Yemen

Yemen

southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea to the south, and Oman to the east.

Yemen is one of the oldest centers of civilization in the Near East.[5] Its capital and largest city is Sana'a. Yemen's territory includes over 200 islands, the largest of which is Socotra, about 354 km (220 mi) to the south of mainland Yemen. ACER K032130A1 Laptop Keyboard

It is the only state in the Arabian Peninsula to have a purely republican form of government.[6] Yemen was the first country in the Arabian peninsula to grant women the right to vote.[7] Yemeni unification took place on 22 May 1990, when North Yemen was united with South Yemen, forming the Republic of Yemen. HP 519265-001 Laptop Keyboard

The majority of Yemen's population is divided into tribal groups, especially in the northern areas of the country where 85% of local residents belong to various tribes[8] There are also small groups of peoples ofTurkish/Ottoman origin in urban areas.[9] Roughly 55% of the population are Sunni Muslims following the Shafi'ischool while 45% adhere to the Zaydi Shia branch of Islam with small minorities of Ismali Muslims.[10][11] Since the 1990s, the Houthis (an armed Zaydi group) has attempted to establish Zaydi Shia principles in the country. DELL Vostro 3550 Laptop Keyboard

Yemen has long existed at the crossroads of cultures. It linked some of the oldest centres of civilization in the Near East by virtue of its location in South Arabia.

Between the 12th century BCE and the 6th century CE, the Minaean, Sabaean(biblical Sheba[13]), Hadhramaut, Qataban, and Himyarite kingdoms controlled the lucrative spice and incense trade in the region.[14] DELL UW739 Laptop Keyboard

In the 8th century BC, the Sabaens built the 1,894-foot-high and 3,000-foot long Marib Dam.[15] Led by the priest-king Karib'il Watar I,[16] the Sabaeans unified most of Southern Arabia in the 7th century BCE and established a confederacy with the Hadramites and Qatabanis.[17] Lack of water in the Arabian peninsula prevented the Sabaeans from unifying the entire peninsula; instead, they established various colonies to control trade routes.[18] HP Pavilion G6-1B59WM Laptop Keyboard

Similar colonies were found in northern Ethiopia, as well,[19] and descriptions of Sabaean presence in the extended border of Palestine are also found in the Hebrew Bible, including an attack on Job.[20] Ancient Yemenis developed a writing system by the 10th century BCE called Musnad, which used to be the main writing form for the entire Arabian peninsula until the 6th century CE.[21] DELL Vostro 3450 Laptop Keyboard

Around the 1st century BCE, leaders of the Banu Hamdan confederation (Hashid and Bakil) overthrew the Sabaean royal family and subjugated them to slavery.[22] The Hamdanis formed an alliance with Hadramout and burned the Qatabani capital of Timna. The Himyarites, as a Qatabani sub-tribe, ignited a long but sporadic civil war to avenge their "cousins", as a mid-1st-century BCE Hamdani inscription read.[23] Compaq Presario CQ42-228LA Laptop Keyboard

The civil war was over with a decisive Himyarite victory around 275 CE.[24] They established a centralized rule with Zafar as the capital instead of Marib. The Himyarites secured the trade routes through the Kingdom of Kindah who launched several successful campaigns against the Lakhmids in Southern Iraq.[25] HP 605344-001 Laptop Keyboard

In the 6th century, sectarian violence between Jews and Christians weakened the central government. Jews and pagans, led byJoseph Dhu Nuwas, inflicted heavy casualties on Christian tribes, particularly in Najran.[26] Dhu Nuwas was deposed around 525 – 527 CE after Byzantine Emperor Justinian I sent a fleet to aid the Christians of the Yemen.[27][28] The Southwestern coasts of the Arabian peninsula became a Byzantine puppet state until the occupiers were driven out by Himyarite Jewish elites.[27] HP 597635-001 Laptop Keyboard

