The least developed countries ( LDCs ) are developing countries listed by the United Nations that exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development . The concept of LDCs originated in the late 1960s and the first group of LDCs was listed by the UN in its resolution 2768 (XXVI) on 18 November 1971.
81-663: Khumayr is a village in eastern Yemen . It is located in the Hadhramaut Governorate . 15°54′N 48°36′E / 15.900°N 48.600°E / 15.900; 48.600 This article about a location in the Hadhramaut Governorate of Yemen is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Yemen Yemen , officially the Republic of Yemen , is a country in West Asia . Located in southern Arabia , it borders Saudi Arabia to
162-647: A Sanjak-bey with authority over 'Amran . Imam al-Mutahhar assassinated the Ottoman colonial governor and recaptured Sana'a, but the Ottomans, led by Özdemir Pasha , forced al-Mutahhar to retreat to his fortress in Thula . Özdemir Pasha effectively put Yemen under Ottoman rule between 1552 and 1560. Özdemir died in Sana'a in 1561 and was succeeded by Mahmud Pasha . Mahmud Pasha was described by other Ottoman officials as
243-577: A priest-king , or the head of the confederation of South Arabian kingdoms, the "king of the kings". The role of the Mukarrib was to bring the various tribes under the kingdom and preside over them all. The Sabaeans built the Great Dam of Marib around 940 BC. The dam was built to withstand the seasonal flash floods surging down the valley. By the third century BC, Qataban, Hadhramaut, and Ma'in became independent from Saba and established themselves in
324-503: A bitter conflict between different factions paved the way for an Aksumite intervention. The last Himyarite king Ma'adikarib Ya'fur was supported by Aksum against his Jewish rivals. Ma'adikarib was Christian and launched a campaign against the Lakhmids in southern Iraq , with the support of other Arab allies of Byzantium . The Lakhmids were a bulwark of Persia , which was intolerant to a proselytizing religion like Christianity. After
405-469: A cohesive mechanism for succession, and family quarrels and tribal insubordination led to the political decline of the Qasimi dynasty in the 18th century. The British were looking for a coal depot to service their steamers en route to India. It took 700 tons of coal for a round-trip from Suez to Bombay . East India Company officials decided on Aden . The British Empire tried to reach an agreement with
486-737: A consensual form of monotheism called Rahmanism . In 354, Roman Emperor Constantius II sent an embassy headed by Theophilos the Indian to convert the Himyarites to Christianity. According to Philostorgius , the mission was resisted by local Jews. Several inscriptions have been found in Hebrew and Sabaean praising the ruling house in Jewish terms for "...helping and empowering the People of Israel." According to Islamic traditions, King As'ad
567-718: A corrupt and unscrupulous governor, and he was displaced by Ridvan Pasha in 1564. By 1565, Yemen was split into two provinces, the highlands under the command of Ridvan Pasha and Tihamah under Murad Pasha. Imam al-Mutahhar launched a propaganda campaign in which he claimed that the prophet Mohammed came to him in a dream and advised him to wage jihad against the Ottomans. Al-Mutahhar led the tribes to capture Sana'a from Ridvan Pasha in 1567. When Murad tried to relieve Sana'a, highland tribesmen ambushed his unit and slaughtered all of them. Over 80 battles were fought. The last decisive encounter took place in Dhamar around 1568, in which Murad Pasha
648-555: A development round. During the WTO's Hong Kong Ministerial , it was agreed that LDCs could see 100 percent duty-free, quota-free access to U.S. markets if the round were completed. But analysis of the deal by NGOs found that the text of the proposed LDC deal had substantial loopholes that might make the offer less than the full 100 percent access, and could even erase some current duty-free access of LDCs to rich country markets. Dissatisfaction with these loopholes led some economists to call for
729-897: A reworking of the Hong Kong deal. Chiedu Osakwe, as of 2001 the Director, Technical Cooperation Division at the Secretariat of the WTO, and adviser to the Director-General on developing country matters, was appointed as the WTO Special Coordinator for the Least Developed Countries beginning in 1999. He worked closely with the five other agencies that together with the WTO constitute the Integrated Framework of action for
810-512: A thriving commercial kingdom that included parts of modern Ethiopia and Eritrea. In 275 CE, it was succeeded by the Himyarite Kingdom , which spanned much of Yemen's present-day territory and was heavily influenced by Judaism. Christianity arrived in the fourth century, followed by the rapid spread of Islam in the seventh century. Yemenite troops played a crucial role in early Islamic conquests. Various dynasties emerged between
