Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
religious holiday that is celebrated there by some Shia Muslims and reportedly limited the hours that mosques were allowed to remain open, reassigned imams thought to espouse radical doctrine, and increased surveillance and detention of members of the insurgent group. According to the U.S. Department of State, Yemen’s government, in an effort to curb extremism and increase tolerance, monitors mosques for inflammatory sermons and threatening political statements and uses police and intelligence agencies to screen the activities of Islamic organizations tied to international organizations.
Education and Literacy: According to composite data compiled by the World Bank, the adult literacy rate for Yemen in 2005 was 35 percent for females and 73 percent for males. The overall literacy rate for the population age 15 and older was 54 percent. By comparison, low-income countries in the aggregate average an adult literacy rate of almost 62 percent.
There is a direct correlation between the very high rate of illiteracy and the lack of basic education. Although Yemen’s laws provide for universal, compulsory, free education for children ages six through 15, the U.S. Department of State reports that compulsory attendance is not enforced, and the cost of attendance (approximately US$10 per student per year) is an additional deterrent. This deficiency is confirmed by World Bank statistics. In 2006 only 75 percent of Yemen’s school-age population was enrolled in primary school; enrollment was even lower for the female population—only 65 percent. In that same year, only 37 percent of the school-age population was enrolled in secondary school, including only 26 percent of eligible females. These low enrollment numbers are in turn a reflection of the countrywide shortage of the requisite infrastructure. School facilities and educational materials are of poor quality, classrooms are too few in number, and the teaching faculty is inadequate. In September 2004, the World Bank approved a US$121 million, six-year project to improve the quality of basic education (grades one through nine). Under this program, classroom facilities will be expanded and upgraded, curricula and educational materials improved, and the Ministry of Education’s capacity to implement new programs and resources strengthened. In March 2008, the World Bank approved a US$103 million, seven-year project to improve gender equity, and the quality and efficiency of secondary education, focusing on girls in rural areas. This program, a major goal of which is to improve teaching and learning practices in the classroom, will upgrade school facilities and provide learning equipment as well as school community grants. Yemen’s government has in recent years increased spending on education—from 4.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 1995 to 9.6 percent of GDP in 2005.
Health: Despite the significant progress Yemen has made to expand and improve its health care system over the past decade, the system remains severely underdeveloped. Total expenditures on health care in 2004 constituted 5 percent of gross domestic product. In that same year, the per capita expenditure for health care was very low compared with other Middle Eastern countries— US$34 according to the World Health Organization. According to the World Bank, the number of doctors in Yemen rose by an average of more than 7 percent between 1995 and 2000, but as of 2004 there were still only three doctors per 10,000 persons. In 2005 Yemen had only 6.1 hospital beds available per 10,000 persons.
Health care services are particularly scarce in rural areas; only 25 percent of rural areas are covered by health services, compared with 80 percent of urban areas. Emergency services, such
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Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile:
religious holiday that is celebrated there by some Shia Muslims and reportedly limited the hours that mosques were allowed to remain open, reassigned imams thought to espouse radical doctrine, and increased surveillance and detention of members of the insurgent group. According to the U.S. Department of State, Yemen’s government, in an effort to curb extremism and increase tolerance, monitors mosques for inflammatory sermons and threatening political statements and uses police and intelligence agencies to screen the activities of Islamic organizations tied to international organizations.
Education and Literacy: According to composite data compiled by the World Bank, the adult literacy rate for Yemen in 2005 was 35 percent for females and 73 percent for males. The overall literacy rate for the population age 15 and older was 54 percent. By comparison, low-income countries in the aggregate average an adult literacy rate of almost 62 percent.
There is a direct correlation between the very high rate of illiteracy and the lack of basic education. Although Yemen’s laws provide for universal, compulsory, free education for children ages six through 15, the U.S. Department of State reports that compulsory attendance is not enforced, and the cost of attendance (approximately US$10 per student per year) is an additional deterrent. This deficiency is confirmed by World Bank statistics. In 2006 only 75 percent of Yemen’s school-age population was enrolled in primary school; enrollment was even lower for the female population—only 65 percent. In that same year, only 37 percent of the school-age population was enrolled in secondary school, including only 26 percent of eligible females. These low enrollment numbers are in turn a reflection of the countrywide shortage of the requisite infrastructure. School facilities and educational materials are of poor quality, classrooms are too few in number, and the teaching faculty is inadequate. In September 2004, the World Bank approved a US$121 million, six-year project to improve the quality of basic education (grades one through nine). Under this program, classroom facilities will be expanded and upgraded, curricula and educational materials improved, and the Ministry of Education’s capacity to implement new programs and resources strengthened. In March 2008, the World Bank approved a US$103 million, seven-year project to improve gender equity, and the quality and efficiency of secondary education, focusing on girls in rural areas. This program, a major goal of which is to improve teaching and learning practices in the classroom, will upgrade school facilities and provide learning equipment as well as school community grants. Yemen’s government has in recent years increased spending on education—from 4.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 1995 to 9.6 percent of GDP in 2005.
Health: Despite the significant progress Yemen has made to expand and improve its health care system over the past decade, the system remains severely underdeveloped. Total expenditures on health care in 2004 constituted 5 percent of gross domestic product. In that same year, the per capita expenditure for health care was very low compared with other Middle Eastern countries— US$34 according to the World Health Organization. According to the World Bank, the number of doctors in Yemen rose by an average of more than 7 percent between 1995 and 2000, but as of 2004 there were still only three doctors per 10,000 persons. In 2005 Yemen had only 6.1 hospital beds available per 10,000 persons.
Health care services are particularly scarce in rural areas; only 25 percent of rural areas are covered by health services, compared with 80 percent of urban areas. Emergency services, such
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Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile:
Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
Peninsula. Adding to the growth of the native population is the influx of Somali refugees into Yemen—tens of thousands every year. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, there were almost 96,000 African refugees in Yemen in 2006, including more than 91,000 Somalis. The Yemen government estimated 300,000 Somalis in Yemen in 2007. According to the United Nations, Yemen’s population in 2005 was 27.3 percent urban and 73.7 percent rural; population density was 40 persons per square kilometer.
Demography: Yemen’s population is predominantly young. According to U.S. government and United Nations estimates, in 2007 about 46 percent of the population was under age 15; slightly more than half the population, 15–64; and less than 3 percent, 65 and older. The population was almost equally divided between males and females. In 2007 the birthrate and death rate were estimated to be 42.7 per 1,000 and 8.1 per 1,000, respectively. The infant mortality rate was almost 58 deaths per 1,000 live births. The rate was estimated to be higher for males than for females—more than 62 male deaths per 1,000 live births, as compared with about 53 female deaths per 1,000 live births. Despite an increase of 14 years in the last decade, life expectancy at birth in Yemen has remained low compared with other developing countries— 60.6 years for males and 64.5 years for females, or 62.5 years overall. The country’s fertility rate was almost
6.5 children per woman in 2007.
Ethnic Groups and Languages: Yemen’s population is predominantly Arab, but it also includes Afro-Arabs, South Asians, and Europeans. Arabic is the official language; English is also used in official and business circles.
Religion: Virtually all of Yemen’s citizens are Muslims; approximately 30 percent belong to the Zaydi sect of Shia Islam, and about 70 percent follow the Shafii school of Sunni Islam. A few thousand Ismaili Muslims, who adhere to Shia Islam, live in northern Yemen. Fewer than 500 Jews (a fraction of the former population) also live in the northern part of the country.
Yemen’s constitution declares that Islam is the state religion and that the president of the republic must “practice his Islamic duties.” The constitution also provides for freedom of religion, which the government generally respects but with limitations. The government prohibits the conversion and proselytizing of Muslims, requires permission for the construction of new places of worship, and permits non-Muslims to vote but not to hold elected office. Public schools provide instruction in Islam but not in other religions, although Muslim citizens are allowed to attend private schools that do not teach Islam. In an effort to curb ideological and religious extremism in schools, the government does not permit any courses outside of the officially approved curriculum to be taught in private and national schools. Because the government is concerned that unlicensed religious schools deviate from formal educational requirements and promote militant ideology, it has closed more than 4,500 of these institutions and deported foreign students studying there.
The free practice of religion has met with some government opposition. In 2004 the government used military force to quell an armed insurgency led by a Shia cleric in the northern governorate of Sadah. In March 2007, the government abolished the al-Haq political party, whose members are linked to this insurgency movement, citing the party’s failure to meet political party law requirements. In early 2007, for the third year, the government banned the observance of a
6
Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
religious holiday that is celebrated there by some Shia Muslims and reportedly limited the hours that mosques were allowed to remain open, reassigned imams thought to espouse
Peninsula. Adding to the growth of the native population is the influx of Somali refugees into Yemen—tens of thousands every year. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, there were almost 96,000 African refugees in Yemen in 2006, including more than 91,000 Somalis. The Yemen government estimated 300,000 Somalis in Yemen in 2007. According to the United Nations, Yemen’s population in 2005 was 27.3 percent urban and 73.7 percent rural; population density was 40 persons per square kilometer.
Demography: Yemen’s population is predominantly young. According to U.S. government and United Nations estimates, in 2007 about 46 percent of the population was under age 15; slightly more than half the population, 15–64; and less than 3 percent, 65 and older. The population was almost equally divided between males and females. In 2007 the birthrate and death rate were estimated to be 42.7 per 1,000 and 8.1 per 1,000, respectively. The infant mortality rate was almost 58 deaths per 1,000 live births. The rate was estimated to be higher for males than for females—more than 62 male deaths per 1,000 live births, as compared with about 53 female deaths per 1,000 live births. Despite an increase of 14 years in the last decade, life expectancy at birth in Yemen has remained low compared with other developing countries— 60.6 years for males and 64.5 years for females, or 62.5 years overall. The country’s fertility rate was almost
6.5 children per woman in 2007.
Ethnic Groups and Languages: Yemen’s population is predominantly Arab, but it also includes Afro-Arabs, South Asians, and Europeans. Arabic is the official language; English is also used in official and business circles.
Religion: Virtually all of Yemen’s citizens are Muslims; approximately 30 percent belong to the Zaydi sect of Shia Islam, and about 70 percent follow the Shafii school of Sunni Islam. A few thousand Ismaili Muslims, who adhere to Shia Islam, live in northern Yemen. Fewer than 500 Jews (a fraction of the former population) also live in the northern part of the country.
Yemen’s constitution declares that Islam is the state religion and that the president of the republic must “practice his Islamic duties.” The constitution also provides for freedom of religion, which the government generally respects but with limitations. The government prohibits the conversion and proselytizing of Muslims, requires permission for the construction of new places of worship, and permits non-Muslims to vote but not to hold elected office. Public schools provide instruction in Islam but not in other religions, although Muslim citizens are allowed to attend private schools that do not teach Islam. In an effort to curb ideological and religious extremism in schools, the government does not permit any courses outside of the officially approved curriculum to be taught in private and national schools. Because the government is concerned that unlicensed religious schools deviate from formal educational requirements and promote militant ideology, it has closed more than 4,500 of these institutions and deported foreign students studying there.
The free practice of religion has met with some government opposition. In 2004 the government used military force to quell an armed insurgency led by a Shia cleric in the northern governorate of Sadah. In March 2007, the government abolished the al-Haq political party, whose members are linked to this insurgency movement, citing the party’s failure to meet political party law requirements. In early 2007, for the third year, the government banned the observance of a
6
Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
religious holiday that is celebrated there by some Shia Muslims and reportedly limited the hours that mosques were allowed to remain open, reassigned imams thought to espouse
Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
Shuayb, which is 3,760 meters above sea level. The highland regions are interspersed with wadis, or river valleys, that are dry in the summer months. Most notable is the Wadi Hadhramaut in eastern Yemen, the upper portions of which contain alluvial soil and floodwaters and the lower portion of which is barren and largely uninhabited. Both the eastern plateau region and the desert in the north are hot and dry with little vegetation.
Principal Rivers: Yemen has no permanent rivers.
Climate: Temperatures are generally very high in Yemen, particularly in the coastal regions. Rainfall is limited, with variations based on elevation. The highlands enjoy a temperate, rainy summer with an average high temperature of 21° C and a cool, moderately dry winter with temperatures occasionally dipping below 4° C. The climate of the Tihamah (western coastal plain) is tropical; temperatures occasionally exceed 54° C, and the humidity ranges from 50 to 70 percent. Rainfall, which comes in irregular heavy torrents, averages 130 millimeters annually. In Aden the average temperature is 25° C in January and 32° C in June, but with highs often exceeding 37° C. Average annual rainfall is 127 millimeters. The highest mountainous areas of southern Yemen receive from 520 to 760 millimeters of rain a year. It is not uncommon for the northern and eastern sections of the country to receive no rain for five years or more. The Wadi Hadhramaut in the eastern part of Yemen is arid and hot, and the humidity ranges from 35 percent in June to 64 percent in January.