In the 7th century, the Yemeni tribes accepted Islam and played a major role in the Muslim conquest of the Middle East, North Africa and Spain.[29] In 1538, the Ottoman Empire absorbed Aden and Yemen, and between 1547 and 1548 Sana'a and Tihama were reconquered from the Portuguese, until the Ottomans were expelled in 1630.[30] In 1839, Aden came under British rule. When the Suez Canal opened in 1869, ACER Aspire 5610Z Laptop Keyboard

Aden served as a major refuelling port. The Ottoman Turks tried to regain control of Yemen in 1849 but failed. The Ottomans returned in 1872 and took over the northern half of the country. However, the Ottomans were constantly harassed by the Zaydi tribes led by Imam Yahya, until a consensus was reached. Upon the Italian assault on Yemen from Eritrea, Imam Yahya recognised the political authority of the Ottomans in return for his recognition as the religious Imam of Yemen in 1911.[31] ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

Imam Yahya stayed loyal to the Ottomans during World War I and did not join the Arab revolt that started in 1916 through British instigation. As a result of the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I and the signing of the Armistice of Mudros, the Ottomans surrendered their remaining garrisons and retreated from Yemen in November 1918. Imam Yahya entered Sana'a on 17 November 1918 and declared his independence. HP Pavilion G6-1223TX Laptop Keyboard

In 1918, the Ottoman Empire retreated and northern Yemen gained full independence under Imam Yahya. Between 1918 and 1962, Yemen was ruled by the Hamidaddin family. Imam Yahya was assassinated during the revolution of 1947–48. However, his son Imam Ahmad bin Yahya, beat off the opponents of feudal rule and succeeded his father.[32] TOSHIBA Satellite L755D-S5361 laptop keyboard

Imam Ahmad died in 1962. He was succeeded by his son, but army officers attempted to seize power, sparking the North Yemen Civil War.[33] The Hamidaddin royalists were supported by Saudi Arabia, Britain, and Jordan, whilst the republicans were backed by Egypt. After six years of civil war, the republicans were victorious (February 1968) and formed the Yemen Arab Republic.[34]  HP G71t-400 CTO laptop keyboard

The revolution in the north coincided with the Aden Emergency, which hastened the end of British rule in the south. On 30 November 1967, the state of South Yemen was formed, comprising Aden and the former Protectorate of South Arabia. This socialist state was later officially known as the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen and a programme of nationalisation was begun.[35] SONY Vaio VGN-AW270Y laptop keyboard

Relations between the two Yemeni states remained relatively friendly, although sometimes strained. In 1972, a small border conflict was resolved with a ceasefire and negotiations brokered by the Arab League, where it was declared that unification would eventually occur. In 1978, Ali Abdallah Saleh was named as president of the Yemen Arab Republic. Fresh fighting between the two states resumed in 1979 and there were renewed efforts to bring about unification. Thousands were killed in the South Yemen Civil War of 1986. President Ali Nasser Muhammad fled to the north and a new government was formed. SONY VGN-FE11M laptop keyboard

In 1990, the two governments reached a full agreement on the joint governing of Yemen, and the countries were merged on 22 May 1990 with Saleh as President. The President of South Yemen, Ali Salim al-Beidh, became Vice-President. A unified parliament was formed and a unity constitution was agreed upon.[36] In the 1993 parliamentary election, the first held after unification, the General People's Congress won 122 of 301 seats.[37]:309FUJITSU Lifebook P1510 laptop keyboard

After the invasion of Kuwait crisis in 1990, Yemen's President opposed military intervention from non-Arab states.[38] As a member of the United Nations Security Council for 1990 and 1991, Yemen abstained on a number of UNSC resolutions concerning Iraq and Kuwait[39] and voted against the "use of force resolution". The vote outraged the US.[40] Saudi Arabia expelled 800,000 Yemenis in 1990 and 1991 to punish Yemen for its opposition to the war.[41] DELL Vostro PP38L laptop keyboard

Following food riots in major towns in 1992, a new coalition government made up of the ruling parties from both the former Yemeni states was formed in 1993. However, Vice-President al-Beidh withdrew to Aden in August 1993 and said he would not return to the government until his grievances were addressed. SONY VAIO VGN-N38Z/W laptop keyboard

