Yemen

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Quick Facts

[edit]

Capital

Sana'a

Population

19,350,000

Government

Republic

Religions

Islam (Sunni, Shi'a)

Languages

Arabic

Calling Code

+967

Nationality

Yemeni

Local name

Al Yaman

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Introduction

Dragons Blood trees

© All Rights Reserved Patrick H.

Shoved down south beneath Saudi Arabia, where it is only a stone's throw away from the African continent, Yemen is a unique Middle Eastern destination with an architectural style unlike any other. Buildings of up to five stories tall, made of mud, brick or stone are a strange sight, but this is where Yemenis live, along with their animals. In Shibam, a town along the Wadi Hadhramawt (a seasonal river), the 500-odd collection of traditional skyscrapers has an astoundingly American look, despite being several centuries old. Yemen's capital, San'a, is supposed to have been established by Shem, Noah's son. Maybe so. In any case, it is a charming, ancient city with busy marketplaces and pretty mosques.

Yemen bewitches every visitor who ventures there, a veritable treasure chest of old Arabian culture and history, fascinating countryside and hospitable people.

Unfortunately, travel to Yemen is at this time not particularly safe, so travellers should stay well aware of the political situation.

Brief History

Yemen is a land laden with history. For centuries, heavily laden caravans journeyed from easternmost parts of Yemen to the Mediterranean, carrying the treasured cargo of frankincense. Perhaps the most famous convoy ever to come from Yemen was the Queen of Sheba's, when she visited King Solomon of Israel - though Ethiopians insist that the land of Sheba was located in Ethiopia.

Throughout the generations, the people of Yemen have converted steep slopes in the western highlands into cultivable land with geometric clarity. This rugged region of Yemen was naturally well fortified against attack.

Geography

Yemen is divided into four geographic regions. The Tihama is the coastal plain that stretches along the coast. The Tihama opens onto the western highlands, a region that is remarkably reminiscent of Africa. This area receives the highest rainfall in Arabia and is heavily cultivated with bananas, papayas and lemons. Further east, the central highlands are a 2000 metre high plateau, where the country's capital Sana'a is located. Finally, the sandy desert of the Rub al Khali, the "Empty Quarter" intrudes into the south of the Arabian peninsula. Yemen shares international borders with Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Regions

• The Yemeni Coastal Plains are a flat, dry territory along the Arabian and Red Seas.
• The Yemeni Mountains rise steeply from the coastal plain.
• The Yemeni Highlands descend slowly from the mountains toward the desert
• The Empty Quarter is a desertous region inhabited by nomads
• The Red Sea Islands consist of over 100 small islands in the Red Sea
• Socotra is an island in the Arabian Sea

Cities

• Sana'a - In the heart of old town of Sana'a one can easily believe that time has stood still for centuries. Multi storied houses built from burnt clay tiles with alabaster windows and white chalked façades still adorn the old city. The tiny shops in the narrow winding streets of the souk are particularly worth checking out, as you can purchase beautiful jewellery unique aromatic spices.
• Taizz - A city in the south of Yemen, dominated by majestic mosques.
• Hodeidah - Yemen's fourth largest city and a good starting point for excursions around Tihama.
• Aden - A port city on the southcoast of Yemen.
• Ibb
• Sa'dah
• Shibam in the region of Hadramawt
• Mukalla
• Hudaydah

Sights and Activities

Historic town of Zabid

Zabid is one of Yemen's oldest towns, boasting a university that is as old as the eight century. Zabid's domestic and military architecture and its urban plan make it an outstanding archaeological and historical site. Besides being the capital of Yemen from the 13th to the 15th century, the city played an important role in the Arab and Muslim world for many centuries because of its Islamic university and therefore is placed on the Unesco World Heritage List.

Diving

Directly north of Hodeidah behind the Ras Isa peninsula are many small islands basking in turquoise coloured water, a paradise for divers.

Socotra Archipelago

The Socotra Archipelago is a group of four islands in the Indian Ocean, several hundred kilometres south of the Arabian peninsula.
Socotra is the largest of the four islands, with Abd al Kuri, Samhah and Darsa making up the three smaller islands. The archipelago is a territory of Yemen and is well-known for its remarkable biodiversity. Over 90 percent of the archipelago's reptile species and snail species are found nowhere else, and about 37 percent of its plant species are unique to the islands. Much of the islands' land area is occupied by national parks and nature sanctuaries, while it also harbours an abundant and diverse marine life, with hundreds of species of reef-building corals, fish and crab, lobster and shrimp.
The Socotra Archipelago was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2008.

Shibam

Shibam dates back to the 16th century and is called 'the Manhattan of the desert' and not without reason. The towns has some fine and impressive high rise buildings which tower above other buildings in the city. Shibam is surrounded by a fortified wall and is one of the best examples of historic urban planning in Yemen. Therefore it is placed on the Unesco World Heritage List as well.

Sana'a

Rock Palace

© All Rights Reserved kiwilara

The old city of Sana'a is located in the north of the country at an altitude of 2,200 m and has inhabited for more than 2,500 years. In the 7th and 8th centuries the city became a major centre for the propagation of Islam. There are many ancient buildings that witness this period, among which are 103 mosques and many hammams (bading and washing places) and thousand of houses built before the 11th century. It is on the Unesco World Heritage List as well and for further reading, check the Sana'a article.