Natural Resources: Yemen’s principal natural resources are oil and natural gas as well as agriculturally productive land in the west. Other natural resources include fish and seafood, rock salt, marble, and minor deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper.
Land Use: Only 2.9 percent of Yemen is considered to be arable land, and less than 0.3 percent of the land is planted with permanent crops. About 5,500 square kilometers of land are irrigated. According to the United Nations, Yemen has 19,550 square kilometers of forest and other wooded land, which constitutes almost 4 percent of total land area.
Environmental Factors: Yemen is subject to sandstorms and dust storms, resulting in soil erosion and crop damage. The country has very limited natural freshwater and consequently inadequate supplies of potable water. Desertification (land degradation caused by aridity) and overgrazing are also problems.
Time Zone: Yemen is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
SOCIETY
Population: Yemen’s latest census, conducted in December 2004, reported a population of
19.72 million persons, reflecting an average annual population growth rate of more than 3 percent. The U.S. government has estimated a population of 22.2 million persons as of July 2007, and the International Monetary Fund estimated almost 21 million persons in 2005. Yemen’s population has more than doubled since 1975 and has grown approximately 35 percent since the 1994 census, making Yemen the second most populous country on the Arabian
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Shuayb, which is 3,760 meters above sea level. The highland regions are interspersed with wadis, or river valleys, that are dry in the summer months. Most notable is the Wadi Hadhramaut in eastern Yemen, the upper portions of which contain alluvial soil and floodwaters and the lower portion of which is barren and largely uninhabited. Both the eastern plateau region and the desert in the north are hot and dry with little vegetation.
Principal Rivers: Yemen has no permanent rivers.
Climate: Temperatures are generally very high in Yemen, particularly in the coastal regions. Rainfall is limited, with variations based on elevation. The highlands enjoy a temperate, rainy summer with an average high temperature of 21° C and a cool, moderately dry winter with temperatures occasionally dipping below 4° C. The climate of the Tihamah (western coastal plain) is tropical; temperatures occasionally exceed 54° C, and the humidity ranges from 50 to 70 percent. Rainfall, which comes in irregular heavy torrents, averages 130 millimeters annually. In Aden the average temperature is 25° C in January and 32° C in June, but with highs often exceeding 37° C. Average annual rainfall is 127 millimeters. The highest mountainous areas of southern Yemen receive from 520 to 760 millimeters of rain a year. It is not uncommon for the northern and eastern sections of the country to receive no rain for five years or more. The Wadi Hadhramaut in the eastern part of Yemen is arid and hot, and the humidity ranges from 35 percent in June to 64 percent in January.
Natural Resources: Yemen’s principal natural resources are oil and natural gas as well as agriculturally productive land in the west. Other natural resources include fish and seafood, rock salt, marble, and minor deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper.
Land Use: Only 2.9 percent of Yemen is considered to be arable land, and less than 0.3 percent of the land is planted with permanent crops. About 5,500 square kilometers of land are irrigated. According to the United Nations, Yemen has 19,550 square kilometers of forest and other wooded land, which constitutes almost 4 percent of total land area.
Environmental Factors: Yemen is subject to sandstorms and dust storms, resulting in soil erosion and crop damage. The country has very limited natural freshwater and consequently inadequate supplies of potable water. Desertification (land degradation caused by aridity) and overgrazing are also problems.
Time Zone: Yemen is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
SOCIETY
Population: Yemen’s latest census, conducted in December 2004, reported a population of
19.72 million persons, reflecting an average annual population growth rate of more than 3 percent. The U.S. government has estimated a population of 22.2 million persons as of July 2007, and the International Monetary Fund estimated almost 21 million persons in 2005. Yemen’s population has more than doubled since 1975 and has grown approximately 35 percent since the 1994 census, making Yemen the second most populous country on the Arabian
5
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Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
2007, he announced comprehensive political reforms, some of which will not take effect until he is no longer in power, calling into question the prospects for implementation. The September 2006 elections for local and governorate council seats, as well as the May 2008 elections for governorate governors have left power largely in the hands of the ruling GPC.
GEOGRAPHY
Location: Yemen is located in the Middle East at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula between Oman and Saudi Arabia. It is situated at the entrance to the Bab el Mandeb strait, which links the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean (via the Gulf of Aden) and is Click to Enlarge Image one of the most active and strategic shipping lanes in the world.
Size: Yemen has an area of 527,970 square kilometers, including the islands of Perim at the southern end of the Red Sea and Socotra at the entrance to the Gulf of Aden.
Land Boundaries: Yemen’s land boundaries total 1,746 kilometers. Yemen borders Saudi Arabia to the north (1,458 kilometers) and Oman to the northeast (288 kilometers).
Disputed Territory: A long-standing dispute between Saudi Arabia and Yemen was resolved in June 2000 with the signing of the Treaty of Jiddah. This agreement provides coordinates for use in delineating the land and maritime border, including the section in the eastern desert region of Yemen that potentially contains significant amounts of oil. Friction between the two countries in recent years over security of the borders appears to have been alleviated by the establishment of joint border patrols. However, in early 2008 Saudi Arabia reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the border in order to stem illegal cross-border activities.
Following years of dispute between Yemen and Eritrea over ownership of the Hanish Islands and fishing rights in the Red Sea, in 1999 an international arbitration panel awarded sovereignty of the islands to Yemen. In 2002 Yemen established an economic and security link with Sudan and Ethiopia; because all three countries have been involved in disputes with Eritrea, the alliance has caused renewed tensions in the region.
Length of Coastline: Yemen has 1,906 kilometers of coastline along the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea.
Maritime Claims: Yemen claims a territorial sea of 12 nautical miles, a contiguous zone of 24 nautical miles, an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles, and a continental shelf of 200 nautical miles or to the edge of the continental margin.
Topography: Yemen occupies the southern end of the Arabian Plateau. The country’s mountainous interior is surrounded by narrow coastal plains to the west, south, and east and by upland desert to the north along the border with Saudi Arabia. The Tihamah is a nearly 419kilometer-long, semidesert coastal plain that runs along the Red Sea. The interior mountains have elevations ranging from a few hundred meters to the country’s highest point, Jabal an Nabi
4
Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
Shuayb, which is 3,760 meters above sea level. The highland regions are interspersed with wadis, or river valleys, that are dry in the summer months. Most notable is the Wadi Hadhramaut in eastern Yemen, the upper portions of which contain alluvial soil and floodwaters and the lower portion of which is barren and largely uninhabited. Both the eastern plateau region and the desert in the north are hot and dry with little vegetation.
Principal Rivers: Yemen has no permanent rivers.
Climate: Temperatures are generally very high in Yemen, particularly in the coastal regions. Rainfall is limited, with variations based on elevation. The highlands enjoy a temperate, rainy summer with an average high temperature of 21° C and a cool, moderately dry winter with temperatures occasionally dipping below 4° C. The climate of the Tihamah (western coastal plain) is tropical; temperatures occasionally exceed 54° C, and the humidity ranges from 50 to 70 percent. Rainfall, which comes in irregular heavy torrents, averages 130 millimeters annually. In Aden the average temperature is 25° C in January and 32° C in June, but with highs often exceeding 37° C. Average annual rainfall is 127 millimeters. The highest mountainous areas of southern Yemen receive from 520 to 760 millimeters of rain a year. It is not uncommon for the northern and eastern sections of the country to receive no rain for five years or more. The Wadi Hadhramaut in the eastern part of Yemen is arid and hot, and the humidity ranges from 35 percent in June to 64 percent in January.
Natural Resources: Yemen’s principal natural resources are oil and natural gas as well as agriculturally productive land in the west. Other natural resources include fish and seafood, rock salt, marble, and minor deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper.
Land Use: Only 2.9 percent of Yemen is considered to be arable land, and less than 0.3 percent of the land is planted with permanent crops. About 5,500 square kilometers of land are irrigated. According to the United Nations, Yemen has 19,550 square kilometers of forest and other wooded land, which constitutes almost 4 percent of total land area.
Environmental Factors: Yemen is subject to sandstorms and dust storms, resulting in soil erosion and crop damage. The country has very limited natural freshwater and consequently inadequate supplies of potable water. Desertification (land degradation caused by aridity) and overgrazing are also problems.
Time Zone: Yemen is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
SOCIETY
Population: Yemen’s latest census, conducted in December 2004, reported a population of
19.72 million persons, reflecting an average annual population growth rate of more than 3 percent. The U.S. government has estimated a population of 22.2 million persons as of July 2007, and the International Monetary Fund estimated almost 21 million persons in 2005. Yemen’s population has more than doubled since 1975 and has grown approximately 35 percent since the 1994 census, making Yemen the second most populous country on the Arabian
5
2007, he announced comprehensive political reforms, some of which will not take effect until he is no longer in power, calling into question the prospects for implementation. The September 2006 elections for local and governorate council seats, as well as the May 2008 elections for governorate governors have left power largely in the hands of the ruling GPC.
GEOGRAPHY
Location: Yemen is located in the Middle East at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula between Oman and Saudi Arabia. It is situated at the entrance to the Bab el Mandeb strait, which links the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean (via the Gulf of Aden) and is Click to Enlarge Image one of the most active and strategic shipping lanes in the world.
Size: Yemen has an area of 527,970 square kilometers, including the islands of Perim at the southern end of the Red Sea and Socotra at the entrance to the Gulf of Aden.
Land Boundaries: Yemen’s land boundaries total 1,746 kilometers. Yemen borders Saudi Arabia to the north (1,458 kilometers) and Oman to the northeast (288 kilometers).
Disputed Territory: A long-standing dispute between Saudi Arabia and Yemen was resolved in June 2000 with the signing of the Treaty of Jiddah. This agreement provides coordinates for use in delineating the land and maritime border, including the section in the eastern desert region of Yemen that potentially contains significant amounts of oil. Friction between the two countries in recent years over security of the borders appears to have been alleviated by the establishment of joint border patrols. However, in early 2008 Saudi Arabia reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the border in order to stem illegal cross-border activities.
Following years of dispute between Yemen and Eritrea over ownership of the Hanish Islands and fishing rights in the Red Sea, in 1999 an international arbitration panel awarded sovereignty of the islands to Yemen. In 2002 Yemen established an economic and security link with Sudan and Ethiopia; because all three countries have been involved in disputes with Eritrea, the alliance has caused renewed tensions in the region.
Length of Coastline: Yemen has 1,906 kilometers of coastline along the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea.
Maritime Claims: Yemen claims a territorial sea of 12 nautical miles, a contiguous zone of 24 nautical miles, an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles, and a continental shelf of 200 nautical miles or to the edge of the continental margin.
Topography: Yemen occupies the southern end of the Arabian Plateau. The country’s mountainous interior is surrounded by narrow coastal plains to the west, south, and east and by upland desert to the north along the border with Saudi Arabia. The Tihamah is a nearly 419kilometer-long, semidesert coastal plain that runs along the Red Sea. The interior mountains have elevations ranging from a few hundred meters to the country’s highest point, Jabal an Nabi
4
Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
Shuayb, which is 3,760 meters above sea level. The highland regions are interspersed with wadis, or river valleys, that are dry in the summer months. Most notable is the Wadi Hadhramaut in eastern Yemen, the upper portions of which contain alluvial soil and floodwaters and the lower portion of which is barren and largely uninhabited. Both the eastern plateau region and the desert in the north are hot and dry with little vegetation.
Principal Rivers: Yemen has no permanent rivers.
Climate: Temperatures are generally very high in Yemen, particularly in the coastal regions. Rainfall is limited, with variations based on elevation. The highlands enjoy a temperate, rainy summer with an average high temperature of 21° C and a cool, moderately dry winter with temperatures occasionally dipping below 4° C. The climate of the Tihamah (western coastal plain) is tropical; temperatures occasionally exceed 54° C, and the humidity ranges from 50 to 70 percent. Rainfall, which comes in irregular heavy torrents, averages 130 millimeters annually. In Aden the average temperature is 25° C in January and 32° C in June, but with highs often exceeding 37° C. Average annual rainfall is 127 millimeters. The highest mountainous areas of southern Yemen receive from 520 to 760 millimeters of rain a year. It is not uncommon for the northern and eastern sections of the country to receive no rain for five years or more. The Wadi Hadhramaut in the eastern part of Yemen is arid and hot, and the humidity ranges from 35 percent in June to 64 percent in January.
Natural Resources: Yemen’s principal natural resources are oil and natural gas as well as agriculturally productive land in the west. Other natural resources include fish and seafood, rock salt, marble, and minor deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper.