891-581: A treaty with imam Yahya Hamidaddin in 1911. Under the treaty, Imam Yahya was recognized as an autonomous leader of the Zaydi northern highlands. The Ottomans continued to rule Shafi'i areas in the mid-south until their departure in 1918. Least developed countries A country is classified among the Least Developed Countries if it meets three criteria: As of December 2023, 45 countries were still classified as LDC, while seven graduated between 1994 and 2023. The World Trade Organization (WTO) recognizes
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#1732790108792972-755: A war of attrition with the Zaydi imams in the northern highlands. During the last 12 years of Rasulid rule, the country was torn between several contenders for the kingdom. The weakening of the Rasulid provided an opportunity for the Banu Taher clan to take over and establish themselves as the new rulers of Yemen in 1454 AD. The Tahirids were a local clan based in Rada'a . They built schools, mosques, and irrigation channels, as well as water cisterns and bridges in Zabid, Aden, Rada'a , and Juban. Their best-known monument
1053-682: A wide array of subjects, ranging from astrology and medicine to agriculture and genealogy. They had a difficult relationship with the Mamluks of Egypt because the latter considered them a vassal state. Their competition centred over the Hejaz and the right to provide kiswa of the Ka'aba in Mecca. The dynasty became increasingly threatened by disgruntled family members over the problem of succession, combined with periodic tribal revolts, as they were locked in
1134-713: A world city. In 1850, only 980 Arabs were registered as original inhabitants of the city. The English presence in Aden put them at odds with the Ottomans. The Turks asserted to the British that they held sovereignty over the whole of Arabia, including Yemen as the successor of Mohammed and the Chief of the Universal Caliphate. The Ottomans were concerned about the British expansion from the British ruled subcontinent to
1215-510: Is also used today. However, in order to avoid confusion between "least developed country" and "less economically developed country" (which may both be abbreviated as LDC), and to avoid confusion with landlocked developing country (which can be abbreviated as LLDC), "developing country" is generally used in preference to "less-developed country". During a United Nations review in 2018, the UN defined LDCs as countries meeting three criteria, one of which
1296-708: Is its constitutional capital and largest city. Yemen's estimated population is 34.7 million, mostly Arab Muslims . It is a member of the Arab League , the United Nations , the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation . Owing to its geographic location, Yemen has been at the crossroads of many civilisations for over 7,000 years. In 1200 BCE, the Sabaeans formed
1377-538: Is one of the least developed countries in the world , facing significant obstacles to sustainable development , and is one of the poorest countries in the Middle East and North Africa . In 2019, the United Nations reported that Yemen had the highest number of people in need of humanitarian aid, amounting to about 24 million individuals, or nearly 75% of its population. As of 2020, Yemen ranked highest on
1458-702: Is still remembered as a great and much-loved sovereign, as attested in Yemeni historiography, literature, and popular lore, where she is referred to as Balqis al-sughra ("the junior queen of Sheba"). Shortly after Arwa's death, the country was split between five competing petty dynasties along religious lines. The Ayyubid dynasty overthrew the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt. A few years after their rise to power, Saladin dispatched his brother Turan Shah to conquer Yemen in 1174. Turan Shah conquered Zabid from
1539-626: Is the Amiriya Madrasa in Rada' District , which was built in 1504. The Tahirids were too weak either to contain the Zaydi imams or to defend themselves against foreign attacks. Realizing how rich the Tahirid realm was, the Mamluks decided to conquer it. The Mamluk army, with the support of forces loyal to Zaydi Imam Al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din , conquered the entire Tahirid realm but failed to capture Aden in 1517. The Mamluk victory
1620-646: The Americas . The list of "least developed countries" according to the United Nations with some that are categorized into the landlocked developing countries and the Small Island Developing States : Africa Americas Asia Oceania The three criteria (human assets, economic vulnerability and gross national income per capita) are assessed by the Committee for Development Policy every three years. Countries must meet two of
