Image Borrowed from "itap-world"
http://itap-world.com/es/news/asia/yemen/id/1591
http://itap-world.com/es/news/asia/yemen/id/1591
THe people of yemen
Yemen is a small country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a population of 28.25 million as of 2017. The population is ethnically Arab, divided between Sunni Muslims of the Shafi'i school and Shi'a Muslims of the Zaydi school. There are small groups of Jews, Hindus, and Christians. Culture is intensely patriarchal, and households usually consist of an extended family living in a single domicile or family compound. The head of the family is the eldest male, who makes all significant decisions for the family and its members ("Yemen").
Apart from a relatively few pastoral nomads who live in tents or caves, most residents are urban dwellers and sedentary agriculturalists. Since ancient times builders have used local materials to build cities and villages on mountain slopes, dry islets at the bed of a valley, stony plateaus, and sandy seashores. Most localities, from walled cities to tiny hamlets, are still divided into traditional quarters or neighborhoods. Public spaces, especially markets, foster communication among men (Burrowes).
The annual growth rate is limited by migration and a high infant mortality rate. The birthrate is high, and almost half the population is under fifteen years of age (Burrowes).
People of Yemen tend to observe a conservative lifestyle. Women wear a black dress, also called balto in Yemen, and is worn on top of other clothes. Especially in the cities and larger towns, women wear mostly black. In the villages, other dresses with vibrant headscarves dominate. Although the hijab, the headscarf, is required by Islam, the veil that covers the face is not ("Yemeni Dress: Photographing the...").
Apart from a relatively few pastoral nomads who live in tents or caves, most residents are urban dwellers and sedentary agriculturalists. Since ancient times builders have used local materials to build cities and villages on mountain slopes, dry islets at the bed of a valley, stony plateaus, and sandy seashores. Most localities, from walled cities to tiny hamlets, are still divided into traditional quarters or neighborhoods. Public spaces, especially markets, foster communication among men (Burrowes).
The annual growth rate is limited by migration and a high infant mortality rate. The birthrate is high, and almost half the population is under fifteen years of age (Burrowes).
People of Yemen tend to observe a conservative lifestyle. Women wear a black dress, also called balto in Yemen, and is worn on top of other clothes. Especially in the cities and larger towns, women wear mostly black. In the villages, other dresses with vibrant headscarves dominate. Although the hijab, the headscarf, is required by Islam, the veil that covers the face is not ("Yemeni Dress: Photographing the...").
THe beauty of yemen
Dar al-hajar
Image borrowed from "orange smile"
http://www.orangesmile.com/extreme/en/wonderful-castles/dar-al-hajar.htm |
Jabal sabr mountain
Image borrowed from "Trip2Yemen"
https://trip2yemen.wordpress.com/2014/01/16/taiz-city/ |
Throne of queen Sheba - Barran Temple
Image borrowed from "Picswe"
https://www.picswe.com/pics/sheba-throne-90.html |
Due to the inordinate amount of conflict in Yemen, most people overlook Yemen's beautiful geography, history and culture . Yemen occupies the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. 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 (“Asia/.” ). Yemen's beautiful mountains, beaches, and deserts makes it an alluring country to visit. 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 [a Shi'a muslim dynasty], whose dynasty lasted well into the twentieth century (kästle). In addition to a gorgeous landscape, Yemen's rich and intriguing history makes it all the more captivating.
Image borrowed from "Murad Subay"
https://muradsubay.com/2015/12/20/987976/
https://muradsubay.com/2015/12/20/987976/
Challenges facing yemen
As a result of the ongoing Yemeni civil war, there are hundreds of thousands of refugees. The U.N. estimates that 366,000 Yemenis have been displaced due to the Houthi rebellion and other tribal clashes in the north of the country, including 52,000 who fled their homes in the first part of this year. The southern port city of Aden alone has absorbed more than 100,000 people who have fled the fighting, including aerial bombardments from drones and Yemeni army fighter jets . The overwhelming amount of refugees puts a severe burden on the government in Aden, which isn’t especially strong anyway. These refugees not only put a drain on the economy, where unemployment is already at 40 percent, but they also pose security concerns. The U.S. and others are worried that militants are using these refugees as cover to get back and forth between Somalia and Yemen ("You Aren't Hearing About...").