Land Use: Only 2.9 percent of Yemen is considered to be arable land, and less than 0.3 percent of the land is planted with permanent crops. About 5,500 square kilometers of land are irrigated. According to the United Nations, Yemen has 19,550 square kilometers of forest and other wooded land, which constitutes almost 4 percent of total land area.
Environmental Factors: Yemen is subject to sandstorms and dust storms, resulting in soil erosion and crop damage. The country has very limited natural freshwater and consequently inadequate supplies of potable water. Desertification (land degradation caused by aridity) and overgrazing are also problems.
Time Zone: Yemen is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
SOCIETY
Population: Yemen’s latest census, conducted in December 2004, reported a population of
19.72 million persons, reflecting an average annual population growth rate of more than 3 percent. The U.S. government has estimated a population of 22.2 million persons as of July 2007, and the International Monetary Fund estimated almost 21 million persons in 2005. Yemen’s population has more than doubled since 1975 and has grown approximately 35 percent since the 1994 census, making Yemen the second most populous country on the Arabian
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Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
in the Yemen Socialist Party (YSP). More than a month of violence between Muhammad and Ismail’s supporters resulted in Muhammad’s ouster and Ismail’s death. In February 1986, former prime minister Haydar Abu Bakr al Attas was named president of a newly formed PDRY government. In October a general election took place in the PDRY for the national legislature. In the YAR’s first general election, held in July 1988, President Salih won a third five-year term.
In May 1988, the governments of the YAR and PDRY agreed to withdraw troops from their mutual border, create a demilitarized zone, and allow easier border crossings for citizens of both states. In May 1990, they agreed on a draft unity constitution, which was ultimately approved by referendum in May 1991. The Republic of Yemen was officially declared on May 22, 1990. President Salih of the YAR became president of the new republic; Ali Salim al Baydh, secretary general of the Central Committee of the YSP was named vice president; and PDRY President al Attas was named prime minister. Al Attas led a transitional coalition Council of Ministers whose membership was divided between the General People’s Congress (GPC; the party supporting President Salih) and the YSP (the party supporting Vice President al Baydh).
Unrest and Civil War: In late 1991 through early 1992, deteriorating economic conditions led to significant domestic unrest, including several riots. Legislative elections were nonetheless held in early 1993, and in May the two former ruling parties, the GPC and the YSP, merged to create a single political party with an overall majority in the new House of Representatives. In August Vice President al Baydh exiled himself voluntarily to Aden, and the country’s general security situation deteriorated as political rivals settled scores and tribal elements took advantage of the widespread unrest. In January 1994, representatives of the main political parties signed a document of pledge and accord in Amman, Jordan, that was designed to resolve the ongoing crisis. But by May 1994, the country was in civil war, and international efforts to broker a cease-fire were unsuccessful. On May 21, 1994, al Baydh and other leaders of the former South Yemen declared secession and the establishment of a new Democratic Republic of Yemen centered in Aden, but the new republic failed to achieve any international recognition. On July 7, 1994, President Salih’s troops captured Aden, thus ending the civil war. In August 1994, in an attempt to undermine the strength of southern military units loyal to the YSP, President Salih prohibited party membership within the armed forces; he also introduced amendments to the constitution abolishing the Presidential Council and establishing universal suffrage. In October he was reelected president and named GPC members to key cabinet posts; several ministerial posts were given to members of the Yemeni Islah Party (YIP), which had been loyal to Salih during the civil war.
1994 to Present: Following the civil war, Yemen’s currency, the riyal, was devalued; the cost of fuel doubled, water and electricity were in short supply, and food costs rose. Public demonstrations ensued, and the YIP was at odds with the GPC over economic reforms recommended by the World Bank. In the April 1997 parliamentary elections, the GPC garnered 187 seats and the YIP only 53 seats. A new Council of Ministers composed primarily of GPC members was named in May. The country continued to experience unrest due to economic hardship, coupled with increasing lawlessness, particularly against tourists. In September 1999, the first direct presidential election was held, reelecting the incumbent, President Salih, to a five-year term by an overwhelming margin. Constitutional amendments adopted in 2000 extended the president’s term by two years. President Salih was reelected in September 2006. In October
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in the Yemen Socialist Party (YSP). More than a month of violence between Muhammad and Ismail’s supporters resulted in Muhammad’s ouster and Ismail’s death. In February 1986, former prime minister Haydar Abu Bakr al Attas was named president of a newly formed PDRY government. In October a general election took place in the PDRY for the national legislature. In the YAR’s first general election, held in July 1988, President Salih won a third five-year term.
In May 1988, the governments of the YAR and PDRY agreed to withdraw troops from their mutual border, create a demilitarized zone, and allow easier border crossings for citizens of both states. In May 1990, they agreed on a draft unity constitution, which was ultimately approved by referendum in May 1991. The Republic of Yemen was officially declared on May 22, 1990. President Salih of the YAR became president of the new republic; Ali Salim al Baydh, secretary general of the Central Committee of the YSP was named vice president; and PDRY President al Attas was named prime minister. Al Attas led a transitional coalition Council of Ministers whose membership was divided between the General People’s Congress (GPC; the party supporting President Salih) and the YSP (the party supporting Vice President al Baydh).
Unrest and Civil War: In late 1991 through early 1992, deteriorating economic conditions led to significant domestic unrest, including several riots. Legislative elections were nonetheless held in early 1993, and in May the two former ruling parties, the GPC and the YSP, merged to create a single political party with an overall majority in the new House of Representatives. In August Vice President al Baydh exiled himself voluntarily to Aden, and the country’s general security situation deteriorated as political rivals settled scores and tribal elements took advantage of the widespread unrest. In January 1994, representatives of the main political parties signed a document of pledge and accord in Amman, Jordan, that was designed to resolve the ongoing crisis. But by May 1994, the country was in civil war, and international efforts to broker a cease-fire were unsuccessful. On May 21, 1994, al Baydh and other leaders of the former South Yemen declared secession and the establishment of a new Democratic Republic of Yemen centered in Aden, but the new republic failed to achieve any international recognition. On July 7, 1994, President Salih’s troops captured Aden, thus ending the civil war. In August 1994, in an attempt to undermine the strength of southern military units loyal to the YSP, President Salih prohibited party membership within the armed forces; he also introduced amendments to the constitution abolishing the Presidential Council and establishing universal suffrage. In October he was reelected president and named GPC members to key cabinet posts; several ministerial posts were given to members of the Yemeni Islah Party (YIP), which had been loyal to Salih during the civil war.
1994 to Present: Following the civil war, Yemen’s currency, the riyal, was devalued; the cost of fuel doubled, water and electricity were in short supply, and food costs rose. Public demonstrations ensued, and the YIP was at odds with the GPC over economic reforms recommended by the World Bank. In the April 1997 parliamentary elections, the GPC garnered 187 seats and the YIP only 53 seats. A new Council of Ministers composed primarily of GPC members was named in May. The country continued to experience unrest due to economic hardship, coupled with increasing lawlessness, particularly against tourists. In September 1999, the first direct presidential election was held, reelecting the incumbent, President Salih, to a five-year term by an overwhelming margin. Constitutional amendments adopted in 2000 extended the president’s term by two years. President Salih was reelected in September 2006. In October
3
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Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
Former North Yemen: By the sixteenth century and again in the nineteenth century, northern Yemen was controlled in the cities by the Ottoman Empire and in tribal areas by the Zaydi imam’s suzerainty. The Ottoman Empire was dissolved in 1918, and Imam Yahya, leader of the Zaydi community, took power in the area that later became the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR), or North Yemen. Underground opposition to Yahya began in the late 1930s, and by the mid-1940s major elements of the population opposed his rule. In 1948 Yahya was assassinated in a palace coup, and forces opposed to his feudal rule seized power. His son Ahmad succeeded him and ruled until his own death in September 1962. Imam Ahmad’s reign was marked by growing repression, renewed friction with the British over their presence in the south, and increasing pressure to support the Arab nationalist objectives of Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser. From 1958 to 1961, North Yemen was federated with Egypt and Syria in the United Arab States. Imam Ahmad’s son Badr assumed power after Ahmad’s death but was deposed one week later by army officers, led by Colonel Abdallah al Sallal, who took control of Sanaa and created the YAR. Immediately upon taking power, the officers created the ruling eight-member Revolutionary Command Council headed by Sallal. Civil war ensued between the royalist forces, supported by Saudi Arabia and Jordan in opposition to the newly formed republic, and republicans, supported by Egyptian troops. In 1967 Egyptian troops were withdrawn, and by 1968, following a royalist siege of Sanaa, most of the opposing leaders had reconciled. In 1970 Saudi Arabia recognized the YAR.
Former South Yemen: British influence increased in the southern and eastern portion of Yemen after the British captured the port of Aden in 1839. It was ruled as part of British India until 1937, when Aden became a crown colony, and the remaining territory was designated a protectorate (administered as the Eastern Protectorate and Western Protectorate). By 1965 most of the tribal states within the protectorate and the Aden colony itself had joined to form the British-sponsored Federation of South Arabia. Over the next two years, two rival factions—the Marxist National Liberation Front (NLF) and the Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen (FLOSY)—fought for power. By August 1967, the NLF was in control of most areas, and at the end of the summer the federation formally collapsed. The last British troops were removed on November 29. On November 30, 1967, the People’s Republic of Yemen, comprising Aden and South Arabia, was proclaimed. In June 1969, a radical wing of the NLF gained power. The country’s name changed to the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) on December 1, 1970.
Road to Unification: By 1972 the two Yemens were in open conflict. The YAR received aid from Saudi Arabia, and the PDRY received arms from the Soviet Union. Although the Arab League brokered a cease-fire and both sides agreed to forge a united Yemen within 18 months, the two Yemens remained apart. The following years saw continued unrest and conflict, culminating in the assassination of the president of the YAR in June 1978. A month later, the Constituent People’s Assembly elected Lieutenant Colonel Ali Abdallah Salih as president of the YAR. Renewed fighting broke out in early 1979, but in March the heads of state of the two Yemens signed an agreement in Kuwait pledging unification.
In April 1980, Abdul Fattah Ismail, who had been appointed head of state of the PDRY in December 1978, resigned and went into exile. He was replaced by Ali Nasir Muhammad, a former prime minister. In January 1986, Ismail returned from exile and resumed a senior position
2
Library
Former North Yemen: By the sixteenth century and again in the nineteenth century, northern Yemen was controlled in the cities by the Ottoman Empire and in tribal areas by the Zaydi imam’s suzerainty. The Ottoman Empire was dissolved in 1918, and Imam Yahya, leader of the Zaydi community, took power in the area that later became the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR), or North Yemen. Underground opposition to Yahya began in the late 1930s, and by the mid-1940s major elements of the population opposed his rule. In 1948 Yahya was assassinated in a palace coup, and forces opposed to his feudal rule seized power. His son Ahmad succeeded him and ruled until his own death in September 1962. Imam Ahmad’s reign was marked by growing repression, renewed friction with the British over their presence in the south, and increasing pressure to support the Arab nationalist objectives of Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser. From 1958 to 1961, North Yemen was federated with Egypt and Syria in the United Arab States. Imam Ahmad’s son Badr assumed power after Ahmad’s death but was deposed one week later by army officers, led by Colonel Abdallah al Sallal, who took control of Sanaa and created the YAR. Immediately upon taking power, the officers created the ruling eight-member Revolutionary Command Council headed by Sallal. Civil war ensued between the royalist forces, supported by Saudi Arabia and Jordan in opposition to the newly formed republic, and republicans, supported by Egyptian troops. In 1967 Egyptian troops were withdrawn, and by 1968, following a royalist siege of Sanaa, most of the opposing leaders had reconciled. In 1970 Saudi Arabia recognized the YAR.
Former South Yemen: British influence increased in the southern and eastern portion of Yemen after the British captured the port of Aden in 1839. It was ruled as part of British India until 1937, when Aden became a crown colony, and the remaining territory was designated a protectorate (administered as the Eastern Protectorate and Western Protectorate). By 1965 most of the tribal states within the protectorate and the Aden colony itself had joined to form the British-sponsored Federation of South Arabia. Over the next two years, two rival factions—the Marxist National Liberation Front (NLF) and the Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen (FLOSY)—fought for power. By August 1967, the NLF was in control of most areas, and at the end of the summer the federation formally collapsed. The last British troops were removed on November 29. On November 30, 1967, the People’s Republic of Yemen, comprising Aden and South Arabia, was proclaimed. In June 1969, a radical wing of the NLF gained power. The country’s name changed to the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) on December 1, 1970.