1701-729: The Battle of Marj Rahit . Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ziyad founded the Ziyadid dynasty in Tihamah around 818. The state stretched from Haly (in present-day Saudi Arabia) to Aden. They nominally recognized the Abbasid Caliphate but ruled independently from Zabid . By virtue of its location, they developed a special relationship with Abyssinia . The chief of the Dahlak islands exported slaves, as well as amber and leopard hides, to
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#17327901087921782-707: The Fragile States Index and second-worst on the Global Hunger Index , surpassed only by the Central African Republic . Additionally, it has the lowest Human Development Index out of all non-African countries. The term Yamnat was first mentioned in the Old South Arabian inscriptions on the title of one of the kings of the second Himyarite Kingdom known as Shammar Yahri'sh . The term probably referred to
1863-727: The Mahdids in 1174, then marched toward Aden in June and captured it from the Zurayids. The Hamdanid sultans of Sana'a resisted the Ayyubid in 1175, and the Ayyubids did not manage to secure Sana'a until 1189. The Ayyubid rule was stable in southern and central Yemen, where they succeeded in eliminating the ministates of that region, while Ismaili and Zaidi tribesmen continued to hold out in several fortresses. The Ayyubids failed to capture
1944-687: The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Countries may be removed from the LDC classification when indicators exceed these criteria in two consecutive triennial reviews. The United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) coordinates UN support and provides advocacy services for Least Developed Countries. The classification (as of December 2020 ) applies to 46 countries. At
2025-712: The fall of Baghdad to the Mongols in 1258, al-Muzaffar Yusuf I appropriated the title of caliph . He chose the city of Taiz to become the political capital of the kingdom because of its strategic location and proximity to Aden. The Rasulid sultans built numerous Madrasas to solidify the Shafi'i school of thought, which is still the dominant school of jurisprudence amongst Yemenis today. Under their rule, Taiz and Zabid became major international centres of Islamic learning. The kings were educated men in their own right, who not only had important libraries but also wrote treatises on
2106-659: The "year of delegations" around 630–631. Several Yemenis accepted Islam before 630, such as Ammar ibn Yasir , Al-Ala'a Al-Hadrami , Miqdad ibn Aswad , Abu Musa Ashaari , and Sharhabeel ibn Hasana . A man named 'Abhala ibn Ka'ab Al-Ansi expelled the remaining Persians and claimed he was a prophet of Rahman . He was assassinated by a Yemeni of Persian origin called Fayruz al-Daylami . Christians, who were mainly staying in Najran along with Jews, agreed to pay jizyah ( Arabic : جِـزْيَـة ), although some Jews converted to Islam, such as Wahb ibn Munabbih and Ka'ab al-Ahbar . Yemen
2187-476: The 15th century, Portugal intervened, dominating the port of Aden for about 20 years and maintaining a fortified enclave on the island of Socotra during this period. From the 16th century, the Portuguese posed an immediate threat to Indian Ocean trade. The Mamluks therefore sent an army under Hussein al-Kurdi to fight the intruders The Mamluk sultan went to Zabid in 1515 and entered into diplomatic talks with
2268-687: The 9th and 16th centuries. During the 19th century, the country was divided between the Ottoman and British empires. After World War I , the Kingdom of Yemen was established, which in 1962 became the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) following a coup. In 1967, the British Aden Protectorate became the independent People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen), the first and only officially socialist state in
2349-680: The Arab allies that were interested in maintaining independence from other Arab states in the region. The Ottomans had two fundamental interests to safeguard in Yemen: The Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and the trade route with India in spices and textiles—both threatened, and the latter virtually eclipsed, by the arrival of the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea in the early 16th century. Hadım Suleiman Pasha ,