These included northern violence against his Yemeni Socialist Party, as well as the economic marginalization of the south.[42] Negotiations to end the political deadlock dragged on into 1994. The government of Prime Minister Haydar Abu Bakr Al-Attas became ineffective due to political infighting.[36]  TOSHIBA Satellite M35X-SP349 laptop keyboard

An accord between northern and southern leaders was signed in Amman, Jordan on 20 February 1994, but this could not stop the civil war.[36] During these tensions, both the northern and southern armies (which had never integrated) gathered on their respective frontiers.[43] The May–July 1994 civil war in Yemenresulted in the defeat of the southern armed forces and the flight into exile of many Yemeni Socialist Party leaders and other southern secessionists.[36] Saudi Arabia actively aided the south during the 1994 civil war.[44] TOSHIBA Satellite L505-S6946 laptop keyboard

Saleh became Yemen's first directly-elected president in the 1999 presidential election, winning 96.2% of the vote.[37]:310 The only other candidate, Najeeb Qahtan Al-Sha'abi, was the son of Qahtan Muhammad al-Shaabi, a former President of South Yemen. Though a member of Saleh's General People's Congress (GPC) party, Najeeb ran as an independent.[45] TOSHIBA G83C0000E510 laptop keyboard

In October 2000, the US naval vessel USS Cole was damaged in a suicide attack in Aden which was subsequently blamed on al-Qaeda. Seventeen US personnel were killed. After the September 11 attacks on the United States, President Saleh assured U.S. President George W. Bush that Yemen was a partner in his War on Terror. In 2001, there was violence surrounding a referendum which apparently supported extending Saleh's rule and powers. HP 605344-001 laptop keyboard

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The Houthi rebellion began in June 2004 when dissident cleric Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, head of the Shia Zaidiyyah sect, launched an uprising against the Yemeni government. The Yemeni government alleged that the Houthis were seeking to overthrow it and to implement Shī‘a religious law. The rebels counter that they are "defending their community against discrimination" and government aggression.[46] HP Pavilion dv3-2155ee laptop keyboard

In 2005, at least 36 people were killed in clashes across the country between police and protesters over rising fuel prices.

In the 2006 presidential election, held on 20 September Saleh won with 77.2% of the vote. His main rival, Faisal bin Shamlan, received 21.8%.[47][48] Saleh was sworn in for another term on 27 September.[49] HP Pavilion DV7-3078nr laptop keyboard

A suicide bomber killed eight Spanish tourists and two Yemenis in the province of Marib in July 2007. There was a series of bomb attacks on police, official, diplomatic, foreign business and tourism targets in 2008. Car bombings outside the US embassy in Sana'a killed 18 people, including six of the assailants in September 2008. In 2008, an opposition rally in Sana'a demanding electoral reform was met with police gunfire. HP Pavilion DV7-3078nr laptop keyboard

In January 2009, the Saudi and Yemeni al-Qaeda branches merged to form Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is based in Yemen, and many of its members were Saudi nationals who had been released from Guantanamo Bay.[50] Saleh released 176 al-Qaeda suspects on condition of good behaviour, but terrorist activities continued. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 laptop keyboard

The Yemeni army launched a fresh offensive against the Shia insurgents in 2009, assisted by Saudi forces. Tens of thousands of people were displaced by the fighting. A new ceasefire was agreed upon in February 2010. However, by the end of the year, Yemen claimed that 3,000 soldiers had been killed in renewed fighting. The Shiite rebels accused Saudi Arabia of providing support to salafi groups to suppress Zaydism in Yemen.[51] Saleh's government used Al-Qaeda in its wars against Hothis.[52]

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 [54] Officials in Yemen said that the attacks claimed the lives of more than 60 civilians, 28 of them children. Another airstrike was carried out on 24 December.[55]

The US launched a series of drone attacks in Yemen to curb a perceived growing terror threat due to political chaos in Yemen.[56] Since December 2009, U.S. strikes in Yemen have been carried out by the U.S. military with intelligence support from CIA.[57] ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