Road to Unification: By 1972 the two Yemens were in open conflict. The YAR received aid from Saudi Arabia, and the PDRY received arms from the Soviet Union. Although the Arab League brokered a cease-fire and both sides agreed to forge a united Yemen within 18 months, the two Yemens remained apart. The following years saw continued unrest and conflict, culminating in the assassination of the president of the YAR in June 1978. A month later, the Constituent People’s Assembly elected Lieutenant Colonel Ali Abdallah Salih as president of the YAR. Renewed fighting broke out in early 1979, but in March the heads of state of the two Yemens signed an agreement in Kuwait pledging unification.
In April 1980, Abdul Fattah Ismail, who had been appointed head of state of the PDRY in December 1978, resigned and went into exile. He was replaced by Ali Nasir Muhammad, a former prime minister. In January 1986, Ismail returned from exile and resumed a senior position
2
Library
Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Yemen, August 2008
COUNTRY PROFILE: YEMEN
August 2008
COUNTRY
Formal Name: Republic of Yemen (Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah).
Short Form: Yemen.
Term for Citizen(s): Yemeni(s).
Major Cities: The capital of Yemen is Sanaa. Other major cities are Aden, Taizz, Al Hudaydah, and Al Mukalla.
Independence: North Yemen gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in November 1918, and South Yemen became independent from Britain on November 30, 1967. The Republic of Yemen was established on May 22, 1990, with the merger of North Yemen (the Yemen Arab Republic) and South Yemen (the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen).
Public Holidays: Public holidays other than New Year’s Day, International Women’s Day, Labour Day, Corrective Movement Anniversary, and National Day are dependent on the Islamic calendar and vary from year to year. For 2008 the holidays are: New Year’s Day (January 1); Muharram, Islamic New Year (January 10); Ashoura (January 19); International Women’s Day (March 8); Mouloud, Birth of Muhammad (March 20); Labour Day (May 1); National Unification Day (May 22); Corrective Movement Anniversary (June 13); Leilat al Meiraj, Ascension of Muhammad (July 30); first day of Ramdan (September 1); Eid al Fitr, end of Ramadan (October 1); National Day (October 14); Eid al Adha, Feast of the Sacrifice (December 8); and Muharram, Islamic New Year (December 29).
Flag: Three equal horizontal bands of red (on top), white, and black.
Click to Enlarge Image HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Medieval History: In pre-Islamic times, the area that encompasses the present-day Republic of Yemen was called Arabia Felix—happy or prosperous Arabia—and was ruled by a number of indigenous dynasties in several different kingdoms. The most important cultural, social, and political event in Yemen’s history was the coming of Islam around A.D. 630. Following the conversion of the Persian governor, many of the sheikhs and their tribes converted to Islam, and Yemen was ruled as part of Arab caliphates. The former North Yemen came under the control of imams of various dynasties, the most important of which were the Zaydis, whose dynasty lasted well into the twentieth century.
1
COUNTRY PROFILE: YEMEN
August 2008
COUNTRY
Formal Name: Republic of Yemen (Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah).
Short Form: Yemen.
Term for Citizen(s): Yemeni(s).
Major Cities: The capital of Yemen is Sanaa. Other major cities are Aden, Taizz, Al Hudaydah, and Al Mukalla.
Independence: North Yemen gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in November 1918, and South Yemen became independent from Britain on November 30, 1967. The Republic of Yemen was established on May 22, 1990, with the merger of North Yemen (the Yemen Arab Republic) and South Yemen (the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen).
Public Holidays: Public holidays other than New Year’s Day, International Women’s Day, Labour Day, Corrective Movement Anniversary, and National Day are dependent on the Islamic calendar and vary from year to year. For 2008 the holidays are: New Year’s Day (January 1); Muharram, Islamic New Year (January 10); Ashoura (January 19); International Women’s Day (March 8); Mouloud, Birth of Muhammad (March 20); Labour Day (May 1); National Unification Day (May 22); Corrective Movement Anniversary (June 13); Leilat al Meiraj, Ascension of Muhammad (July 30); first day of Ramdan (September 1); Eid al Fitr, end of Ramadan (October 1); National Day (October 14); Eid al Adha, Feast of the Sacrifice (December 8); and Muharram, Islamic New Year (December 29).
Flag: Three equal horizontal bands of red (on top), white, and black.
Click to Enlarge Image HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Medieval History: In pre-Islamic times, the area that encompasses the present-day Republic of Yemen was called Arabia Felix—happy or prosperous Arabia—and was ruled by a number of indigenous dynasties in several different kingdoms. The most important cultural, social, and political event in Yemen’s history was the coming of Islam around A.D. 630. Following the conversion of the Persian governor, many of the sheikhs and their tribes converted to Islam, and Yemen was ruled as part of Arab caliphates. The former North Yemen came under the control of imams of various dynasties, the most important of which were the Zaydis, whose dynasty lasted well into the twentieth century.
1
Yemen Stamps and Postal Stationery Index
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Imamate of Yemen
1926 - 1948 | 1949 - 1959 | 1960 - 1962
Yemen Cancels: 1868 - 1918 | 1926 - 1962
Civil War Period
Royalist Yemen
1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 and 1971
Yemen Arab Republic
1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | Censored Cover
Yemen Arab Republic
1971 | 1972 | 1973 - 1975 | 1976 - 1979
1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990
Aden and States
Aden: 1937 - 1952 | 1953 - 1965
Kathiri State: 1942 - 1965
Qu'aiti State: 1942 - 1965
Federation of South Arabia and States
Federation of South Arabia: 1963 - 1966
Kathiri State: 1966 | 1967 | 1968
Qu'aiti State: 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | Aerogrammes
Mahra Sultanate of Qishn and Socotra: 1967 | 1968
Upper Yafa: 1967
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
People's Republic of Southern Yemen: 1968 | 1969 | 1970
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 - 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979
1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990
Cover from 1977 | Obligatory Label
Republic of Yemen
1990 | 1991 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1998 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 / 2005
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Arab Emirates Index | Yemen Index | Philatelic Links | Articles and Books
Literally in Yemen | Virtually in Yemen | Hotels in Yemen | Touring Yemen | Oh My Gosh Index
We appreciate your comments and questions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imamate of Yemen
1926 - 1948 | 1949 - 1959 | 1960 - 1962
Yemen Cancels: 1868 - 1918 | 1926 - 1962
Civil War Period
Royalist Yemen
1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 and 1971
Yemen Arab Republic
1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | Censored Cover
Yemen Arab Republic
1971 | 1972 | 1973 - 1975 | 1976 - 1979
1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990
Aden and States
Aden: 1937 - 1952 | 1953 - 1965
Kathiri State: 1942 - 1965
Qu'aiti State: 1942 - 1965
Federation of South Arabia and States
Federation of South Arabia: 1963 - 1966
Kathiri State: 1966 | 1967 | 1968
Qu'aiti State: 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | Aerogrammes
Mahra Sultanate of Qishn and Socotra: 1967 | 1968
Upper Yafa: 1967
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
People's Republic of Southern Yemen: 1968 | 1969 | 1970
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 - 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979
1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990
Cover from 1977 | Obligatory Label
Republic of Yemen
1990 | 1991 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1998 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 / 2005
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Arab Emirates Index | Yemen Index | Philatelic Links | Articles and Books
Literally in Yemen | Virtually in Yemen | Hotels in Yemen | Touring Yemen | Oh My Gosh Index
We appreciate your comments and questions.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Yemen rebels may free Saudi soldiers in days
Souhail Karam and Ulf Laessing
Sun Feb 14, 2010 4:23pm ESTRelated NewsYemen rebels to hand over Saudi soldiers: report
Sun, Feb 14 2010Yemeni Shi'ite rebels deny assassination attempt
Sat, Feb 13 2010Al-Jazeera-says Yemen rebels deny assassination bid
Sat, Feb 13 2010Yemen says truce holds despite Shi'ite attack
Fri, Feb 12 2010Yemen agrees truce with Shi'ite rebels to end war
Thu, Feb 11 2010RIYADH/SANAA (Reuters) - Yemeni Shi'ite rebels are expected to hand over five captive Saudi soldiers within a week, a Saudi-owned newspaper reported on Sunday, following a 48-hour ultimatum set by Riyadh.
World
Yemen promised on Sunday to extend state control into rebel areas, including the border with Saudi Arabia, and said some violations of a ceasefire newly agreed with Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the northern rebels' leader, should be expected.
Saudi Arabia has demanded that the rebels, who are in conflict with both Riyadh and Sanaa, should hand over the five missing soldiers. It says this would prove they are serious about ending the fight with Riyadh which has raged since insurgents seized some Saudi territory in November.
"We have enough time to deal with this issue (the release of the Saudi soldiers) as the deadline set by the authorities ... is 72 hours," Ahmed al-Salami, a parliamentarian who is a member of a committee overseeing the truce, told Reuters.
"We will deal with the issue in the meeting of the committee tomorrow (Monday)," he said.
Salami said rebel representatives in the committee had helped organize efforts to clear mines and unblock roads, making it possible for the Yemeni army to deploy to the Saudi border region on Monday.
Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat newspaper quoted an unidentified Yemeni security official as saying the handover of the soldiers, part of the ceasefire agreement, was expected to be completed in less than a week.
Officials at the Saudi defense ministry could not be immediately reached for comment.
In addition to fighting the rebels, Yemen is battling southern separatists and al Qaeda, which has made the country its regional base. The Nigerian accused of trying to blow up a U.S. passenger plane in December had links to Yemen.
Riyadh and Western powers fear impoverished Yemen may become a failed state and that al Qaeda could exploit the chaos to use the country as a base for attacks in the region and beyond.
Last month the Shi'ite rebels offered Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, a truce and said they had left the kingdom's territory. They had previously accused Riyadh of letting Yemeni troops use Saudi land to attack them.
Riyadh later declared victory over the rebels, and on Saturday gave them 48 hours to hand over the captured Saudis.
TRUCE VIOLATIONS
The rebels, whose main battle is with Yemen's central government, agreed on Thursday to a truce with Sanaa to end a conflict that has raged on and off since 2004, with rebels complaining of social, religious and economic discrimination.
The car of Interior Ministry undersecretary Mohammed al-Qawsi came under fire on Friday, hours after the ceasefire agreement was to have officially begun, in the northern city of Saada, and a soldier was also killed by rebels on Friday.
Qawsi said after the attack that minor truce violations had occurred because not everyone was aware of the ceasefire, but that the deal still held. [ID:nLDE61B1QI] The rebels denied carrying out the assassination attempt.
Ten more Yemeni soldiers were believed to have been killed in a helicopter crash in the Saada region, an official said on Sunday, blaming a technical fault.
Foreign Minister Abubakr al-Qirbi said Sanaa was operating on the basis that the rebels were serious about ending the war. "Ending war does not come without violations here or there," he told Sunday's edition of Asharq al-Awsat.
"This is because of the nature of wars and the nature of fighting elements and that is because of differences there may be between them. But I don't expect that to cause a problem in the path to achieve peace and security," he added.
Previous truces with the rebels have not lasted.
"We are proceeding on the basis of there being sincere intent from the Houthis just as there is a sincere intent from our side to make this war the last one," Qirbi said.
"As His Excellency President Ali Abdullah Saleh said, we want to move on from wars to development," he said, noting that Sanaa had set up a special reconstruction fund in 2008.
(Additional reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in Sanaa; Writing by Cynthia Johnston and Firouz Sedarat; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
WorldAfter reading this article, people also read:
Souhail Karam and Ulf Laessing
Sun Feb 14, 2010 4:23pm ESTRelated NewsYemen rebels to hand over Saudi soldiers: report
Sun, Feb 14 2010Yemeni Shi'ite rebels deny assassination attempt
Sat, Feb 13 2010Al-Jazeera-says Yemen rebels deny assassination bid
Sat, Feb 13 2010Yemen says truce holds despite Shi'ite attack
Fri, Feb 12 2010Yemen agrees truce with Shi'ite rebels to end war
Thu, Feb 11 2010RIYADH/SANAA (Reuters) - Yemeni Shi'ite rebels are expected to hand over five captive Saudi soldiers within a week, a Saudi-owned newspaper reported on Sunday, following a 48-hour ultimatum set by Riyadh.
World
Yemen promised on Sunday to extend state control into rebel areas, including the border with Saudi Arabia, and said some violations of a ceasefire newly agreed with Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the northern rebels' leader, should be expected.
Saudi Arabia has demanded that the rebels, who are in conflict with both Riyadh and Sanaa, should hand over the five missing soldiers. It says this would prove they are serious about ending the fight with Riyadh which has raged since insurgents seized some Saudi territory in November.
"We have enough time to deal with this issue (the release of the Saudi soldiers) as the deadline set by the authorities ... is 72 hours," Ahmed al-Salami, a parliamentarian who is a member of a committee overseeing the truce, told Reuters.
"We will deal with the issue in the meeting of the committee tomorrow (Monday)," he said.