2430-477: The Arab world. In 1990, the two Yemeni states united to form the modern Republic of Yemen, with Ali Abdullah Saleh serving as the first president until his resignation in 2012 in the wake of the Arab Spring . Since 2011, Yemen has been enduring a political crisis , marked by street protests against poverty, unemployment, corruption, and President Saleh's plan to amend Yemen's constitution and eliminate
2511-761: The Congo , Djibouti , Eritrea , Ethiopia , Gambia , Guinea , Guinea-Bissau , Haiti , Kiribati , Laos , Lesotho , Liberia , Madagascar , Malawi , Mali , Mauritania , Mozambique , Myanmar , Nepal , Niger , Rwanda , São Tomé and Príncipe , Senegal , Sierra Leone , Solomon Islands , Somalia , South Sudan , Sudan , Timor-Leste , Togo , Tuvalu , Uganda , Tanzania , Yemen , and Zambia . There are 33 countries that are classified as least developed countries in Africa , eight in Asia , three in Oceania , and one in
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2592-694: The Himyarites and Habashat, i.e. , Aksum . El Sharih took pride in his campaigns and added the title Yahdhib to his name, which means "suppressor"; he used to kill his enemies by cutting them to pieces. Sana'a came into prominence during his reign, as he built the Ghumdan Palace as his place of residence. The Himyarites annexed Sana'a from Hamdan around 100 AD. Hashdi tribesmen rebelled against them and regained Sana'a around 180. Shammar Yahri'sh had conquered Hadhramaut, Najran , and Tihamah by 275, thus unifying Yemen and consolidating Himyarite rule. The Himyarites rejected polytheism and adhered to
2673-485: The Least Developed Countries. They addressed issues of market access, special and differential treatment provisions for developing countries, participation of developing countries in the multilateral trading system, and development questions, especially the interests of developing countries in competition policy. At the 28th G8 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta , Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien proposed and carried
2754-732: The Market Access Initiative, so that the then 48 LDCs could profit from "trade-not-aid". Additionally, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 advocates for an effective special and differential treatment of LDCs as integral parts of WTO fisheries subsidies negotiation. The following 45 countries were still listed as least developed countries by the UN as of December 2023: Afghanistan , Angola , Bangladesh , Benin , Burkina Faso , Burundi , Cambodia , Central African Republic , Chad , Comoros , Democratic Republic of
2835-488: The Ottoman governor of Egypt , was ordered to command a fleet of 90 ships to conquer Yemen. The country was in a state of incessant anarchy and discord as Pasha described it by saying: Yemen is a land with no lord, an empty province. It would be not only possible but easy to capture, and should it be captured, it would be master of the lands of India and send every year a great amount of gold and jewels to Constantinople . Imam al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din ruled over
2916-626: The Perfect mounted a military expedition to support the Jews of Yathrib . Abu Kariba As'ad, as known from the inscriptions, led a military campaign to central Arabia or Najd to support the vassal Kingdom of Kinda against the Lakhmids . However, no direct reference to Judaism or Yathrib was discovered from his lengthy reign. Abu Kariba died in 445, having reigned for almost 50 years. By 515, Himyar became increasingly divided along religious lines and
2997-646: The Persians calling the Abyssinians whom they came into contact with in South Arabia by the name of the black-skinned people who lived next to them. Yemen has existed at the crossroads of its civilisations for more than 7,000 years. The country was home to figures such as the Queen of Sheba who brought a caravan of gifts for King Solomon . For centuries, it became a primary producer of coffee exported in
3078-405: The Red Sea and Arabia. They returned to the Tihamah in 1849 after an absence of two centuries. Rivalries and disturbances continued among the Zaydi imams, between them and their deputies, with the ulema , with the heads of tribes, as well as with those who belonged to other sects. Some citizens of Sana'a were desperate to return law and order to Yemen and asked the Ottoman Pasha in Tihamah to pacify
3159-442: The Roman expedition has yet been found. After the Roman expedition (perhaps earlier) the country fell into chaos, and two clans, namely Hamdan and Himyar , claimed kingship, assuming the title King of Sheba and Dhu Raydan . Dhu Raydan, i.e. , Himyarites, allied themselves with Aksum in Ethiopia against the Sabaeans. The chief of Bakil and king of Saba and Dhu Raydan, El Sharih Yahdhib , launched successful campaigns against