In addition, to the refugee problem the country is faced with an impending famine. Ten million Yemenis — or 44 percent of the population — are undernourished and 5 million are in need of emergency aid. A majority of civilians are depending on help aid organisations. However, endemic corruption in the public sector is a huge problem and until it’s addressed, no amount of aid will help ("You Aren't Hearing About...").
Further more, "Yemen is the seventh most “water-stressed” country in the world, and scientists warn that within 10 years, Sana’a is in danger of becoming the first capital in history to run out of the already scarce resource" In areas like Sana’a and the southern city of Taiz, tap water is only available every few days. Experts say that the cause of this is that 90 percent of the nation’s water supply is used for agriculture — and not very efficiently ("You Aren't Hearing About...").
Yemen’s water shortage is exacerbated by drug addiction. specifically qat — the nation’s most popular drug. Seventy percent of Yemeni males use the narcotic, which is critical to Yemen’s economy, but also requires five times the amount of water than other crops like grapes to grow. Almost 40 percent of the country’s agricultural water use goes towards growing qat. These problems — paired with a weak government, rapid population growth (Yemen’s population of 23 million is expected to double in the next 20 years) and climate change patterns that are expected to bring increased drought and floods — mean that water will only become more scarce, and more of a long-term threat to the country’s stability ("You Aren't Hearing About...").
In addition, to the refugee problem the country is faced with an impending famine. Ten million Yemenis — or 44 percent of the population — are undernourished and 5 million are in need of emergency aid. A majority of civilians are depending on help aid organisations. However, endemic corruption in the public sector is a huge problem and until it’s addressed, no amount of aid will help ("You Aren't Hearing About...").
Further more, "Yemen is the seventh most “water-stressed” country in the world, and scientists warn that within 10 years, Sana’a is in danger of becoming the first capital in history to run out of the already scarce resource" In areas like Sana’a and the southern city of Taiz, tap water is only available every few days. Experts say that the cause of this is that 90 percent of the nation’s water supply is used for agriculture — and not very efficiently ("You Aren't Hearing About...").
Yemen’s water shortage is exacerbated by drug addiction. specifically qat — the nation’s most popular drug. Seventy percent of Yemeni males use the narcotic, which is critical to Yemen’s economy, but also requires five times the amount of water than other crops like grapes to grow. Almost 40 percent of the country’s agricultural water use goes towards growing qat. These problems — paired with a weak government, rapid population growth (Yemen’s population of 23 million is expected to double in the next 20 years) and climate change patterns that are expected to bring increased drought and floods — mean that water will only become more scarce, and more of a long-term threat to the country’s stability ("You Aren't Hearing About...").
Works Cited:
Burrowes, Robert, and Manfred W. Wenner. “Yemen.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 Jan. 2019,
www.britannica.com/place/Yemen/Daily-life-and-social-customs.
“Yemen.” Countries and Their Cultures, www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Yemen.html#ixzz5c8eFxW8Q.
“Yemeni Dress: Photographing the Yemen Culture and Customs.” Apogee Photo Magazine, 6 Mar. 2018, www.apogeephoto.com/yemeni-dress- photographing-the-culture-and-customs/.
kästle, klaus. “___ History of Yemen.” History of Yemen - Key Figures in Yemen's History, www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/History/Yemen- history.htm.
“You Aren't Hearing About Yemen's Biggest Problems.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/you-arent- hearing-about-yemens-biggest-problems/.
“Asia/.” World Atlas, Worldatlas, 29 Sept. 2015, www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/yemen/yeland.htm.
www.britannica.com/place/Yemen/Daily-life-and-social-customs.
“Yemen.” Countries and Their Cultures, www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Yemen.html#ixzz5c8eFxW8Q.
“Yemeni Dress: Photographing the Yemen Culture and Customs.” Apogee Photo Magazine, 6 Mar. 2018, www.apogeephoto.com/yemeni-dress- photographing-the-culture-and-customs/.
kästle, klaus. “___ History of Yemen.” History of Yemen - Key Figures in Yemen's History, www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/History/Yemen- history.htm.
“You Aren't Hearing About Yemen's Biggest Problems.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/you-arent- hearing-about-yemens-biggest-problems/.
“Asia/.” World Atlas, Worldatlas, 29 Sept. 2015, www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/yemen/yeland.htm.