Yemen

Where the name comes from

Yemen’s origin is uncertain; suggested Arabic roots include yamīn, “right-hand side”, meaning south, and yumn, “good fortune”.

First people

Ancient South Arabian kingdoms, including Saba, linked the region with the incense trade.¹

Known for

Yemen helped turn coffee into a world trade through the port of Al-Makha, whose name survives in “mocha”, and Shibam’s mudbrick tower houses are called the Manhattan of the desert.^2,3,4

Outside contact

The Ottomans conquered it in 1538 and 1872, and Britain held Aden as a colony from 1839.¹

The modern country

The north became independent in 1918 and the south in 1967, and the two states united in 1990.¹