3240-483: The Sabaeans. The Romans had a vague and contradictory geographical knowledge about Arabia Felix. A Roman army of 10,000 men was defeated before reaching Marib . Strabo 's close relationship with Aelius Gallus led him to attempt to justify his friend's defeat in his writings. It took the Romans six months to reach Marib and 60 days to return to Egypt . The Romans blamed their Nabataean guide and executed him for treachery. No direct mention in Sabaean inscriptions of
3321-433: The Tahiri sultan 'Amir bin Abdulwahab for money that would be needed for the jihad against the Portuguese. Instead of confronting them, the Mamluks, who were running out of food and water, landed on the coast of Yemen and began harassing the villagers of Tihamah to obtain the supplies they needed. The interest of Portugal on the Red Sea consisted on the one hand of guaranteeing contacts with a Christian ally in Ethiopia and on
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3402-427: The UN list and says that "Measures taken in the framework of the WTO can help LDCs increase their exports to other WTO members and attract investment. In many developing countries, pro-market reforms have encouraged faster growth, diversification of exports, and more effective participation in the multilateral trading system." LDC criteria are reviewed every three years by the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) of
3483-425: The UN's fourth conference on LDCs, which was held in May 2011, delegates endorsed a goal targeting the promotion of at least half the current LDC countries within the next ten years. As of 2018, ten or more countries were expected to graduate in 2024, with Bangladesh and Djibouti already satisfying all criteria in 2018. There is one country which presently meets the criteria and two countries which previously met
3564-404: The Yemeni arena. Minaean rule stretched as far as Dedan , with their capital at Baraqish . The Sabaeans regained their control over Ma'in after the collapse of Qataban in 50 BC. By the time of the Roman expedition to Arabia Felix in 25 BC, the Sabaeans were once again the dominating power in Southern Arabia. Aelius Gallus was ordered to lead a military campaign to establish Roman dominance over
3645-469: The Yemeni army retreated to a valley outside Mecca. Ottoman troops attacked the Yemenis by hiding at the wells that supplied them with water. This plan proceeded successfully, causing the Yemenis over 200 casualties, most from thirst. The tribesmen eventually surrendered and returned to Yemen. Al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad died in 1644. He was succeeded by Al-Mutawakkil Isma'il , another son of al-Mansur al-Qasim, who conquered Yemen in its entirety. Yemen became
3726-403: The Yemeni society, while Yemenite Jews came to perceive themselves in Yemeni nationalist terms. The Ottomans appeased the tribes by forgiving their rebellious chiefs and appointing them to administrative posts. They introduced a series of reforms to enhance the country's economic welfare. However, corruption was widespread in the Ottoman administration in Yemen. This was because only the worst of
3807-516: The Yufirids in 901 but failed miserably. The Sulayhid dynasty was founded in the northern highlands around 1040; at the time, Yemen was ruled by different local dynasties. In 1060, Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Sulayhi conquered Zabid and killed its ruler Al-Najah, founder of the Najahid dynasty. His sons were forced to flee to Dahlak. Hadhramaut fell into Sulayhid hands after their capture of Aden in 1162. By 1063, Ali had subjugated Greater Yemen . He then marched toward Hejaz and occupied Makkah . Ali
3888-515: The Zaydi imam of Sana'a, permitting them a foothold in Mocha, and when unable to secure their position, they extracted a similar agreement from the Sultan of Lahej , enabling them to consolidate a position in Aden. The British managed to occupy Aden and evicted the Sultan of Lahej from Aden and forced him to accept their "protection". In November 1839, 5,000 tribesmen tried to retake the town but were repulsed and 200 were killed. With emigrants from India, East Africa, and Southeast Asia, Aden grew into
3969-408: The Zaydis stronghold in northern Yemen. In 1191, Zaydis of Shibam Kawkaban rebelled and killed 700 Ayyubid soldiers. Imam Abdullah bin Hamza proclaimed the imamate in 1197 and fought al-Mu'izz Ismail, the Ayyubid Sultan of Yemen. Imam Abdullah was defeated at first but was able to conquer Sana'a and Dhamar in 1198, and al-Mu'izz Ismail was assassinated in 1202. Abdullah bin Hamza carried on
