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Geography and Environment of Yemen
Terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, and environmental conditions of Yemen.
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Overview
The Republic of Yemen is located in the southern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the east, the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea to the south, and the Red Sea to the west. Its total area is about 204,000 square miles, the size of France. Sanaa, the capital, is located at an altitude of over 7,200 feet above sea level. Nearby is the highest mountain between East Africa and Iran, Djebel al‑Nabi Shu’ayb, 12,300 feet. To the west is the Tihama (lowlands adjoining the Red Sea).
Detailed geography
Physical Features
- Terrain
- narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
- Climate
- The interior highlands have two rainy seasons a year: the first in March and April, and a second with heavier rainfall in July and August. For the rest of the year, sunny, clear weather is the rule, with occasional dust storms. In winter, night temperatures in Sanaa can drop to 30°F, with sunshine and daytime highs of 70°F. Summer temperatures are moderate, with highs of 85°F, dropping to the low 60s at night. To the west in the Tihama (lowlands adjoining the Red Sea) where there is a mixture of African and Arab cultures, the weather is hot and humid for much of the year. Even in winter, daytime highs can be in the 90s. During the summer, torrential monsoons occur. Aden and the southern coast are similarly hot and humid, with summer temperatures frequently in the 100s. However, winter temperatures are far milder and more pleasant. The Hadhramaut and the interior desert regions extending east from Aden to the Omani border are hot and dry. To the east of the highland interior, the terrain slopes down to the sandy wastes of the deserts of inner Arabia, the famous "Empty Quarter."
- Weather Patterns
- http://voap.weather.com/weather/oap/YMXX0005?template=TRVLH&par=1003114983&unit=0&key=5b85ae1d85877a1b34827fba743e2133
- Highest Point
- 3760 — Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
- Lowest Point
- Arabian Sea 0 m
Borders and Area
- Area (Comparative)
- slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
- Border Countries
- Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
Natural Resources and Hazards
- Natural Resources
- Petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west. Yemen's oil reserves are modest and declining, with production having fallen sharply due to years of ongoing conflict, aging infrastructure, and damage to oil facilities. Natural gas represents an increasingly important resource, with significant reserves centered around the Marib region. Fishing remains a vital sector given Yemen's extensive coastline along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, supporting both domestic food security and export trade when conditions allow. Agricultural land in the western highlands continues to support cultivation of crops such as coffee, qat, fruits, and grains, though water scarcity and conflict have severely strained farming activity.
- Natural Hazards
- sandstorms and dust storms in summer
Environment and Land Use
- Current Environmental Issues
- very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
- International Agreements
- party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements.