17 Things You Didn't Know about Yemen

Yemen is a country in the Middle East, officially known as the Republic of Yemen. Today, despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, the Yemeni people are entitled to one of the oldest and richest cultures in the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, the Gulf of Aden to the south, and Oman to the east.

. 1.Yemen was known as the "Land of Happiness". Yemen was formerly known as the Arabia Felix in Latin. The word means "happy land". At that time, the country got such a name because it was fertile land. However, the land of Yemen, along with most of the Arabian Peninsula, has become a desert. Now it is not fertile. 2.Shibam in Yemen is the oldest skyscraper city in the world. Shibam is an incredibly old city located in the governorate of Hadhramaut in central Yemen. These buildings were made of mud bricks in the 16th century. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. The city exhibits early urban planning with vertical construction. For this reason, the city got the nickname "Manhattan of the Desert". A wall surrounds the city to protect it. Currently, the city is threatened with loss due to the conflict.

3.The Dragon Blood Tree grows on the island of Socotra in Yemen. The Dragon Blood Tree, also known for the Red Resin that it produces, grows only in harsh, dry climates and in calcareous areas, such as Socotra. The tree is classified as an evergreen tree. There are some local stories about how this tree came to be. The Dragon Blood Tree grew from the blood that one and two brothers fought to the death and fell to the ground. Another local legend says that the tree grew from the blood of a dragon who was injured in an encounter with an elephant. 4.Queen Sheba or Balqees lived in Yemen. The Bible tells us that Queen Sheba visited King Solomon. Some say she ruled and lived in Ethiopia, but her country is now Yemen. Archaeological evidence shows that during her lifetime, Ethiopia and Yemen were ruled by the Axumite Empire. The Axumite Empire is believed to be based in Yemen.

5."Mokha Coffee" is named after the city of Mokha in Yemen where coffee was first sold. Yemen was the first country to drink coffee, dating back to the 15th century. By the next century, coffee had spread to the Middle East. Coffee from Mokha is believed to be more authentic than coffee mixed with chocolate. Mokha is a port city. For 200 years it monopolized the coffee trade. 6.One-third of the plants found in Socotra are found nowhere else on earth. Socotra's climate is favorable for very few plants, animals, and reptiles. This makes the number of wildlife very unique. In 2008, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. In all, there are about 825 plant species on the island, of which only 37% are found in Socotra. The island is home to several endangered species. The island has been marked for extra protection and conservation efforts.

7.Dar al-Hajar is built on a rock. Dar al-Hajar is a former royal palace located in Wadi Dhar, about 9. 3 miles from Sana'a in Yemen. Known as the "Stone House" and the Rock Palace, it was built in the 1920s as a summer resting place for Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din, the ruler of Yemen from 1904 to 1948, and still stands on top of the building built in 1786 for the scholar Al-Imam Mansour. The palace was in the hands of the royal family. After Hamid's assassination, the building was converted into a museum. 8.The old city of Sanaa has been inhabited for over 2,500 years. For more than 2,500 years, Sanaa has been one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Legend has it that the city was founded by Shem, one of Noah's sons. Everything before the Islamic era in Yemen was destroyed and later rebuilt. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1986.

9.Tawakkol Karman, a Yemeni, was awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. Tawakkol Karman is a human rights activist, politician, and journalist. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for advocating for the rights and security of women through non-violence. Karman also took part in efforts to bring peace to Yemen. When she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011, Karman became the first person from Yemen and the first Arab woman. She has been arrested several times for her activities. 10.Yemen was the first country in the Arabian Peninsula to give women the right to vote. Yemen is not an easy place for women. Women have many political, social, and economic limitations. However, in 1967, Yemen became the first country in the Gulf to give women the right to vote. However, many women still find it difficult to exercise their voting rights. As well as many other rights under the Yemeni government.

11.Former inhabitants of Yemen were known for their silverwork. Before the Nakba, many of the citizens of Yemen were Jews. They later left Yemen. The Jewish-Muslim communities in Yemen coexisted. Many Jewish artisans made silver work for all, regardless of religion. Word of their expertise spread beyond Yemen. Yemeni silver artisans have earned a reputation for the best silver-making work in the Arab world. 12.Yemen was once divided into North and South. It was ruled by the Ottoman Empire in the north and the British in the south. In 1918, the Ottoman Empire was dissolved and northern Yemen gained independence. In 1967, Britain withdrew from southern Yemen and became the People's Republic of Yemen. In 1969, a communist coup renamed the South the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. The People's Republic of South Yemen was the first and only Marxist country in the Arab world. Decades of instability and conflict have led to frequent clashes between the two Yemenis and eight years of civil war in northern Yemen from 1962 to 70.

13.Yemenis are famous for chewing on a soft amphetamine-like drug called khat, a regional practice that dates back thousands of years. It is estimated that up to 90% of adult males and up to 50% of females chew "khat" several times a day. Chewing "narcotic khat plant" is part of Yemeni culture. 14.The national symbol of Yemen is the golden eagle. In 1990, the golden eagle was recognized as the national emblem. 15.According to the International SOS Travel Risk Map 2020, Yemen is one of the 10 most dangerous countries in the world. It is estimated to carry an 'extreme travel safety risk'. 16.Yemen has a mixed economy in which there is limited private freedom, but the economy remains highly controlled by the government. Yemen's economy is based on oil extraction and the commercialization of coffee, cotton, and fish. 17.Christianity arrived in Yemen in the 4th century. Judaism and Paganism were established there. Islam came to Yemen in the seventh century. Today, almost all Yemenis are Muslims, about 75% from Sunni Islam and about 25% from Zaydi Shia ideology. These were 17 interesting facts about Yemen.