4050-486: The Zurayids to govern Aden. al-Mukarram, who had been afflicted with facial paralysis resulting from war injuries, retired in 1087 and handed over power to his wife Arwa al-Sulayhi . Queen Arwa moved the seat of the Sulayhid dynasty from Sana'a to Jibla , a small town in central Yemen near Ibb . She sent Ismaili missionaries to India, where a significant Ismaili community was formed that exists to this day. Queen Arwa continued to rule securely until her death in 1138. She
4131-564: The collapse of ancient South Arabian civilization, since the greater part of the country was under several independent clans until the arrival of Islam in 630. Muhammad sent his cousin Ali to Sana'a and its surroundings around 630. At the time, Yemen was the most advanced region in Arabia. The Banu Hamdan confederation was among the first to accept Islam. Muhammad sent Muadh ibn Jabal , as well to Al-Janad, in present-day Taiz , and dispatched letters to various tribal leaders. Major tribes, including Himyar, sent delegations to Medina during
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#17327901087924212-400: The country. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 strengthened the Ottoman decision to remain in Yemen. By 1873, the Ottomans succeeded in conquering the northern highlands. Sana'a became the administrative capital of Yemen Vilayet . The Ottomans learned from their previous experience and worked on the disempowerment of local lords in the highland regions. They even attempted to secularize
4293-464: The criteria for LDC status, but declined to be included in the index, questioning the validity or accuracy of the CDP's data: Ghana (no longer meets criteria as of 1994), Papua New Guinea (no longer meets criteria as of 2009), and Zimbabwe . Least developed countries can be distinguished from developing countries , "less developed countries", "lesser developed countries", or other similar terms. The term "less economically developed country" (LEDC)
4374-463: The death of Ma'adikarib Ya'fur around 521, a Himyarite Jewish warlord called Dhu Nuwas rose to power. Emperor Justinian I sent an embassy to Yemen. He wanted the officially Christian Himyarites to use their influence on the tribes in inner Arabia to launch military operations against Persia. Justinian I bestowed the "dignity of king" upon the Arab sheikhs of Kindah and Ghassan in central and northern Arabia. From early on, Roman and Byzantine policy
4455-403: The head of the UN , and close to 50 prime ministers and heads of state. The conference endorsed the goal of raising half the existing Least developed countries out of the LDC category in 2022. As with the Seoul Development Consensus drawn up in 2010, there was a strong emphasis on boosting productive capability and physical infrastructure, with several NGOs not pleased with the emphasis placed on
4536-431: The important highland centre Sana'a. However, the Rasulid capitals were Zabid and Taiz. He was assassinated by his nephew in 1249. Omar's son Yousef defeated the faction led by his father's assassins and crushed several counterattacks by the Zaydi imams who still held on in the northern highland. Mainly because of the victories he scored over his rivals, he assumed the honorific title "al-Muzaffar" (the victorious). After
4617-511: The land. Ahmed Izzet Pasha proposed that the Ottoman army evacuate the highlands and confine itself to Tihamah, and not unnecessarily burden itself with continuing military operation against the Zaydi tribes. Imam Yahya Hamidaddin led a rebellion against the Turks in 1904; the rebels disrupted the Ottoman ability to govern. The revolts between 1904 and 1911 were especially damaging to the Ottomans, costing them as many as 10,000 soldiers and as much as 500,000 pounds per year. The Ottomans signed
4698-442: The mountains of northern Yemen as early as 5000 BC. The Sabaean Kingdom came into existence in at least the 12th century BC. The four major kingdoms or tribal confederations in South Arabia were Saba, Hadhramaut , Qataban , and Ma'in . Sabaʾ ( Arabic : سَـبَـأ ) is thought to be biblical Sheba and was the most prominent federation. The Sabaean rulers adopted the title Mukarrib generally thought to mean unifier , or
4779-400: The north, Oman to the northeast, the Red Sea to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the south, sharing maritime borders with Eritrea , Djibouti and Somalia across the Horn of Africa . Covering roughly 528,000 square kilometres (203,861 square miles), with a coastline of approximately 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles), Yemen is the second largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. Sanaa
4860-411: The northern highlands including Sana'a, while Aden was held by the last Tahiride Sultan 'Amir ibn Dauod. Pasha stormed Aden in 1538, killing its ruler, and extended Ottoman authority to include Zabid in 1539 and eventually Tihamah in its entirety. Zabid became the administrative headquarters of Yemen Eyalet . The Ottoman governors did not exercise much control over the highlands. They held sway mainly in