The drone strikes are protested by human-rights groups who say they kill innocent civilians and that the US military and CIA drone strikes lack sufficient congressional oversight, including the choice of human targets suspected of being threats to America.[58] Controversy over U.S. policy for drone attacks mushroomed after a September 2011 drone strike in Yemen killed Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan, both U.S. citizens. COMPAQ Presario C710BR Laptop Keyboard

 [60] In 2010 the Obama administration policy allowed targeting of people whose names are not known. The US government increased military aid to $140 million in 2010.[61]

The 2011 Yemeni revolution followed other Arab Spring mass protests in early 2011. The uprising was initially against unemployment, economic conditions, and corruption, as well as against the government's proposals to modify the constitution of Yemen so that Saleh's son could inherit the presidency. HP AETT3U00010 Laptop Keyboard

In March 2011, police snipers opened fire on the pro-democracy camp in Sana'a, killing more than 50 people. In May, dozens were killed in clashes between troops and tribal fighters in Sana'a. By this point, Saleh began to lose international support. In October 2011, Yemeni human rights activist Tawakul Karman won the Nobel Peace Prize and the UN Security Councilcondemned the violence and called for a transfer of power. On 23 November 2011, Saleh flew to Riyadh, ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, to sign the Gulf Co-operation Council plan for political transition, which he had previously spurned. Upon signing the document, he agreed to legally transfer the office and powers of the presidency to his deputy, Vice President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Hadi took office for a two-year term upon winning the uncontested presidential elections in February 2012. DELL PVDG3 Laptop Keyboard

A unity government – including a prime minister from the opposition – was formed. Al-Hadi will oversee the drafting of a new constitution, followed by parliamentary and presidential elections in 2014. Saleh returned in February 2012. In the face of objections from thousands of street protesters, parliament granted him full immunity from prosecution. Saleh's son, General Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh continues to exercise a strong hold on sections of the military and security forces. SONY VAIO VGN-AW15G Laptop Keyboard

 AQAP claimed responsibility for the February 2012 suicide attack on the presidential palace which killed 26 Republican Guards on the day that President Hadi was sworn in. AQAP was also behind the suicide boming which killed 96 soldiers in Sanaa three months later. In September 2012, a car bomb attack in Sanaa killed 11 people, a day after a local al-Qaeda leader Said al-Shihri was reported killed in the south. ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

By 2012 there has been a "small contingent of U.S. special-operations troops" in addition to CIA and "unofficially acknowledged" U.S. military presence in response to increasing terror attacks by AQAP on Yemeni citizens.[62] Many analysts have pointed out the former Yemeni government role in cultivating terrorist activity in the country.[63] Following the election new president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, the Yemeni military was able push Ansar al-Sharia back and recapture the Shabwah Governorate. HP G61-410EL Laptop Keyboard

Yemen is located in Western Asia, in the southern half of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea. It lies south of Saudi Arabia and west of Oman, between latitudes 12° and 19° N and longitudes 42° and 55° E. SONY VAIO VGN-FS840 Laptop Keyboard

A number of Red Sea islands, including the Hanish Islands, Kamaran, and Perim, as well as Socotra in the Arabian Sea, belong to Yemen. Many of the islands are volcanic; for example Jabal al-Tair had a volcanic eruption in 2007 and before that in 1883.

At 527,970 km2 (203,850 sq mi), Yemen is the world's 50th-largest country. It is comparable in size to Thailand and larger than the U.S. state of California. Yemen is situated at 15°N 48°E.

The country can be divided geographically into four main regions: the coastal plains in the west, the western highlands, the eastern highlands, and the Rub al Khali in the east. HP G61-304NR Laptop Keyboard

The Tihamah ("hot lands" or "hot earth") form a very arid and flat coastal plain along Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline. Despite the aridity, the presence of many lagoons makes this region very marshy and a suitable breeding ground for malaria mosquitoes. There are extensive crescent-shaped sand dunes. SONY VAIO VGN-FS742/W Laptop Keyboard

The evaporation in the Tihamah is so great that streams from the highlands never reach the sea, but they do contribute to extensive groundwater reserves. Today, these are heavily exploited for agricultural use. Near the village of Madar about 48 km (30 mi) north of Sana'a, dinosaur footprints were found, indicating that the area was once a muddy flat. HP pavilion DV7-1000 Laptop Keyboard