Salami said rebel representatives in the committee had helped organize efforts to clear mines and unblock roads, making it possible for the Yemeni army to deploy to the Saudi border region on Monday.
Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat newspaper quoted an unidentified Yemeni security official as saying the handover of the soldiers, part of the ceasefire agreement, was expected to be completed in less than a week.
Officials at the Saudi defense ministry could not be immediately reached for comment.
In addition to fighting the rebels, Yemen is battling southern separatists and al Qaeda, which has made the country its regional base. The Nigerian accused of trying to blow up a U.S. passenger plane in December had links to Yemen.
Riyadh and Western powers fear impoverished Yemen may become a failed state and that al Qaeda could exploit the chaos to use the country as a base for attacks in the region and beyond.
Last month the Shi'ite rebels offered Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, a truce and said they had left the kingdom's territory. They had previously accused Riyadh of letting Yemeni troops use Saudi land to attack them.
Riyadh later declared victory over the rebels, and on Saturday gave them 48 hours to hand over the captured Saudis.
TRUCE VIOLATIONS
The rebels, whose main battle is with Yemen's central government, agreed on Thursday to a truce with Sanaa to end a conflict that has raged on and off since 2004, with rebels complaining of social, religious and economic discrimination.
The car of Interior Ministry undersecretary Mohammed al-Qawsi came under fire on Friday, hours after the ceasefire agreement was to have officially begun, in the northern city of Saada, and a soldier was also killed by rebels on Friday.
Qawsi said after the attack that minor truce violations had occurred because not everyone was aware of the ceasefire, but that the deal still held. [ID:nLDE61B1QI] The rebels denied carrying out the assassination attempt.
Ten more Yemeni soldiers were believed to have been killed in a helicopter crash in the Saada region, an official said on Sunday, blaming a technical fault.
Foreign Minister Abubakr al-Qirbi said Sanaa was operating on the basis that the rebels were serious about ending the war. "Ending war does not come without violations here or there," he told Sunday's edition of Asharq al-Awsat.
"This is because of the nature of wars and the nature of fighting elements and that is because of differences there may be between them. But I don't expect that to cause a problem in the path to achieve peace and security," he added.
Previous truces with the rebels have not lasted.
"We are proceeding on the basis of there being sincere intent from the Houthis just as there is a sincere intent from our side to make this war the last one," Qirbi said.
"As His Excellency President Ali Abdullah Saleh said, we want to move on from wars to development," he said, noting that Sanaa had set up a special reconstruction fund in 2008.
(Additional reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in Sanaa; Writing by Cynthia Johnston and Firouz Sedarat; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
WorldAfter reading this article, people also read:
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YEMEN: Children hit hardest by northern conflict
SANAA, 23 February 2010 (IRIN) - Hundreds of children have either been killed or used as child soldiers in fighting between Yemeni government forces and Houthi-led Shia rebels in the north of the country since August 2009, according to a new report by Seyaj Organization for Child Protection (SOCP), a local child rights NGO.
full report
YEMEN: “I’d rather die than go back to him”
SANAA, 21 February 2010 (IRIN) - It was every little girl’s dream - she was to get a new dress, jewellery, sweets and a party for all her friends. What 10-year-old Aisha* did not know was that after the wedding party she would have to leave school, move to a village far from her parents’ home, cook and clean all day, and have sex with her older husband.
full report
YEMEN: Northern truce - window of opportunity
SANAA, 16 February 2010 (IRIN) - Government officials and aid workers are gearing up to carry out humanitarian needs’ assessments in previously inaccessible areas, thanks to an 11 February truce between Yemen’s army and Houthi rebels in the northern province of Saada which appears to be holding.
full report
YEMEN: Small arms sales heading underground
SANAA, 14 February 2010 (IRIN) - The government has started imposing tough new restrictions on arms dealers in local markets, but this is merely pushing the trade underground, say local NGO activists and military officials.
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YEMEN: New FGM/C law possible "within four years" - minister
SANAA, 10 February 2010 (IRIN) - Nearly a decade after a ban on health workers performing female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Yemen, the harmful practice continues unabated, with the government saying more research is needed before an outright ban can be imposed.
full report
Analysis: Yemen's rebellions fuelled by economic meltdown
SANAA, 4 February 2010 (IRIN) - From the Shiite rebellion in Saada in the north to the surge of secessionist movement in the south and the dangerous alliance forged between tribes and Al-Qaeda in the east, one factor unites analyses of the forces pulling Yemen apart: the failure of its economy.
full report
MIDDLE EAST: Experts urge governments to revise water policies
AMMAN, 4 February 2010 (IRIN) - Governments in the Middle East must put aside political differences, rethink water management and revise strategy and policy in using water otherwise the region will face a dire future, scientists have warned at an international conference in Jordan.
full report
YEMEN: Selling food aid to pay the rent
SANAA, 3 February 2010 (IRIN) - Some of the thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have fled fighting in Saada Governorate, northern Yemen, are selling food aid in the capital, Sanaa, to pay their rent, say an aid worker and some IDPs.
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YEMEN: Third country resettlement slowing - UNHCR
SANAA, 1 February 2010 (IRIN) - Deteriorating security in Yemen since August 2009 has negatively affected efforts by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and recipient governments to resettle refugees. Some third country governments were reluctant to send missions to Yemen to process resettlement cases, UNHCR external relations officer in Sanaa Andrew Knight told IRIN.
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YEMEN: Officials warn of humanitarian crisis as IDP population doubles
SANAA, 31 January 2010 (IRIN) - With the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Yemen having reached 250,000, more than double the number that existed before the current round of fighting between the army and Houthi-led rebels broke out on 12 August 2009, aid workers and local officials have warned of a lack of shelter and basic services for them.
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YEMEN: Children hit hardest by northern conflict
SANAA, 23 February 2010 (IRIN) - Hundreds of children have either been killed or used as child soldiers in fighting between Yemeni government forces and Houthi-led Shia rebels in the north of the country since August 2009, according to a new report by Seyaj Organization for Child Protection (SOCP), a local child rights NGO.
full report
YEMEN: “I’d rather die than go back to him”
SANAA, 21 February 2010 (IRIN) - It was every little girl’s dream - she was to get a new dress, jewellery, sweets and a party for all her friends. What 10-year-old Aisha* did not know was that after the wedding party she would have to leave school, move to a village far from her parents’ home, cook and clean all day, and have sex with her older husband.
full report
YEMEN: Northern truce - window of opportunity
SANAA, 16 February 2010 (IRIN) - Government officials and aid workers are gearing up to carry out humanitarian needs’ assessments in previously inaccessible areas, thanks to an 11 February truce between Yemen’s army and Houthi rebels in the northern province of Saada which appears to be holding.
full report
YEMEN: Small arms sales heading underground
SANAA, 14 February 2010 (IRIN) - The government has started imposing tough new restrictions on arms dealers in local markets, but this is merely pushing the trade underground, say local NGO activists and military officials.
full report
YEMEN: New FGM/C law possible "within four years" - minister
SANAA, 10 February 2010 (IRIN) - Nearly a decade after a ban on health workers performing female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Yemen, the harmful practice continues unabated, with the government saying more research is needed before an outright ban can be imposed.
full report
Analysis: Yemen's rebellions fuelled by economic meltdown
SANAA, 4 February 2010 (IRIN) - From the Shiite rebellion in Saada in the north to the surge of secessionist movement in the south and the dangerous alliance forged between tribes and Al-Qaeda in the east, one factor unites analyses of the forces pulling Yemen apart: the failure of its economy.
full report
MIDDLE EAST: Experts urge governments to revise water policies
AMMAN, 4 February 2010 (IRIN) - Governments in the Middle East must put aside political differences, rethink water management and revise strategy and policy in using water otherwise the region will face a dire future, scientists have warned at an international conference in Jordan.
full report
YEMEN: Selling food aid to pay the rent
SANAA, 3 February 2010 (IRIN) - Some of the thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have fled fighting in Saada Governorate, northern Yemen, are selling food aid in the capital, Sanaa, to pay their rent, say an aid worker and some IDPs.
full report
YEMEN: Third country resettlement slowing - UNHCR
SANAA, 1 February 2010 (IRIN) - Deteriorating security in Yemen since August 2009 has negatively affected efforts by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and recipient governments to resettle refugees. Some third country governments were reluctant to send missions to Yemen to process resettlement cases, UNHCR external relations officer in Sanaa Andrew Knight told IRIN.
full report
YEMEN: Officials warn of humanitarian crisis as IDP population doubles
SANAA, 31 January 2010 (IRIN) - With the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Yemen having reached 250,000, more than double the number that existed before the current round of fighting between the army and Houthi-led rebels broke out on 12 August 2009, aid workers and local officials have warned of a lack of shelter and basic services for them.
full report
[ more news »]
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This material comes to you via IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations or its Member States. The boundaries, names and designations used on maps on this site do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the UN. Republication is subject to terms and conditions as set out in the IRIN copyright page.
North Yemen calm after truce
Saleh has in the past declared the conflict over, only to see full-scale fighting resume [EPA]
The Yemeni army has halted fighting on all fronts after a truce with Shia Houthi rebels in the country's north came into force.
Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president, had declared the ceasefire on Thursday after the rebels agreed to accept six conditions put forward by the government.
"Calm reigns on all fronts from Saada and Malahidh [in the far north near the Saudi border] to Harf Sufian," further south, one field commander said on Friday.
Another military source said the air force had halted all of its sorties over the combat zone from the moment the truce went into force at midnight on Thursday.
"We have decided to halt military operations in the northwestern region ... to stop bloodshed, bring peace to the region," the president's office said in a statement.
International pressure
Hashem Ahelbarra, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, said the breakthrough was also in part due to Western pressure on Saleh to tackle Yemen's internal problems.
in depth
Listening Post: Media spotlight on Yemen
Riz Khan: Yemen, a failed state?
Video: Ceasefire holds in Yemen
Video: Yemen's tough al-Qaeda challenge
Inside Story: Can the West save Yemen?
Inside Story: Focus on Yemen's future
"It's a huge development - the opposition, the government, the Houthi seem all to agree this is a breakthrough, a turning point for Yemen," he said.
"It came when Ali Abdullah Saleh was asked by the international community during the London conference [held last month] to come up with a swift, radical solution to Yemen's pressing problems.
"I think he decided to start first with the war in Saada, to give him more leeway - a window of opportunity - to tackle Yemen's most delicate problem, which is the secessionist movement in the south."
Yemen said last week it had handed the fighters a timetable for implementing the ceasefire terms, a week after rejecting a Houthi truce offer because it did not include a promise to end hostilities with neighbouring Saudi Arabia.
The kingdom was drawn into the conflict in November when the group seized some Saudi territory, complaining that Riyadh was letting Yemeni troops use its land for attacks against them.
Riyadh declared victory last month after the Houthis offered a separate truce and said they had withdrawn from Saudi territory.
Truce conditions
Yemeni officials have said that as part of a truce deal, Sanaa would allow Houthi representatives to sit on a committee overseeing the truce, and the group’s fighters would hand over weapons they seized from Yemeni and Saudi forces.
Six-point agreement
Houthis agree to: respect the ceasefire and open the roads
Withdraw from regions they
have occupied
Return captured weapons, ammunition and equipment
Release civilian and
military detainees
Respect the law and the
Yemeni constitution
Pledge not to attack Saudi
Arabia's territory
Yemen state television said the government and the group had also formed four smaller committees to supervise the truce in four areas, including on the Yemen-Saudi border.
The deadline for the full implementation of the truce had been a point of contention, with the Houthis asking for more time for their fighters to leave mountainous positions, they said.
Qatar brokered a short-lived ceasefire between the two sides in 2007 and a peace deal in 2008, but clashes soon broke out again.
Saleh, the Yemeni president, unilaterally declared the war over in July 2008, but full-scale fighting resumed a year later.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
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Saleh has in the past declared the conflict over, only to see full-scale fighting resume [EPA]
The Yemeni army has halted fighting on all fronts after a truce with Shia Houthi rebels in the country's north came into force.
Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president, had declared the ceasefire on Thursday after the rebels agreed to accept six conditions put forward by the government.
"Calm reigns on all fronts from Saada and Malahidh [in the far north near the Saudi border] to Harf Sufian," further south, one field commander said on Friday.
Another military source said the air force had halted all of its sorties over the combat zone from the moment the truce went into force at midnight on Thursday.
"We have decided to halt military operations in the northwestern region ... to stop bloodshed, bring peace to the region," the president's office said in a statement.
International pressure
Hashem Ahelbarra, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, said the breakthrough was also in part due to Western pressure on Saleh to tackle Yemen's internal problems.
in depth
Listening Post: Media spotlight on Yemen
Riz Khan: Yemen, a failed state?