4941-440: The notion of the land to the right ( 𐩺𐩣𐩬 ). Other sources claim that Yemen is related to yamn or yumn , meaning "felicity" or "blessed", as much of the country is fertile, in contrast to the barren land of most of Arabia. The Romans called it Arabia Felix ("happy" or "fortunate" Arabia "), as opposed to Arabia Deserta ("deserted Arabia"). Latin and Greek writers referred to ancient Yemen as "India", which arose from
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#17327901087925022-489: The officials were appointed because those who could avoid serving in Yemen did so. The Ottomans had reasserted control over the highlands for a temporary duration. The so-called Tanzimat reforms were considered heretic by the Zaydi tribes. In 1876, the Hashid and Bakil tribes rebelled against the Ottomans; the Turks had to appease them with gifts to end the uprising. The tribal chiefs were difficult to appease and an endless cycle of violence curbed Ottoman efforts to pacify
5103-427: The other of being able to attack Mecca and the Arab territories from the rear, while still having absolute dominance over trade of spices, the main intention was to dominate the commerce of the cities on the coast of Africa and Arabia. To this end, Portugal sought to influence and dominate by force or persuasion all the ports and kingdoms that fought among themselves. It was common for Portugal to keep under its influence
5184-418: The port of Mocha . From its conversion to Islam in the 7th century, Yemen became a center of Islamic learning, and much of its architecture survived until modern times. With its long sea border between eastern and western civilizations, Yemen has long existed at a crossroads of cultures with a strategic location in terms of trade on the west of the Arabian Peninsula. Large settlements for their era existed in
5265-415: The presidential term limit. By 2015, the country became engulfed by an ongoing civil war with multiple entities vying for governance, including the Presidential Leadership Council of the internationally recognized government, and the Houthi movement 's Supreme Political Council . This conflict, which has escalated to involve various foreign powers, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis . Yemen
5346-421: The private sector. The Fifth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC-V) was split in two parts almost a year apart, between UN Headquarters in New York on 17 March 2022 and Doha on 5-9 March 2023. Issues surrounding global trade regulations and LDCs have gained a lot of media and policy attention thanks to the recently collapsed Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations being termed
5427-454: The ruler of Yemen. They controlled only a small portion of the coastal strip in Tihamah along the Red Sea, and never exercised control over the highlands and Hadhramaut. A Himyarite clan called the Yufirids established their rule over the highlands from Saada to Taiz , while Hadhramaut was an Ibadi stronghold and rejected all allegiance to the Abbasids in Baghdad . The first Zaidi imam, Yahya ibn al-Husayn , arrived in Yemen in 893. He
5508-444: The sole coffee producer in the world. The country established diplomatic relations with the Safavid dynasty of Persia, Ottomans of Hejaz, Mughal Empire in India, and Ethiopia, as well. In the first half of the 18th century, the Europeans broke Yemen's monopoly on coffee by smuggling coffee trees and cultivating them in their own colonies in the East Indies, East Africa, the West Indies, and Latin America. The imamate did not follow
5589-487: The southern coastal region, particularly around Zabid, Mocha, and Aden. Of 80,000 soldiers sent to Yemen from Egypt between 1539 and 1547, only 7,000 survived. The Ottoman accountant-general in Egypt remarked: We have seen no foundry like Yemen for our soldiers. Each time we have sent an expeditionary force there, it has melted away like salt dissolved in water. The Ottomans sent yet another expeditionary force to Zabid in 1547, while Imam al-Mutawakkil Yahya Sharaf ad-Din
5670-417: The southwestern coastline of the Arabian Peninsula and the southern coastline between Aden and Hadhramaut . Historical Yemen included much greater territory than the current nation, stretching from northern 'Asir in southwestern Saudi Arabia to Dhofar in southern Oman . One etymology derives Yemen from ymnt , meaning literally " South [of the Arabian Peninsula ]", and significantly plays on