The Tihamah ends abruptly at the escarpment of the western highlands. This area, now heavily terraced to meet the demand for food, receives the highest rainfall in Arabia, rapidly increasing from 100 mm (3.9 in) per year to about 760 mm (29.9 in) in Ta'izz and over 1,000 mm (39.4 in) in Ibb. SONY VAIO VGN-CR23G laptop keyboard

Temperatures are hot in the day but fall dramatically at night. There are perennial streams in the highlands but these never reach the sea because of high evaporation in the Tihamah.

The central highlands are an extensive high plateau over 2,000 metres (6,562 ft) in elevation. This area is drier than the western highlands because of rain-shadow influences but still receives sufficient rain in wet years for extensive cropping. Water storage allows for irrigation and the growing of wheat andbarley. Sana'a is located in this region. The highest point in Yemen is Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb, at 3,666 metres (12,028 ft). DELL Vostro PP38L laptop keyboard

Yemen's portion of the Rub al Khali desert in the east is much lower, generally below 1,000 metres (3,281 ft), and receives almost no rain. It is populated only by Bedouin herders of camels. The growing scarcity of water is a source of increasing international concern. See Water supply and sanitation in Yemen. Packard Bell Easynote TM80 laptop keyboard

As a result of the Yemeni revolution, the constitution of Yemen is expected to be rewritten, and then new elections held in 2014. The national government administers the capital and largest cities, but some other regions are outside of its grasp, governed by armed militant groups which expanded their control during the chaos of the 2011–12 uprising. The two major groups are Ansar al-Sharia (a branch or affiliate of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula), which has declared several "Islamic emirates" in the southern provinces of Abyan and Shabwah, and the Houthis, a Shiite rebel group centered in Sa'dah province. HP Pavilion dv6-2114sa laptop keyboard

Yemen is a republic with a bicameral legislature. Under the 1991 constitution, an elected President, an elected 301-seatAssembly of Representatives, and an appointed 111-member Shura Council share power. The President is the head of state, and the Prime Minister is the head of government. HP Pavilion zv5320us laptop keyboard

The 1991 constitution provides that the president be elected by popular vote from at least two candidates endorsed by at least fifteen members of the Parliament. The prime minister, in turn, is appointed by the president and must be approved by two thirds of the Parliament. The presidential term of office is seven years, SONY VAIO VGN-NW120J laptop keyboard

and the parliamentary term of elected office is six years. Suffrage is universal for people age 18 and older, but only Muslims may hold elected office.[64]

President Ali Abdullah Saleh became the first elected President in reunified Yemen in 1999 (though he had been President of unified Yemen since 1990 and President of North Yemen since 1978). He was re-elected to office in September 2006. Packard Bell PEW91 laptop keyboard

Saleh's victory was marked by an election that international observers judged to be "partly free", though the election was accompanied by violence, violations of press freedoms, and allegations of fraud.[65] Parliamentary elections were held in April 2003, and the General People's Congress (GPC) maintained an absolute majority. ACER Aspire One A110-1588 laptop keyboard

The constitution calls for an independent judiciary. The former northern and southern legal codes have been unified. The legal system includes separate commercial courts and a Supreme Court based in Sana'a. Sharia is the main source of laws, with many court cases being debated according to the religious basis of law and many judges being religious scholars as well as legal authorities. ACER Aspire One AO532 laptop keyboard

Yemen officially abolished slavery in 1962.[66]

The geography and ruling Imams of North Yemen kept the country isolated from foreign influence before 1962. The country's relations with Saudi Arabia were defined by the Taif Agreement of 1934, which delineated the northernmost part of the border between the two kingdoms and set the framework for commercial and other intercourse. The Taif Agreement has been renewed periodically in 20-year increments, and its validity was reaffirmed in 1995. Relations with the British colonial authorities in Aden and the south were usually tense.  ACER AEZU2R00010 laptop keyboard