Video: Ceasefire holds in Yemen
Video: Yemen's tough al-Qaeda challenge
Inside Story: Can the West save Yemen?
Inside Story: Focus on Yemen's future
"It's a huge development - the opposition, the government, the Houthi seem all to agree this is a breakthrough, a turning point for Yemen," he said.
"It came when Ali Abdullah Saleh was asked by the international community during the London conference [held last month] to come up with a swift, radical solution to Yemen's pressing problems.
"I think he decided to start first with the war in Saada, to give him more leeway - a window of opportunity - to tackle Yemen's most delicate problem, which is the secessionist movement in the south."
Yemen said last week it had handed the fighters a timetable for implementing the ceasefire terms, a week after rejecting a Houthi truce offer because it did not include a promise to end hostilities with neighbouring Saudi Arabia.
The kingdom was drawn into the conflict in November when the group seized some Saudi territory, complaining that Riyadh was letting Yemeni troops use its land for attacks against them.
Riyadh declared victory last month after the Houthis offered a separate truce and said they had withdrawn from Saudi territory.
Truce conditions
Yemeni officials have said that as part of a truce deal, Sanaa would allow Houthi representatives to sit on a committee overseeing the truce, and the group’s fighters would hand over weapons they seized from Yemeni and Saudi forces.
Six-point agreement
Houthis agree to: respect the ceasefire and open the roads
Withdraw from regions they
have occupied
Return captured weapons, ammunition and equipment
Release civilian and
military detainees
Respect the law and the
Yemeni constitution
Pledge not to attack Saudi
Arabia's territory
Yemen state television said the government and the group had also formed four smaller committees to supervise the truce in four areas, including on the Yemen-Saudi border.
The deadline for the full implementation of the truce had been a point of contention, with the Houthis asking for more time for their fighters to leave mountainous positions, they said.
Qatar brokered a short-lived ceasefire between the two sides in 2007 and a peace deal in 2008, but clashes soon broke out again.
Saleh, the Yemeni president, unilaterally declared the war over in July 2008, but full-scale fighting resumed a year later.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
Topics in this article
People
Ali Abdullah Saleh
al-Houthi
Country
Yemen
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
City
Riyadh
Sanaa
Organisation
Yemeni government
al-Qaeda
ARTICLE TOOLS
Email article
Print article
Send feedback
Share article
Top News
President 'returns to Nigeria'
Sudan parties sign Darfur ceasefire
Toyota apologises for safety issues
Iran arrests Sunni rebel leader
Marjah residents receive food aid
MIDDLE EAST News
Iran arrests Sunni rebel leader
More Dubai murder suspects named
Clashes over Israel heritage sites
Suicide bomber targets Iraqi police
Saudi to grant women court access
Most Emailed
Hamid Gul: Taliban is the future
President Isaias Afewerki
The Mossad's secret wars
'A complex diplomatic entanglement'
Halal meat controversy in France
Al Jazeera English on Facebook
WATCH NOW
FRONT PAGE
BLOGS
FOCUS
SPORT
PROGRAMMES
AFRICA
AMERICAS
ASIA-PACIFIC
CENTRAL/S. ASIA
EUROPE
MIDDLE EAST
SEARCH
ABOUT US
PODCASTS
MOBILE
ARABIC
RSS
Aljazeera.net/english 2003 - 2010 ©
Designed & Developed by Aljazeera IT
College & ProBasketball Live
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As we are not hosting, decoding or modifying the video streams but only providing a link to the available channels on the Internet the quality of the video streams is dictated by the broadcasters themselves. The resolution of each channel depends only on its original format.
You will have instant access with your purchase!Basketball Early Season Special: $59.99 Until tomorrow we are slashing our price down to $29.99!
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Download now and the entire season is yours, including NBA Playoffs, and NCAA Tournament!
Never Miss Your Team Play Again!
From here on out you have no excuse to why you missed your team play. It's easy to sign up and only takes a minute to get set up.
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Unlimited Access
Sign up today and you will have access forever! Never again will you have to deal with any charges for season passes and high cable bills!
Download Now!
Watch from Home
A collection of 3000+channels organized into one player.All centralized for your viewing pleasure Sport Channels, Sport Events and so much more. No extra hardware, just download and enjoy!
Learn More
This software is yours forever, for a one-time fee!
Download now and the entire season is yours, including NBA Playoffs, and
NCAA Tournament!
Watch College Basketball Online
It's Easy To Watch College Basketball Online and The Teams You Want! All YouNeed Is Internet Access And You Can Be Watching Live Games In Minutes!
No matter where you are in the world you can get instant access to the game youwant. All you need is internet access!
NCAA Basketball is back - make sure you don't miss it!
Watch NBA Basketball Online Now!
It's Easy To Watch NBA Basketball Online! All You Need Is Internet Access And You Can Be Watching Live Games In Minutes!
Atlantic Boston Celtics New Jersey Nets New York Knicks Philadelphia 76ers Toronto Raptors Central Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Detroit Pistons Indiana Pacers Milwaukee Bucks
Southeast Atlanta Hawks Charlotte Bobcats Miami Heat Orlando Magic Washington Wizards Pacific Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers Phoenix SunsSacramento Kings
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Is this service available in my area?
As long as you're using a computer that has high-speed Internet access, you can access your account from anywhere, at anytime.
Will this work on any computer?
We do include another option that will work on your Mac so you can stream games directly.
Can I use this on more than one computer?
Yes, you can put it on as many computers as you want.
Is this a subscription fee or a one time fee?
This is a one time fee only. Once you pay it you will have access to over 3,000 channels forever!
Do you offer a satisfaction guarantee?
Yes we do! If you are experiencing technical difficulties and would require sup-port, our support team guarantees to solve your problem or your money back!
Can I put this program on more than one computer?
Yes, once you purchase it you can download it and use it on as many as you like.
Will I have access to every single game?
We do try our best to provide access to all games. The schedule is subject to availability but you will be able to get access to over 90% of games. There is a 60 day money back guarantee policy so if you can't find what you want then you don't have to pay.
What kind of quality should I expect?
As we are not hosting, decoding or modifying the video streams but only providing a link to the available channels on the Internet the quality of the video streams is dictated by the broadcasters themselves. The resolution of each channel depends only on its original format.
You will have instant access with your purchase!Basketball Early Season Special: $59.99 Until tomorrow we are slashing our price down to $29.99!
Start Watching Live Professional & College Basketball Games Now!
100% No Risk Guarantee!Remember, You are never at risk! Your fully protected by our money back guarantee. Your transaction is completely safe and secure via a 1024 Bit Secure Server.
No Other Cost Ever! 60 Day Trial Period Access Forever!
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All this thanks to the latest in interactivebroadcasting that lets you interact with your favoriteTV shows and channels. Watch Live NBA Basketball Online and Watch LiveCollege Basketball Online Now!
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The Wing Dynasty
Detroit coach Scotty Bowman hoists the Stanley Cup after his Red Wings completed a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1997 Cup Finals.
Wide World Photos
Well it happened again. For the fourth consecutive year, the Stanley Cup Finals ended in a sweep and for the second consecutive year, it was the Detroit Red Wings who made mincemeat of their Finals opponent. The Wings dismantled the Washington Capitals in four straight, dominating in almost every aspect of the game. Goaltender Chris Osgood, who took a back seat to Mike Vernon in the '97 Finals, won all 16 games for Detroit and despite giving up the occasional soft goal, remained tough and kept his team in the game while the Wing forwards did their thing to often frazzled opposing defenses.
Captain and fan-favorite Steve Yzerman led all playoff scorers with 24 points and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy (MVP) for his efforts. After returning from a 59-game hiatus due to a contract squabble, Sergei Fedorov returned in top form, playing his usual two-way style. The Wings almost lost Fedorov to Carolina during the season, but opted to match the Hurricane's offer, which would give Fedorov a $14 million signing bonus and an extra $12 million for reaching the Conference Finals. Add in the meager $2 million base salary, and Fedorov had a total of $28 million to show for his 43 games played ($651,163 per game, for those counting).
Yzerman, Fedorov and defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom were expected to be atop the playoff scoring leaders, but it was the Red Wings' depth that lifted them to the title. Second tier players Tomas Holmstrom, Martin Lapointe and Doug Brown all consistently outplayed most of the other teams marquee forwards, each one becoming strict believers in head coach Scotty Bowman's defensive system. And why shouldn't they believe? With this cup, Bowman tied his mentor Toe Blake's all-time mark with his eighth Stanley Cup championship.
Capitals goalie Olaf Kolzig threw his hat in the ring as one of the elite goalies, tying the record for single-season playoff shutouts with four. Though overwhelmed in the finals, the Caps had an impressive run through the Eastern Conference playoffs, led by a solid group of veterans with Adam Oates, Peter Bondra, Dale Hunter and Brian Bellows, all in search of their first title. But they all rode the shoulders of Kolzig, who outplayed the world's greatest goalie Dominik Hasek in the Eastern Conference Finals to win the right to play Detroit.
Hasek was immense again in the 1997-98 season for the Buffalo Sabres, capturing the Hart and Vezina Trophies for the second straight year. The Sabres got off to a rocky start amidst internal turmoil surrounding the firing of last season's coach of the year Ted Nolan. Behind Hasek however, the team turned the season around, posting a 21-10-10 record in the second half of the season and continuing that success through the playoffs.
Though a hit as always at the ticket gate, hockey fell on tough times in 1997-98 in terms of TV ratings, possibly due to a noticable lack of scoring. While the league boasted 21 100-point scorers just five years ago, only one (Jaromir Jagr) broke the plateau this season. Trap defenses and the “clutching and grabbing” that fueled Mario Lemieux's decision to retire continued to limit offenses.
Injuries, concussions in particular, to some of league's top offensive players also kept even the most powerful teams to under three goals per game. The Rangers' Pat LaFontaine and Anaheim's Paul Kariya were each felled by concussions during the year, Kariya's thanks to a vicious and controversial hit by Chicago defenseman and Anaheim's new public enemy No. 1 Gary Suter. The lack of offense has sparked numerous NHL rule changes beginning in the 1998-99 season, including one that moves nets further away from the end boards in order to enable offenses more room to operate.
The biggest surprises this season, aside from the Capitals, were the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings. The worst three teams in the NHL a year ago all earned playoff berths this year. Although they were ousted in the first round of the playoffs, each team has developed a formidable nucleus of talent and are now considered three teams with the power to stop the Red Wing's streak at two.
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Detroit coach Scotty Bowman hoists the Stanley Cup after his Red Wings completed a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1997 Cup Finals.
Wide World Photos
Well it happened again. For the fourth consecutive year, the Stanley Cup Finals ended in a sweep and for the second consecutive year, it was the Detroit Red Wings who made mincemeat of their Finals opponent. The Wings dismantled the Washington Capitals in four straight, dominating in almost every aspect of the game. Goaltender Chris Osgood, who took a back seat to Mike Vernon in the '97 Finals, won all 16 games for Detroit and despite giving up the occasional soft goal, remained tough and kept his team in the game while the Wing forwards did their thing to often frazzled opposing defenses.
Captain and fan-favorite Steve Yzerman led all playoff scorers with 24 points and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy (MVP) for his efforts. After returning from a 59-game hiatus due to a contract squabble, Sergei Fedorov returned in top form, playing his usual two-way style. The Wings almost lost Fedorov to Carolina during the season, but opted to match the Hurricane's offer, which would give Fedorov a $14 million signing bonus and an extra $12 million for reaching the Conference Finals. Add in the meager $2 million base salary, and Fedorov had a total of $28 million to show for his 43 games played ($651,163 per game, for those counting).
Yzerman, Fedorov and defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom were expected to be atop the playoff scoring leaders, but it was the Red Wings' depth that lifted them to the title. Second tier players Tomas Holmstrom, Martin Lapointe and Doug Brown all consistently outplayed most of the other teams marquee forwards, each one becoming strict believers in head coach Scotty Bowman's defensive system. And why shouldn't they believe? With this cup, Bowman tied his mentor Toe Blake's all-time mark with his eighth Stanley Cup championship.
Capitals goalie Olaf Kolzig threw his hat in the ring as one of the elite goalies, tying the record for single-season playoff shutouts with four. Though overwhelmed in the finals, the Caps had an impressive run through the Eastern Conference playoffs, led by a solid group of veterans with Adam Oates, Peter Bondra, Dale Hunter and Brian Bellows, all in search of their first title. But they all rode the shoulders of Kolzig, who outplayed the world's greatest goalie Dominik Hasek in the Eastern Conference Finals to win the right to play Detroit.