5751-430: The struggle against the Ayyubid until his death in 1217. After his demise, the Zaidi community was split between two rival imams. The Zaydis were dispersed, and a truce was signed with the Ayyubid in 1219. The Ayyubid army was defeated in Dhamar in 1226. Ayyubid Sultan Mas'ud Yusuf left for Mecca in 1228, never to return. Other sources suggest that he was forced to leave for Egypt instead in 1223. The Rasulid dynasty
5832-462: The three criteria at two consecutive triennial reviews to be considered for graduation. The Committee for Development Policy sends its recommendations for endorsement to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). After the initiation of the LDC category, seven countries graduated to developing country status. The first country to graduate from LDC status was Botswana in 1994. The second country
5913-554: Was a religious cleric and judge who was invited to come to Saada from Medina to arbitrate tribal disputes. Yahya persuaded local tribesmen to follow his teachings. The sect slowly spread across the highlands, as the tribes of Hashid and Bakil , later known as "the twin wings of the imamate", accepted his authority. He founded the Zaidi imamate in 897. Yahya established his influence in Saada and Najran. He also tried to capture Sana'a from
5994-580: Was a three-year average estimate of gross national income (GNI) per capita of less than US$ 1,025. There have been five United Nations conferences on LDCs, held every ten years. The first two were in Paris , in 1981 and 1991; the third was in Brussels in 2001. The Fourth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC-IV) was held in Istanbul , Turkey , on 9–13 May 2011. It was attended by Ban Ki-moon ,
6075-563: Was beheaded and his head sent to al-Mutahhar in Sana'a. By 1568, only Zabid remained under the possession of the Turks. In 1632, Al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad sent an expeditionary force of 1,000 men to conquer Mecca. The army entered the city in triumph and killed its governor. The Ottomans sent an army from Egypt to fight the Yemenites. Seeing that the Turkish army was too numerous to overcome,
6156-411: Was established in 1229 by Umar ibn Rasul, who was appointed deputy governor by the Ayyubids in 1223. When the last Ayyubid ruler left Yemen in 1229, Umar stayed in the country as caretaker. He subsequently declared himself an independent king by assuming the title "al-Malik Al-Mansur" (the king assisted by Allah ). Umar first established himself at Zabid, then moved into the mountainous interior, taking
6237-401: Was married to Asma bint Shihab , who governed Yemen with her husband. The Khutba during Friday prayers was proclaimed in both her husband's name and hers. No other Arab woman had this honor since the advent of Islam. Ali al-Sulayhi was killed by Najah's sons on his way to Mecca in 1084. His son Ahmed Al-Mukarram led an army to Zabid and killed 8,000 of its inhabitants. He later installed
6318-580: Was ruling the highlands independently. Yahya chose his son Ali to succeed him, a decision that infuriated his other son al-Mutahhar ibn Yahya. Al-Mutahhar was lame, so he was not qualified for the imamate. He urged Oais Pasha, the Ottoman colonial governor in Zabid , to attack his father. Indeed, Ottoman troops supported by tribal forces loyal to Imam al-Mutahhar stormed Taiz and marched north toward Sana'a in August 1547. The Turks officially made Imam al-Mutahhar
6399-519: Was short-lived. The Ottoman Empire conquered Egypt, hanging the last Mamluk Sultan in Cairo . The Ottomans had not decided to conquer Yemen until 1538. The Zaydi highland tribes emerged as national heroes by offering stiff, vigorous resistance to the Turkish occupation. The Mamluks tried to attach Yemen to Egypt and the Portuguese led by Afonso de Albuquerque , occupied the island of Socotra and made an unsuccessful attack on Aden in 1513. Starting in
6480-638: Was stable during the Rashidun Caliphate . Yemeni tribes played a pivotal role in the Islamic expansion into Egypt, Iraq, Persia, the Levant , Anatolia , North Africa , Sicily , and Andalusia . Yemeni tribes who settled in Syria contributed significantly to the solidification of Umayyad rule, especially during the reign of Marwan I . Powerful Yemenite tribes such as Kinda were on his side during
6561-712: Was to develop close links with the powers of the coast of the Red Sea . They were successful in converting Aksum and influencing their culture. The results concerning to Yemen were rather disappointing. A Kendite prince called Yazid bin Kabshat rebelled against Abraha and his Arab Christian allies. A truce was reached once the Great Dam of Marib had suffered a breach. Abraha died around 570. The Sasanid Empire annexed Aden around 570. Under their rule, most of Yemen enjoyed great autonomy except for Aden and Sana'a. This era marked
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