The Soviet and Chinese Aid Missions established in 1958 and 1959 were the first important non-Muslim presence in North Yemen. Following the September 1962 revolution, the Yemen Arab Republic became closely allied with and heavily dependent upon Egypt. Saudi Arabia aided the royalists in their attempt to defeat the Republicans and did not recognize the Yemen Arab Republic until 1970. At the same time, SONY VAIO VGN-FS215E laptop keyboard

Saudi Arabia maintained direct contact with Yemeni tribes, which sometimes strained its official relations with the Yemeni Government. Saudi Arabia remained hostile to any form of political and social reform in Yemen[67] and continued to provide financial support for tribal elites.[68] SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

In February 1989, North Yemen joined Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt in forming the Arab Cooperation Council (ACC), an organization created partly in response to the founding of the Gulf Cooperation Council and intended to foster closer economic cooperation and integration among its members. After unification, the Republic of Yemen was accepted as a member of the ACC in place of its YAR predecessor. In the wake of the Persian Gulf crisis, TOSHIBA Satellite A205-S5804 laptop keyboard

the ACC has remained inactive. Yemen is not a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council mainly for its republican government.[69]

Yemen is a member of the United Nations, the Arab League, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and also participates in the nonaligned movement. The Republic of Yemen accepted responsibility for all treaties and debts of its predecessors, the YAR and the PDRY. Yemen has acceded to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

Since the end of the 1994 civil war, tangible progress has been made on the diplomatic front in restoring normal relations with Yemen's neighbors. In the summer of 2000, Yemen and Saudi Arabia signed an International Border Treaty settling a 50-year old dispute over the location of the border between the two countries. TOSHIBA Satellite P105-S6114 laptop keyboard

Until the signing of the Yemen-Saudi Arabia peace treaty in July 2000,[70] Yemen's northern border was undefined; the Arabian Desert prevented any human habitation there. Yemen settled its dispute with Eritrea over the Hanish Islands in 1998.

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There are arbitrary arrests of citizens, especially in the south, as well as arbitrary searches of homes. Prolonged pretrial detention is a serious problem, and judicial corruption, inefficiency, and executive interference undermine due process. Freedom of speech, the press, and religion are all restricted.[71] Journalists who tend to be critical of the government are often harassed and threatened by the police.[39] TOSHIBA Satellite L755D-S5359 laptop keyboard

Since the start of the Sa'dah insurgency many people accused of supporting Al-Houthi have been arrested and held without charge or trial. According to the U.S. State Department International Religious Freedom Report 2007, "Some Zaydis reported harassment and discrimination by the Government because they were suspected of sympathizing with the al-Houthis. However, it appears the Government's actions against the group were probably politically, not religiously, motivated".[72] DELL PVDG3 laptop keyboard

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants reported several violations of refugee and asylum seekers' rights in the organization's 2008 World Refugee Survey. Yemeni authorities reportedly deported numerous foreigners without giving them access to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, SAMSUNG R522 Laptop Keyboard

despite the UN’s repeated requests. Refugees further reported violence directed against them by Yemeni authorities while living in refugee camps. Yemeni officials reportedly raped and beat camp-based refugees with impunity in 2007.[73] HP Pavilion dv6-2020sa Laptop Keyboard

Yemen is ranked last of 135 countries in the 2012 Global Gender Gap Report.[74] Human Rights Watch reported on discrimination and violence against women as well as on the abolition of the minimum marriage age of fifteen for women. The onset of puberty (interpreted by some to be as low as the age of nine) was set as a requirement for marriage instead.[75] Publicity about the case of ten-year old Yemeni divorcee Nujood Ali brought the child marriage issue to the fore not only in Yemen but worldwide.[76][77][78] SONY KFRMBA152A Laptop Keyboard

), Navy (includes Marines), Yemeni Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Yamaniya; includes Air Defense Force). A major reorganization of the armed forces continues. The unified air forces and air defenses are now under one command. The navy has concentration in Aden. Total armed forces manning numbers about 401,000 active personnel, including moreover especially conscripts. HP Compaq G50-133US Laptop Keyboard