Other sights and activities

• Mocha - an old port town best known for its popular strand of coffee, located on the Red Sea in Tihama.
• Marib - East of Sana'a lies the legendary town of Marib where the pillars of the ancient temple still stand to remind one of bygone glory.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Most of Yemen has a warm to hot climate, only in the higher parts in the nortwest are temperatures somewhat lower and thus more pleasant. Winters here are still mild though, only the highest tops can theoretically have a bit of snow, but that is rare. Part of Yemen contains the Rub al Khali desert, a large sandsea, where temperatures can hit 50 degrees in summer and winter nights can be very cold. This is generally also the driest part of the country.
Between the moutains/desert and the coastline is a fertile area with some more rain compared to many other parts of the country. On the southern coast rainfall is fairly low throughout the year, and most of the coastal area is (semi)desert. Temperatures and humidity are high throughout the year and the period from June to September is the most uncomfortable time, when maximum temperatures regularly rise to near 38 °C or more, with high humidity. Nights are sticky, just under 30 degrees Celcius. In winter, temperatures range between 22 at night and 28 during the day.
Also along the Red Sea coast the weather is hot and humid for most of the year. In this lowland the rainfall is rather low, averaging about 100mm and although sparce, there is no real distinct wet season, rain can fall in summer as well as winter.

Getting There

By Plane

Yemenia is the national airline of Yemen and is based at Sana'a International Airport (SAH). It operates surprisingly many flights and although they are mainly in the Middle East and a few destinations further in Asia like Kuala Lumpur, there are flights to and from Paris, London, Rome and Frankfurt as well. Johannesburg is another destinations of the airline. Other airlines serving Sana'a are mostly airlines of neighbouring countries, although Lufthansa flies to Frankfurt.
From Aden International Airport (ADE) Yemenia flies to countries in the region and to Rome. Few other airlines fly from here.

By Car

Borders with Saudi Arabia are closed to foreigners. To Oman, there are two main border crossings, both of which are open to foreigners and neither of which present any major problems. Transport from Sayun goes to the inland crossing at Makinat Shihan. The coastal route uses the Hawf crossing. On both routes, roads are brand new and in excellent condition and visas are available for most nationalities on the border with Oman.
Have your documentation and car insurance in order and be sure to have an international driving permit.

By Bus

There are two border crossings (see above) to and from Oman, both of which are possible to cross by public transport. You can enter Yemen by bus from the Dhofar region in the southwest of Oman. Buses leaves Salalah on a regular basis to the border and onwards to Sayun (16 hours), or to Al-Ghayda (9 hours), in both cases twice a week. Though it’s possible to make the same journey in a series of shorter hops it costs more time and money and there really isn't that much to see and do en route. In both directions, visas are available at the border for most nationalities.

By Boat

Although there is no fixed scheduled, there should be a couple of traditional dhow travelling between Mokha and Djibouti. It takes around 20 hours to cover this route. There might be boats available from Aden to Djibouti as well, but don't count on it.

Getting Around

Note: currently travelling outside Sana'a and its immediate environs, and this is only possible when travelling with a local or foreign travel agency! It is a temporary situation though, so things might have cleared up. Check the current situation.

By Plane

Yemenia has several domestic services, including Sana'a, Aden, Taiz and the island of Socotra.

By Train

There are no train services within Yemen.

By Car

Driving yourself is not really recommended in Yemen because of roads and driving skills both being in a poor condition, except a few nicely tarred roads between main cities. Hiring a car with a driver that doubles as a guide though is popular, affordable and a great way to explore the country. If you really want to drive yourself, bring an international driving permit and buy a temporary local one as well.

By Bus

Regular intercity buses linke most major cities and towns, including Aden, Sana'a and Taiz.
Shared taxis (usually 7 seater Peugeots) leave when full an cover routes to smaller regional towns as well. It is faster but about 50% more expensive than buses.

By Boat

There are no real useful passenger services in the country, but some local ferries might operate between local ports, or you might be able to hop on one of the local fishing boats or yachts. Remember that this area is very prone to attacks by pirates!

Red Tape

All nationals, except people from Iraq, Jordan and Syria, will require a visa to visit the country. More information about visas and processing at the nearest embassy or consulate.
Note that an Israeli passport stamp or any other proof of visiting the country will mean refusal of a visa or entering the country.

Money

See also Money Matters

Work

Study

Language

Arabic is the national language, with 5 different dialects spoken depending on the region. Other languages spoken in Yemen include Mehri with 70,643 speakers (2000 census), Soqotri with an estimated 43,000 speakers in the Socotra archipelago (2004 census) and Bathari (with an estimated total of only 200 speakers, including Oman).

From grade 7 onwards, foreign languages are taught in public schools although the quality in public schools is low. The private schools that use a British or American system teach English and produce proficient speakers, but Arabic is the dominant language of communication. Some private schools have also started teaching French. You will find less English speakers in Yemen than in nearby Arab countries like Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also Travel Health

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

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