Hasek was immense again in the 1997-98 season for the Buffalo Sabres, capturing the Hart and Vezina Trophies for the second straight year. The Sabres got off to a rocky start amidst internal turmoil surrounding the firing of last season's coach of the year Ted Nolan. Behind Hasek however, the team turned the season around, posting a 21-10-10 record in the second half of the season and continuing that success through the playoffs.
Though a hit as always at the ticket gate, hockey fell on tough times in 1997-98 in terms of TV ratings, possibly due to a noticable lack of scoring. While the league boasted 21 100-point scorers just five years ago, only one (Jaromir Jagr) broke the plateau this season. Trap defenses and the “clutching and grabbing” that fueled Mario Lemieux's decision to retire continued to limit offenses.
Injuries, concussions in particular, to some of league's top offensive players also kept even the most powerful teams to under three goals per game. The Rangers' Pat LaFontaine and Anaheim's Paul Kariya were each felled by concussions during the year, Kariya's thanks to a vicious and controversial hit by Chicago defenseman and Anaheim's new public enemy No. 1 Gary Suter. The lack of offense has sparked numerous NHL rule changes beginning in the 1998-99 season, including one that moves nets further away from the end boards in order to enable offenses more room to operate.
The biggest surprises this season, aside from the Capitals, were the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings. The worst three teams in the NHL a year ago all earned playoff berths this year. Although they were ousted in the first round of the playoffs, each team has developed a formidable nucleus of talent and are now considered three teams with the power to stop the Red Wing's streak at two.
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Final NHL Standings
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Saturday, February 20, 2010
About Yemen
Coast Line: 1,906 Km
Population: 22,231,100
(2007 statatistics)
Capital:
San'a', Pop 1,653,300
Major cities:
Aden, Pop 560,000
Ta'izz, Pop 406,900
Hodeida, Pop 160,000
Border countries:
NORTH Saudi Arabia,
EAST Oman.
Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia. Strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes
Map references: Middle East
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west
Principal mountains: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Principal islands: Socotra 3600 Km²
Climate: Mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast
Administrative divisions: Abyan, Adan, Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz
System of government: Presidential Republic
Language: Arabic (official), English
Currency: Yemeni Rial (YRI)
Ethnic groups: Predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans.
For further information on Yemen History click here
"CARAVAN KINGDOMS, YEMEN AND THE ANCIENT INCENSE TRADE" click here
Sana'a - City of light
| For more information: |
| http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/385/documents http://bab-al-yemen.blogspot.com http://www.gordon-stewart.co.uk/sanaa |
Shibam Hadhramawt - Manhattan of the Desert
Shibam is often called "the oldest skyscraper-city in the world", or "Manhattan of the desert".
| For more information: |
| http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/192 http://www.shibam-udp.org |
Zabid
| For more information: |
| http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/611 |
Socotra Island
Socotra Island Nominated for the New 7 Wonders of Nature
The Ministry of Tourism has nominated the Socotra Island to the competition of new7 wonders adopted by the Swiss foundation new7wonders.com, so the ministry calls visitors to this web site to vote for Socotra. To vote, please, take these steps:
By His Excellency Mr. Marwan Noman, Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen,
Delivered at Investment Promotion Forum 2008.
Organized by Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East, Tokyo 4-6 April 2008
Yemen is one of the least developed countries which is struggling to shape up a better future for it growing young population, which is over 50% of its 21.6 million (2006).
Since reunification in 1990, Yemen has been a victim of politically motivated labeling as an unsecured investment environment; Yemen itself has been a target of international terrorism and suffered greatly of terrorist attacks. As such, Yemen has joined hands and become a strategic and active partner in international anti-terrorism campaign.
Consequently, Yemen was able, together with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and UK Department for International Development (DFID), to hold the 4th Yemen Consultative Group Meeting in London in November 2006, the outcome of which was that Yemen’s development partners reaffirmed their support for the efforts of Yemen to reduce poverty through macroeconomic stability and structural reforms.
Approximately US $4.7 billion was pledged for the four-year period 2007-2010. This is a significant increase in assistance, and represents over 85 percent of the Governments' estimated external financing needs. Those pledges increased to $5.31 billion by the end of Dec. 2007.
The pledges include $2.92 billion in grants and $2.39 billion in soft loan. The GCC pledges represent 50% of the total pledges with Saudi Arabia offering its majority, international and regional multi-laterals represents 36% of the total pledges and the remaining pledges are from traditional donors of the members of Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD).
By the end of 2007, 70% of these pledges were received by the government of Yemen, and 18.5% of the allocations have been signed into actual financing agreements. Furthermore, Yemen was reinstated in the U.S.'s Millennium Challenge Corporation's threshold program.
To enhance foreign direct investment inflow to the country, Yemen’s General Investment Authority, with collaboration with GCC, held the Conference for Exploring Investment Opportunities in Yemen from 22-23 April, 2007, targeting investors from GCC and other countries worldwide, resulting in considerable investment in real estate and tourism sectors.
Yemen is sparing no effort to accommodate all necessary requirements to be where it should be, a strategic integral part of its neighborhood, the Arabian Peninsula, and its regional organization of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The GCC has come forward to support Yemen’s integration into its economies and to show strong commitment to enhance Yemen's efforts to scaling up development and poverty reduction efforts. Pending full membership in the GCC, Yemen now is a member of several GCC ministerial organs and activities.
In a new development in this direction, H. E. Dr. Abu Bakr Al Qirbi Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yemen participated in the meeting of the Foreign Minister of the GCC countries which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sunday March 2, 2008. This is the third meeting Yemen attended in less than a year, which is a clear indication how fast Yemen status is developing with GCC.
Yemen has proven crude oil reserves of 10.9 billion barrels in 2007. Oil production in Yemen is executed by international companies. Additional exploration activities for 2007 have targeted offshore blocks where little development has taken place so far.
Yemen has 18.2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven natural gas reserves in 2007, of which 9 Tcf have been earmarked for the Total-led Yemen LNG (YLNG) project. The project is expected to produce 6.7 million tons per year (900 million cubic feet per day) of LNG. The plant plans to export approximately two-thirds of its production to the U.S. and the remainder to Asia. A few days ago, on Feb 21, Total Gas and Power in London, confirmed that Yemen LNG liquefied natural gas project is on target to come online on schedule at the end of this year.
The cost of this project has risen to $4 billion, $300 million more than the previous estimates. Shareholders are French Total (39.62%), U.S. Hunt Oil (17.22%), Yemen Gas Company (16.73%), Yemen General Authority for Social Security and Pensions (GASSP) (5%), Kogas (6%), SK Corporation (9.55%) and Hyundai (5.88%).
The project is the largest direct investment in Yemen, and it is expected to generate the largest single revenue for the country during the coming 20 to 25 years. Two out of four tanks being built for Yemen LNG are built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The other two tankers are being built in South Korea.
Yemen has over 2200 Km of coastal line over the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, with very rich resources of excellent fisheries.
Yemen offers a very attractive tourism opportunities, were investment is extremely required for infrastructure and facilities. Yemen has three UNESCO recommended world heritage sites in Sana'a, the Capital, Shibam in Hadhramout and Zabid in the Tihama on the Red Sea, together with Soqatra Archipelago, which is one of its kind of ecological touristic attraction in the world.
IMF Executive Board in Septembers 27, 2007, welcomed "Yemen's generally favorable recent economic performance, including the decline in the poverty rate, as well as the progress being made on a number of structural reforms."
General Investment Authority and Embassy of Japan in Yemen are finalizing arrangements to hold the first Workshop for Japanese Companies on Trade and Investment in Yemen, from 13-14 April 2008, to which all Japanese interested companies are invited to.
One should not forget to mention Aden, which is the most important commercial business center in Yemen and the most important seaport, which was once, in the 1960's, one of the top three seaport in the world. Aden Free Zone is offering a unique opportunity to international trade and investment in the area with its distinguished location near Bab El Mendab Strait and with its proximity to the Horn of Africa and East African market in general.
To conclude, Yemen need direct investment from Japan so as to enable Yemen to be strengthened in face of all its challenges to secure economic and political stability which is vitally important to Yemen and to regional oil producers as well as all maritime nations. Yemen has a strategic location at the entrance of Bab el Mandab strait, which links the Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. The strait is one of the most strategic shipping lanes in the world. Yemen is the leading democratic country in the region with free market economy and is the most dynamic and promising country.
As it is said "a friend in need a friend indeed", and Yemen needs Japan's partnership.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh second Visit to Japan (2005)
At all the meetings, both the Yemeni and Japanese sides confirmed their willingness to further develop the friendly and cooperative relationship between both the two countries and the peoples. At the summit talks, both sides reaffirmed that the stability of Yemen is critical to the stability of the Arabian Peninsula. Both sides confirmed their commitment not only to strengthen the relations in the traditional forms of cooperation but also to share information and closely cooperate in such areas as poverty reduction, democratization and prevention of terror, with the support of the international community to eradicate poverty according as the Millennium Summit Declaration of 2000.
Both sides shared the view that comprehensive reform of the United Nations (UN) is important for the UN to address the new conditions of the 21st century. President Saleh renewed Yemen's support for Japan's permanent membership in the Security Council. Prime Minister Koizumi expressed his support for Yemen's successful and continuous efforts in the fight against terrorism in collaboration with the international community.
Both sides shared the view that Yemen's efforts to accelerate its poverty reduction program and democratization will lead to the eradication of the safe haven of terror and to the prevention of terrorism. To that end, the Japanese side expressed its readiness to extend assistance to achieve these goals. Yemen welcomed Japan's decision to continue the fight against terrorism through activities based upon the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law. Both sides confirmed that non-proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their delivery means is essential for the peace and stability of both the Middle Eastern and East Asian regions and the entire world.
Prime Minister Koizumi highly applauded Yemen's policies on economic reforms and democratization. The Japanese side expressed its support to these efforts, and expressed its hope that Yemen's economic reforms will improve the living standard of its people. The Japanese side recognizes the importance of basic education, rural water supply and health services and has proactively extended assistance to these sectors in Yemen, through its ODA utilizing such schemes as Non-Project Grant Aid and Grant Aid for Increase of Food Production (2KR). The Japanese side expressed its readiness to further support Yemen's efforts in these sectors.
In this connection, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will undertake a development study to formulate a project for rural water supply to cover designated areas in five governorates of Yemen and to improve the capacities of the local water supply authorities. JICA will also enlarge Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) dispatch program which was resumed last July. Furthermore, in view of the presidential election and local council elections which will be held nationwide in 2006, the Japanese side has expressed its readiness to consider assistance to the government of Yemen to further accelerate the democratization process in Yemen.
The Japanese side also expressed its intention to consolidate the concept of human security in Yemen, a concept which Japan takes the initiative to promote to the entire world. The Japanese side stated that it has decided to extend assistance toward the Yemen Executive Mine Action Center (YEMAC) to support the activities for clearance of land mines.
While expressing deep appreciation for Japan's assistances to Yemen to date, including debt relief, the Yemeni side explained the economic and social challenges which the country is facing as a result of the reforms made by the government of Yemen and asked for increased support from Japan.
- August 2007, Mr. Hamoud Mohammad Obad, Minister of Youth and Sports
- March 2008, Mr. Khaled Mahfoodh Bahah, Minister of Oil & Minerals
The latest important visit was the visit of Mr. Khalid Mahfoudh Bahah, Yemen’s Minister of Oil and Minerals, from 4 to 9 March 2008. During his visit he met with Mr. Amari, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, and held extensive talks on promoting Japan’s participation in investment in oil and gas in Yemen. During his visit he held a symposium on oil and gas in Yemen, arranged by JOGMEC attended by more than twenty Japanese oil companies. Minister of Oil and Minerals Khalid Bahah called Japanese companies to benefit from the investment climate in Yemen in sphere of oil sector. Mr. Bahah invited the companies to take part in third oil, gas and minerals conference that will be held in Sana'a by the end of this year.
He visited Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' dock in Nagasaki to see construction of two LNG vessels being built for YLNG, with a full-loading capacity of around 150,000 cubic meters of LNG. Several Japanese oil companies expressed interest in participating in the forthcoming Yemen 3rd International Conference on Oil, Gas & Minerals that will take place in Sana’a late this
Welcome to the website of the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen to Japan.
This website is an effort to provide genuine information to those who have an interest, hold something in common or have grown fond of Yemen.
We intended to keep this website simple and easy to use while substantiating it by adding links of elaborative websites in an effort to assist those who are looking for further information on the country. We have to mention that, we are deeply indebted and thankful to the managers of all the websites that appear here.
Need less to say that, while we are endeavoring to provide useful information to our visitors, we are looking forward to building bona fide relations with them by receiving their sincere comments and valuable advice on how to improve our service and strengthen our relations with them. We sincerely wish to win the honor of being in place of entrust for genuine information.