The Yemen Arab Republic and The People's Democratic Republic of Yemen joined to form the Republic of Yemen on 22 May 1990.[79] The supreme commander of the armed forces is Field Marshal, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Al-Hadi, the President of the Republic of Yemen. SONY VAIO VGN-NR11Z/S Laptop Keyboard

The number of military personnel in Yemen is relatively high; in sum, Yemen has the second largest military force on the Arabian Peninsula after Saudi Arabia. In 2012 total active troops were estimated as follows: army, 390,000; navy, 7,000; and air force, 5,000. In September 2007, the government announced the reinstatement of compulsory military service. Yemen’s defense budget,  HP Envy 15 Laptop Keyboard

which in 2006 represented approximately 40 percent of the total government budget, is expected to remain high for the near term, as the military draft takes effect and internal security threats continue to escalate. By 2012 Yemen now has 401,000 active personnel. SONY KFRMBA152A Laptop Keyboard

As of February 2004, Yemen is divided into twenty governorates (muhafazat) and one municipality called "Amanat Al-Asemah" (the latter containing the capital, Sana'a).[80][unreliable source?] The governorates are subdivided into 333 districts (muderiah), which are subdivided into 2,210 sub-districts, and then into 38,284 villages (as of 2001). DELL Inspiron M5030 Laptop Keyboard

Yemen is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the Arab World, with a formal 35% employment rate, dwindling natural resources, a young population and increasingpopulation growth. Yemen's economy is weak compared to most countries in the Middle-East, mainly because Yemen has very small oil reserves. Yemen's economy depends heavily on the oilit produces,[81] Compaq Presario CQ57-310 Laptop Keyboard

and its government receives the vast majority of its revenue from oil taxes. But Yemen's oil reserves are expected to be depleted by 2017, possibly bringing on economic collapse.[82] Yemen does have large proven reserves of natural gas.[83] Yemen's first liquified natural gas (LNG) plant began production in October 2009. DELL NSK-DJD01 Laptop Keyboard

Rampant corruption is a prime obstacle to development in the country, limiting local reinvestments and driving away regional and international capital. Foreign investments remain largely concentrated around the nation's hydrocarbon industry.

Agriculture here is very diverse, with such crops as sorghum dominating. Cotton and many fruit trees are also grown, withmangoes being the most valuable. TOSHIBA Satellite l20-121 Laptop Keyboard

Beginning in the mid-1950s, the Soviet Union and China provided large-scale assistance. For example, China and the United States are involved with the expansion of the Sana'a International Airport. In the south, pre-independence economic activity was overwhelmingly concentrated in the port city of Aden. The seaborne transit trade, which the port relied upon, collapsed with the closure of the Suez Canal and Britain's withdrawal from Aden in 1967. HP Pavilion dv6-2112sa Laptop Keyboard

Since unification in 1990,[39] the government has worked to integrate two relatively disparate economic systems. However, severe shocks, including the return in 1990 of approximately 850,000 Yemenis from the Persian Gulf states, a subsequent major reduction of aid flows, and internal political disputes culminating in the 1994 civil war hampered economic growth. HP G62-b10EV laptop keyboard

Since the conclusion of the war, the government made an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to implement a structural adjustment program. Phase one of the program included major financial and monetary reforms, including floating the currency, reducing the budget deficit, and cutting subsidies. Phase two will address structural issues such as civil service reform. LENOVO AEQA1STU010 laptop keyboard

In early 1995, the government of Yemen launched an economic, financial, and administrative reform program (EFARP) with the support of the World Bank and the IMF, as well as international donors. These programs had a positive impact on Yemen’s economy and led to the reduction of the budget deficit to less than 3% ofgross domestic product (GDP) during the period 1995–1999 and the correction of macro-financial imbalances.[84] The real growth rate in the non-oil sector rose by 5.6% from 1995 to 1997.[85] IBM ThinkPad T42 2378 laptop keyboard

The population of Yemen was about 24 million according to June 2011 estimates, with 46% of the population being under 15 years old and 2.7% above 65 years. In 1950, it was 4.3 million.[86][87] By 2050, the population is estimated to increase to about 60 million.[88]

