30 Fascinating Facts About Yemen

Yemen is an Arab country located in southwestern Asia. It sits on the edge of the Arabian Peninsula and borders Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Unlike many other Arab countries, Yemen is not very visited by tourists. The difficult political situation and the ongoing civil war in this country make it an inhospitable and dangerous place. However, the culture, art and history of Yemen, dating back thousands of years, make this country one of the most interesting in the entire Arabian Peninsula.

1. The capital of Yemen is Sana, which is considered one of the oldest cities in the world. The history of the city dates back to the first century AD, the oldest parts of Sana’a were inhabited more than 2.5 thousand years ago. To this day, many centuries-old monuments have been preserved in the city, including houses, baths and mosques built before the 11th century, earthen ramparts and gates built around the 7th century. The Old City of Sana’a is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

2. The country includes the Socotra archipelago, located about 350 kilometers from the coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Over 30% of the vegetation found on the islands is endemic, meaning that these species cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Due to its specificity, topography and biodiversity, this area is one of the most interesting for researchers of the development of life on Earth.

3. Yemen has access to two large bodies of water – the Arabian Sea (through the Gulf of Aden) and the Red Sea.

4. The oldest traces of civilization in present-day Yemen date back nearly 3,500 years. As early as the 12th century BC, the Minean cities were founded in the country, which later turned into the Kingdom of Saba, one of the most developed civilizations of the Arab states. Over the centuries, Yemen has been ruled by different rulers and empires – Abyssinians, Persians, Arabs and Turks.

5. The northern part of the territories of Yemen gained independence from Turkey in 1918. South Yemen was a British colony until 1967.

6. The official language of Yemen is Arabic.

7. Almost 30 million people live in Yemen. The vast majority of them (99%) profess Islam, predominantly the traditional variety of Sunnism. A few residents with Indian, African and European roots practice, for example, Hinduism and Christianity.

8. The flag of Yemen features three horizontal bands in the Pan-Arab colors: red, white and black.

9. Yemen is a very poor country, considered one of the worst developing countries in the world. Despite the large natural resources (eg, crude oil, natural gas, building materials, gems), most of society is engaged in agriculture in difficult, demanding and hostile terrain.

10. The “Oldest Skyscraper City” is in Yemen. This term is used to describe the archaeological site of Shibam, where the ancient city is located, which is 2,500 years old. The buildings were built of sun-baked bricks, and the tallest of them had up to 11 floors and reached a height of 30 meters. The entire historic city has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

11. Since 2005, fighting has been going on in Yemen between Shiites and Sunnis. Both groups support numerous African and Asian countries. In addition, the conflict includes the activities of large terrorist organizations – Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

12. The country’s highest peak is Jebel an Nabi Shuaib. This huge mountain is located near the capital of Yemen and has a height of 3666 meters above sea level.

13. On the Yemeni islands, you can see the “dragon tree” – a plant like dracaena. Outside the Socotra archipelago, this species grows almost exclusively in Madeira, the Canary Islands, Morocco and Cape Verde.

14. Unemployment in Yemen reaches 35%.

15. Ar-Rab al-Khali is located partly in Yemen, a vast sandy desert covering an area of 650,000 square kilometers. An interesting fact is that although the desert is much smaller than the African Sahara, it is the largest solid sandy area and is still covered with sand.

16. Most of Yemen has a tropical and very dry climate. Precipitation occurs here only in a few places. In winter, the temperature fluctuates between 18-25 degrees, and in summer it is very hot, and thermometers during the day often show temperatures around 50 degrees Celsius.

17. Almost all of Yemen is devoid of permanent rivers. In several places in the country there are valleys that periodically fill with water during heavy rains. The only permanent river that flows through Yemen is the Walid Dhabi, a 212 km long river that flows into the Red Sea.

18. The flora and fauna of Yemen is very poor, which is largely due to the harsh, unfavorable and hot climate and limited water resources. In Yemen, various types of palms, tamarinds and acacias mainly grow, as well as small steppe vegetation. Cheetahs, jackals, caracals, Arabian oryxes and gazelles live in the country, monitor lizards, geckos and horned vipers can also be found in semi-arid regions.

19. There are beautiful, picturesque reefs off the coast of the Red Sea. The entire reservoir is considered an excellent place for diving and admiring the underwater life.

20. The city of Aden recorded the lowest rainfall in the entire Eurasian continent. The average annual rainfall over the past 50 years has been less than 45 mm / 1 sq. km. m.

21. The official currency of Yemen is the Yemeni rial, which is worth approximately 0.36 Russian rubles.

22. A common practice among Yemenis is the chewing of khat, a herbal drug that induces euphoric states. It is estimated that up to 90% of Yemeni families depend heavily on the cultivation of edible khat.

23. The name “mocha” coffee comes from the name of the Yemeni town (Mocha), which in the 15th century became famous as a center for selling coffee from all over the world.

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24. Only 4% of the country’s territory is covered with forests.

25. The largest Yemeni island, Jazirat Kamaran, is a large oblong island located in the Red Sea. Here one of the highest average annual temperatures (29 degrees Celsius) is observed.

26. Drinking alcohol is prohibited in most of the country. An exception is the area around Aden, where the sale and consumption of low-grade liquor is permitted.

27. The Yemeni national dish is Salta, a meat stew with tomato sauce, garlic, spices and herbs, usually served with potatoes, eggs or rice.

28. One of the most mysterious places in this country is the “Hell Well”, which is located in the Yemeni desert. The huge hole has a diameter of 30 meters, and its depth, according to recent studies, reaches 112 meters. According to local folklore, this place is inhabited by sinister genies.

29. Persons with an Israeli visa in their passport are not allowed to enter Yemen.

30. Yemen is a very conservative country. Homosexual acts are illegal, and expressing feelings in public places is considered indecent, including by people of different sexes. During your stay in Yemen, you should avoid taking pictures of other people (especially women) and places considered sacred.