen controls the Kamaran group of islands in the Red Sea, the large island of Socotra in the Arabian Sea, and other small nearby islands. Altogether, the country covers an area of about 214,300 square miles (555,000 square kilometers).

Yemen has three main physical regions. A narrow, sandy plain extends along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden coasts. Inland from the coastal plain is a central highland region with many high mountains. The mountain called An-Nabi Shu?ayb, which rises more than 12,000 feet (3,700 meters), is the highest point on the Arabian Peninsula. North of the highlands is a vast, sandy desert region.

The climate in Yemen varies with elevation. The desert and the coastal plain are hot and receive little rainfall. The highlands, however, have cooler temperatures and enough rainfall for farming. The highest mountains sometimes have frosts and snowfalls during the winter months.

Plants and animals

The climate largely determines which types of plants grow in the different parts of Yemen. The western highlands, which receive the most rain, have a variety of woody shrubs and trees. Most of southern and eastern Yemen, however, have little or no vegetation because of the dry climate. The only plants that grow in these areas are ones that need little water, such as thorny scrub and dwarf trees.

Yemen was once home to such large animals as panthers, lions, antelopes, rhinoceroses, and ostriches. Very few large animals still live in the country, however, because people destroyed their habitats while clearing the land for farming and grazing. The remaining wildlife includes baboons, hyenas, foxes, and rabbits. Among the birds of Yemen are hawks, vultures, and ravens. The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden support tuna, sharks, sardines, lobsters, and squid.

People and culture

Most of the people who live in Yemen are ethnic Arabs. They speak the language called Arabic and follow the religion of Islam. Small groups of Jews, Christians, and Hindus live in the country as well. Many people in the large cities speak English in addition to Arabic.

Most Yemenis live in villages and small towns along the coast or in the hills and mountains. A small part of the population is nomadic. This means that they travel from place to place rather than live in one town or city. The largest city in Yemen is Sanaa, the capital, which lies in the western highlands. Once the capital of North Yemen, Sanaa is known for its ancient architecture, markets, and mosques (Muslim houses of worship). The country's second-largest city is Aden, the former capital of South Yemen. Located on the southwestern coast, Aden has long been an important seaport.

Traditional Muslim customs are strictly followed in much of Yemen. For example, many Yemeni women wear long dresses and keep their head and hair covered with scarves or veils in public.

Economy

The discovery of oil in Yemen in the 1980s changed the country's economy. Although Yemen does not produce as much oil as neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia, the industry now accounts for almost all of the country's exports. Oil production has done little to change the traditional Yemeni way of life, however. About half of the people still work as farmers or herders. The main crops include sorghum, tomatoes, potatoes, grapes, oranges, and wheat. The two leading cash crops are coffee and qat. Most Yemenis chew the leaves of the qat plant, which produces a mild stimulating effect. Yemenis also raise sheep, goats, and cattle and catch fish off the coast.

Apart from oil refining, industry is little developed in Yemen. Factories produce and process foods, beverages, tobacco, chemicals, minerals, and paper. Traditional handicrafts, including woven cloths, leatherwork, and jewelry, are still made in some areas.

History

In ancient times the region that is now Yemen thrived as a Red Sea trading center. From the 12th century BC through the 6th century AD Yemen was ruled by kingdoms that controlled the spice trade between Africa and Asia. Spices such as frankincense and myrrh, which came from trees grown in the region, were highly valued in the ancient world. The spice trade made the kingdoms rich and powerful until new trade routes were established that bypassed the area.

In the 7th century the people of Yemen accepted Islam as their religion. After the rise of Islam, Muslim religious and political leaders called imams ruled much of Yemen. In the 9th century an imam founded the Zaydi Dynasty. Members of this ruling family continued to be part of the government of Yemen until the mid-20th century.

In the 16th century the Ottoman Empire took control of parts of Yemen, including the southern port of Aden. In the 17th century the Yemenis drove the Ottoman Turks out of Yemen. The Turks returned in the mid-19th century and established their rule over northern Yemen. Meanwhile, the British had captured Aden in 1839. The British expanded their rule in southern Yemen and made Aden a colony in 1937.