Brief information
It so happened historically that people on the territory of modern Yemen lived 4 thousand years ago. Over these many years, several civilizations and cultures have formed and declined in the country (once upon a time, Yemen was even a completely Christian state). Therefore, from a historical point of view, Yemen is one of the most interesting places in the Middle East. Tourists also need to take into account that the shores of this country are washed by the Red and Arabian Seas.
Geography of Yemen
Yemen is located in Western Asia, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Yemen borders Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the east. In the west, the country is washed by the Red Sea, and in the south by the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. The total territory of this state is 527,970 square meters. km, and the total length of the state border is 1,746 km.
Yemen consists of over 200 islands. The largest of them is the island of Socotra, it is located 354 kilometers from mainland Yemen.
Geographically, the country can be divided into four regions: coastal plains in the west, highlands in the central regions, highlands in the east, and rocky desert in the northeast. The largest peak is Mount Shuaib, whose height reaches 3,660 m.
There are very few rivers in Yemen, and almost all of them are seasonal (they dry up in summer).
Capital
According to itypemba.com, the capital of Yemen is Sanaa, which now has a population of more than 2.6 million people. People on the territory of modern Sana lived before our era.
Official language of Yemen
In Yemen, the official language is Arabic, belonging to the Semitic group of the Afroasian language family.
Religion
Almost all Yemenis are Muslims. Of these, about 53% are Sunnis and 45% are Shiites.
State structure of Yemen
According to equzhou.net, Yemen is a presidential republic in which the President is the head of state, he is elected by popular vote for a 7-year term. The head of government is the Prime Minister.
The bicameral parliament consists of the Shura Council (111 members) and the House of Representatives (301 members).
Administratively, the country is divided into 21 provinces (governors) and 333 districts.
Climate and weather
The climate in Yemen varies greatly depending on the region. But the climate in most of the country is desert. There are two seasons – summer and winter. In summer the air temperature can rise up to +54C. In Sana’a, the average annual air temperature is +18C. In general, the average annual air temperature in the country is +29.2C. The average annual rainfall is 39 mm per year.
You can travel around Yemen at any time of the year, however, of course, there are several seasons when this is the most pleasant to do. So, it is best to come to this country from September to April.
Seas in Yemen
In the west, Yemen is washed by the Red Sea, and in the south by the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. The total coastline is 1,906 km.
Rivers and lakes
There are very few rivers in Yemen, they are all seasonal. Of course, in the summer they almost all dry up.
Culture
Islam has had a decisive influence on the culture of Yemen. The inhabitants of this country celebrate all traditional Islamic holidays.
Every year in the summer, a festival is held in Sanaa, which attracts the attention of numerous residents of the country and foreigners. Various musical, dance and other folklore performances take place during the festival (of course, the festival participants are dressed in national costumes).
In August, the Al-Baldah festival is held, it is designed to attract tourists to the country.
Kitchen
Cuisine in Yemen is traditional for Arab countries, but not as refined as in some other countries in the Middle East. The main food products are rice, meat (chicken, lamb), seafood (in coastal areas), vegetables. But dairy foods, including milk, cheese and butter, are not often consumed.
Tourists in this country are recommended to try chicken stew with peas, broads and Salta spices, rice with lamb Kabsa, lamb soup Marag, thick soup Shorba and much more.
Traditional soft drinks are black tea (sometimes milk is added to it), coffee, cold drinks with raisins.
Sights of Yemen
People settled on the territory of modern Yemen more than 3 thousand years ago. At first, the inhabitants of this region professed Judaism, then Christianity, and from the 7th century AD. – Islam. To this day, this Arabian country has preserved many different historical and cultural attractions, from the ruins of ancient cities to the Sultan’s palaces and mosques. The top ten attractions in Yemen, in our opinion, include the following:
- Fortress in Sana’a
- Grand Mosque in Sana’a
- Palace in Raida
- Shikhara Fortress
- Ruin of Bilqis temple near Marib
- El-Amiriya Mosque in Rada
- Sultan’s Palace in Sayyun
- Al-Kahera Fort in Taiz
- Ahmed Palace in Taiz
- Minaret of El Mihdar Mosque in Tarim
Cities and resorts
The largest Yemeni cities are Ibb, Dhamar, Hajja, El-Beida, Taiz, and, of course, Sana’a.
The coast of Yemen is washed by the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, which makes this country a potentially good place for a beach holiday. However, the recreation infrastructure is not developed, and the unstable political situation is not yet conducive to the influx of tourists to this country.
Meanwhile, for example, the island of Socotra is an excellent place for a seaside holiday – there is snow-white fine coral sand, very clear water, unique underwater fauna and many sunken ancient ships.
Most often, tourists come to Yemen to see local attractions, as well as for religious purposes.
Souvenirs/Shopping
From Yemen, tourists usually bring handicrafts, ceramics, baskets, jewelry, Yemeni curved daggers, spices, Yemeni coffee.
Office Hours
Banks: Sat-Wed: 08:30-12:00 Thu: 08:00-11:30
Shops: Sat-Thu: 08:00-13:00 and 16:00-21:00
Visa
You need a visa to visit Yemen.
Currency
The Yemeni rial is the official currency in Yemen. Its international designation is YER. Prestigious hotels, shops and restaurants accept all major credit cards.
Customs restrictions
You can import foreign and local currency into Yemen, however, as well as export it, without any restrictions, even a declaration is not needed. You can not import the currency of Israel, as well as any goods of Israeli production.
Antiques and art objects are strictly inspected during export, try to keep checks on them.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
The interests of Yemen in Ukraine are represented by the Embassy of Yemen in Russia:
Moscow, 2nd Neopalimovsky per., 6
T: (495) 246-44-27
The interests of Ukraine in Yemen are represented by the Embassy of Ukraine in Saudi Arabia:
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 11693, POBox 94010 Riyadh
T: (8 10 9661)
450-85-36 mail: [email protected]
Emergency numbers
191 – call Ambulance or Fire Brigade
194 – call the Police
Time
The difference with Ukrainian time is +1 hour. those. if in Sana’a, for example, it is 09:00, then in Kyiv it is 08:00.
Tips
Tipping in Yemen is 5-10% of the bill. Porters at the hotel leave 1-3 dollars (equivalent) for one bag.
The medicine
No vaccinations are required to visit Yemen. Nevertheless, doctors recommend vaccinations against typhoid, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis A and B, malaria and rabies before traveling to this country.
Security
It must be remembered that Yemen is a Muslim country. It is better for women not to walk alone in the evening. Take reasonable precautions and leave money and valuables in the hotel safe. Before traveling to Yemen, make sure that the political situation there is stable.
