Travel to Yemen

Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen (Arabic: Al-Jumhūriyyah al-Yamaniyyah), is a country at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula in southwestern Asia. It commands the Bab al-Mandab Strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, giving it enduring strategic importance in global trade and maritime security.

Yemen borders Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the east, with coastlines on the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea. The terrain ranges from the arid Tihāmah coastal plain to rugged western highlands exceeding 3,600 m at Jabal an-Nabi Shuʿayb. The country also includes the Socotra Archipelago in the Arabian Sea. Most areas are hot and dry, though the highlands receive seasonal monsoon rains that support terrace agriculture.

Before the war, Yemen’s economy relied heavily on declining oil and gas production. Years of conflict have devastated infrastructure and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with widespread food insecurity and displacement. Agriculture (notably coffee, qat, and sorghum), fishing, and remittances remain vital to livelihoods.

Yemen’s culture blends Arab, Islamic, and ancient South Arabian influences. Its distinctive mud-brick architecture, such as the tower houses of Sanaa Old City (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), reflects centuries of urban craftsmanship. Traditional music, poetry, and social customs centered on hospitality and qat-chewing gatherings continue to define Yemeni daily life.