The Embassy of the Republic of Yemen avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the esteemed visitors the assurance of its highest consideration.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Newspaper story & fine art photographs by Brad Carlile
In the early hours of Friday October 13th, CNN.com reported that a bomb exploded on the USS Cole in Aden Yemen killing US sailors. They added " US officials call Yemen a safe haven for terrorists". Other articles use the term "medieval" to describe modern Yemen.
In our busy world, we quickly let our minds paint in all of the rest of the details of this country and its people. Time to be thankful for where we are and move on. But sometimes we should explore deeper. In those same early hours of Friday October 13th, I finish packing my backpack for a five week trip to Morocco, Jordan, and Yemen.
When I started planning my trip several months earlier, friends asked about Yemen. Where do I find it on a map? They learned that this country -- about four times the size of Illinois, is located to the southern tip of the Saudi peninsula. It is one of the oldest inhabited areas on the earth.
As I flew the Atlantic, I knew to expect to interesting contrasts in Yemen -- a country rich in history, culture, and scenery.
Yemeni History
Historically, Yemen has come into significance at times only to fade into general obscurity. In the 10th century BC, the Queen of Sheba ruled her civilization in what is now Yemen. Latter in biblical times, Frankincense and Myrrh, the most valuable commodity of that time, originated in Yemen. Also then most goods from India and China passed through Yemen on their way to the Mediterranean. Then three hundred years ago, Yemen had the world's monopoly on coffee which was produced from the prized Arabica coffee bean. Much of the coffee was shipped from the old port town of Al-Makha -- where we now get the name "Mocca". Later this bean was carried to South America and Indonesia. Since then little has been heard about Yemen in the western world.
Religiously, Yemen is a Moslem nation. Five times a day the call to prayer is blasted from speakers mounted on minarets throughout every city and town. In strict Moslem tradition to preserve modesty, the women are dressed head to toe in black with only a tiny slit for their eyes. Very stylish shoes are the only thing that hint of non-traditionalism. The shoes are as modern as any seen on the streets of European capitals. Inside the house when around family and friends, the outer robes come off to reveal very modern outfits.
Geographically Yemen is very diverse. The 7000' mountains of the western half provide a perfect climate for growing some of the finest coffee in the world. Whereas, the northern desert that boarders Saudia Arabia is a barren flat dry hot rocky desert. On the southern coast the fine white sand beaches give way to the clear blue waters of the gulf of Aden.
Sana'a Yemen
My trip started in Sana'a, the capital city, which is situated in a mountainous basin at about 7000 feet above sea level. At this elevation temperatures are moderate.
Most of the million residents live in the modern part of Sana'a. However the true charm of the city is in old city with its amazingly ornate 6- to 8-story tower houses.
Time moves at a slower pace even in capital of Yemen. Largely this is due to the importance of human relationships in every aspect of life. Time is always made for smiles, conversation, and news about families. At social gatherings the love of verbal banter & jokes is clear.
I was told that as a solo American traveling on local transport at this time I might run into bureaucratic hassles. To avoid hassles and not to waste any time, I hired a car & driver for less than renting a compact car in the US.
Sharaf, My Fantastic Driver in Yemen
My driver's name is Sharaf. He is a very nice man who enjoys life, loves his family, and knows all of the best places to go. I knew more Arabic than he knew English, which really meant we had fewer than 400 words between us, nevertheless we each learned many things from the otherand become friends.
As an attempt at being culturally sensitive-- beyond learning a bit of the language -- I grew the first beard of my life. Once in Yemen I wore a jacket and a kaffiyeh, or checkered head cloth, when traveling the country-side. Sharaf encouraged me to do this. These tiny attempts to fit in a bit were appreciated by many I met.
Yemini Western Highlands
As we drove around the towns nestled in the craggy peaks of the western highlands, we would listened to tapes of Yemeni songs. Vistas in this mountainous region are astounding and dramatic. Many mountain sides have hundreds of levels of terracing which allows all of the land to be used in this fertile region.
In addition, houses are built on the edges of cliffs and ridges to preserve all of the arable land. Throughout Yemen, great pride is taken in the old tradition of beautiful architecture. The outside of these brick and rock houses are covered intricate geometric white plaster designs that outline the windows and ring the top of the buildings. We would often give locals rides between villages, a nice thing to do on these steep mountain roads. Most main roads are some of the best I've seen anywhere in my third world travels. However to get to some more interesting spots we would travel stretches that would require years of improvement it even be considered a road hazard and many more years to be considered a road.
Yemini Food: Salta, coffee, and other delicious food
Lunch is the big meal of the day. The food was very different than the humus and shish kabobs of middle eastern cuisine. Salta is the national dish. It is a spiced fenugreek tomato potato stew containing lamb or chicken. It is eaten with a flavorful sorghum flat bread.
Typical lunch would include a lentil-lemon soup, cooked vegetables, a kind of fried rice, hot peppers, Salta,and grilled chicken. One left the table well fed. On special occasions the wonderful "Bint al Sahn" was served as dessert. It is a sweet bread that is dipped into honey and clarified butter.
Coffee is so highly regarded that it is reserved for use at home. But when one can get it in a restaurant, it is amazing -- even for a non coffee drinker.
After lunch, most men and woman spend several hours socially chewing Qat (pronounced khat). Qat is a shrub whose leaves act as are a mild stimulant that boosts one's mood when chewed. Qat is legal in Yemen and it is a national obsession. Unofficial estimates are that qat accounts for one-third of the domestic economy.
After traveling for several days we returned to Sana'a to have tea with Sharaf's family, where I met and played with his twin granddaughters. Early the next morning we would start a week-long trip that would take us to the southern coast at Bir Ali and Al-Mukalla, then to Wadi Hadramawt, and then into the eastern desert. We would then travel across the desert on the boarder with Saudia Arabia to Marib, which was home to the Queen of Sheba.
In order to travel outside the western highlands, one needs to file a travel itinerary with the government and carry lots of copies to give out at the police checkpoints. Given that Yemen wants safe tourists, there are a lot of police checkpoints. Often policeman will often ride in the vehicle between checkpoints. (…)
Wadi Hadramawt
After seeing many of towns in Wadi Hadramawt we headed back across the desert, somewhat near the Saudi boarder, to Marib the ancient center of the Sheba Civilization. This civilization had amazing accomplishments including a dam that was 2,200 feet long and was 50 feet high at its midpoint that lasted for over 1,300 years. Remnants of the dam and two temples are in the process of being excavated.(….)
(Source: http://www.bradcarlile.com/travel/yemen.html)
In the early hours of Friday October 13th, CNN.com reported that a bomb exploded on the USS Cole in Aden Yemen killing US sailors. They added " US officials call Yemen a safe haven for terrorists". Other articles use the term "medieval" to describe modern Yemen.
In our busy world, we quickly let our minds paint in all of the rest of the details of this country and its people. Time to be thankful for where we are and move on. But sometimes we should explore deeper. In those same early hours of Friday October 13th, I finish packing my backpack for a five week trip to Morocco, Jordan, and Yemen.
When I started planning my trip several months earlier, friends asked about Yemen. Where do I find it on a map? They learned that this country -- about four times the size of Illinois, is located to the southern tip of the Saudi peninsula. It is one of the oldest inhabited areas on the earth.
As I flew the Atlantic, I knew to expect to interesting contrasts in Yemen -- a country rich in history, culture, and scenery.
Yemeni History
Historically, Yemen has come into significance at times only to fade into general obscurity. In the 10th century BC, the Queen of Sheba ruled her civilization in what is now Yemen. Latter in biblical times, Frankincense and Myrrh, the most valuable commodity of that time, originated in Yemen. Also then most goods from India and China passed through Yemen on their way to the Mediterranean. Then three hundred years ago, Yemen had the world's monopoly on coffee which was produced from the prized Arabica coffee bean. Much of the coffee was shipped from the old port town of Al-Makha -- where we now get the name "Mocca". Later this bean was carried to South America and Indonesia. Since then little has been heard about Yemen in the western world.
Religiously, Yemen is a Moslem nation. Five times a day the call to prayer is blasted from speakers mounted on minarets throughout every city and town. In strict Moslem tradition to preserve modesty, the women are dressed head to toe in black with only a tiny slit for their eyes. Very stylish shoes are the only thing that hint of non-traditionalism. The shoes are as modern as any seen on the streets of European capitals. Inside the house when around family and friends, the outer robes come off to reveal very modern outfits.
Geographically Yemen is very diverse. The 7000' mountains of the western half provide a perfect climate for growing some of the finest coffee in the world. Whereas, the northern desert that boarders Saudia Arabia is a barren flat dry hot rocky desert. On the southern coast the fine white sand beaches give way to the clear blue waters of the gulf of Aden.
Sana'a Yemen
My trip started in Sana'a, the capital city, which is situated in a mountainous basin at about 7000 feet above sea level. At this elevation temperatures are moderate.
Most of the million residents live in the modern part of Sana'a. However the true charm of the city is in old city with its amazingly ornate 6- to 8-story tower houses.
Time moves at a slower pace even in capital of Yemen. Largely this is due to the importance of human relationships in every aspect of life. Time is always made for smiles, conversation, and news about families. At social gatherings the love of verbal banter & jokes is clear.
I was told that as a solo American traveling on local transport at this time I might run into bureaucratic hassles. To avoid hassles and not to waste any time, I hired a car & driver for less than renting a compact car in the US.
Sharaf, My Fantastic Driver in Yemen
My driver's name is Sharaf. He is a very nice man who enjoys life, loves his family, and knows all of the best places to go. I knew more Arabic than he knew English, which really meant we had fewer than 400 words between us, nevertheless we each learned many things from the otherand become friends.
As an attempt at being culturally sensitive-- beyond learning a bit of the language -- I grew the first beard of my life. Once in Yemen I wore a jacket and a kaffiyeh, or checkered head cloth, when traveling the country-side. Sharaf encouraged me to do this. These tiny attempts to fit in a bit were appreciated by many I met.
Yemini Western Highlands
As we drove around the towns nestled in the craggy peaks of the western highlands, we would listened to tapes of Yemeni songs. Vistas in this mountainous region are astounding and dramatic. Many mountain sides have hundreds of levels of terracing which allows all of the land to be used in this fertile region.
In addition, houses are built on the edges of cliffs and ridges to preserve all of the arable land. Throughout Yemen, great pride is taken in the old tradition of beautiful architecture. The outside of these brick and rock houses are covered intricate geometric white plaster designs that outline the windows and ring the top of the buildings. We would often give locals rides between villages, a nice thing to do on these steep mountain roads. Most main roads are some of the best I've seen anywhere in my third world travels. However to get to some more interesting spots we would travel stretches that would require years of improvement it even be considered a road hazard and many more years to be considered a road.
Yemini Food: Salta, coffee, and other delicious food
Lunch is the big meal of the day. The food was very different than the humus and shish kabobs of middle eastern cuisine. Salta is the national dish. It is a spiced fenugreek tomato potato stew containing lamb or chicken. It is eaten with a flavorful sorghum flat bread.
Typical lunch would include a lentil-lemon soup, cooked vegetables, a kind of fried rice, hot peppers, Salta,and grilled chicken. One left the table well fed. On special occasions the wonderful "Bint al Sahn" was served as dessert. It is a sweet bread that is dipped into honey and clarified butter.
Coffee is so highly regarded that it is reserved for use at home. But when one can get it in a restaurant, it is amazing -- even for a non coffee drinker.
After lunch, most men and woman spend several hours socially chewing Qat (pronounced khat). Qat is a shrub whose leaves act as are a mild stimulant that boosts one's mood when chewed. Qat is legal in Yemen and it is a national obsession. Unofficial estimates are that qat accounts for one-third of the domestic economy.
After traveling for several days we returned to Sana'a to have tea with Sharaf's family, where I met and played with his twin granddaughters. Early the next morning we would start a week-long trip that would take us to the southern coast at Bir Ali and Al-Mukalla, then to Wadi Hadramawt, and then into the eastern desert. We would then travel across the desert on the boarder with Saudia Arabia to Marib, which was home to the Queen of Sheba.
In order to travel outside the western highlands, one needs to file a travel itinerary with the government and carry lots of copies to give out at the police checkpoints. Given that Yemen wants safe tourists, there are a lot of police checkpoints. Often policeman will often ride in the vehicle between checkpoints. (…)
Wadi Hadramawt
After seeing many of towns in Wadi Hadramawt we headed back across the desert, somewhat near the Saudi boarder, to Marib the ancient center of the Sheba Civilization. This civilization had amazing accomplishments including a dam that was 2,200 feet long and was 50 feet high at its midpoint that lasted for over 1,300 years. Remnants of the dam and two temples are in the process of being excavated.(….)
(Source: http://www.bradcarlile.com/travel/yemen.html)
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