Yemen has a high total fertility rate, at 4.45 children per woman, it is the 30th highest in the world.[89] TOSHIBA Satellite L655-128 laptop keyboard

In the late 20th century Sana'a’s population grew rapidly, from roughly 55,000 in 1978 to more than 1 million in the early 21st century.[90]

Yemenis are mainly of Arab origin.[91] When the former states of north and south Yemen were established, most resident minority groups departed.[92] Yemen is still a largely tribal society.[93] In the northern mountainous parts of the country live some 400 Zaydi tribes.[94] There are also hereditary caste groups in urban areas such as Al-Akhdam[9] Lenovo Thinkpad X220 laptop keyboard

Yemen officially abolished slavery in 1962.[66] Turks arrived in the region during theOttoman colonization process; today, there is between 10,000–30,000 people of Turkishorigin still living in the country.[95][96] In addition, Yemenite Jews once formed a sizable Jewish minority in Yemen with a distinct culture from other Jewish communities in the world[97] Most emigrated to Israel in the mid-20th century, following the Jewish exodus from Arab lands and Operation Magic Carpet.[98] SONY VGN-FE780G laptop keyboard

Most of the prominent Indonesians, Malaysians, and Singaporeans of Arab descent are Hadhrami people with origins in southern Yemen in the Hadramawt coastal region.[99] Today there are almost 10,000 Hadramis in Singapore.[100] SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

The Hadramis emigrated not only to Southeast Asia but also to East Africa and the Indian subcontinent.[101][dead link] Maqil were a collection of ArabBedouin tribes of Yemeni origin who migrated westwards via Egypt. Several groups of Yemeni Arabs turned south to Mauritania, and by the end of the 17th century, they dominated the entire country. They can also be found throughout Morocco HP Pavilion dv6-2105et laptop keyboard

According to the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Yemen hosted a population of refugees and asylum seekers numbering approximately 124,600 in 2007. Refugees and asylum seekers living in Yemen were predominantly from Somalia (110,600), Iraq(11,000), and Ethiopia (2,000).[73] There are also about 70,000 Iraqis presently living in Yemen.[103] United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that in 2008 more than 50,000 Somalis reached Yemen.[104] Yemen's civil war has forced at least 175,000 Yemenis to flee their homes.[105] SONY VAIO VGN-N11M laptop keyboard

The Yemeni diaspora is largely concentrated in the United Kingdom, where between 70,000 and 80,000 Yemenis reside; just over15,000 to 20,000 Yemenis reside in the United States, and 2,000 live in France.[106] Compaq Presario CQ42 laptop keyboard

Religion in Yemen consists primarily of two principal Islamic religious groups; 55% of the Muslim population is Sunni[107]and 45% is Shiite according to the UNHCR.[107][108] Sunnis are primarily Shafi'i but also include significant groups ofMalikis and Hanbalis. Shi'is are primarily Zaydi and also have significant minorities of Twelver Shias[109] and Musta'ali Western Isma'ili Shias. HP 431416-001 laptop keyboard

The Sunnis are predominantly in the south and southeast. The Zaydis are predominantly in the north and northwest whilst the Ismailis are in the main centers such as Sana'a and Ma'rib. There are mixed communities in the larger cities. About 1 percent of Yemenis are non-Muslim, adhering to Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or atheism.[110]

An estimated 100,000 people of Indian origin are concentrated in the southern part of the country, around Aden, Mukalla, Shihr, Lahaj, Mokha and Hodeidah.[111] HP Compaq G50-133US laptop keyboard

Arabic is the official language, although English is increasingly understood by citizens in major cities. In the Mahra area (the extreme east) and the islandSoqotra, several ancient south-Arabic Semitic languages are spoken.[112][113]

The official language is Modern Standard Arabic. Yemeni Arabic is spoken in several regional dialects. TOSHIBA KFRSBA064A laptop keyboard

Yemen is one of the main homelands of the South Semitic family of languages. Mehri is the largest South Semitic language in Yemen with more than 70,000 speakers. The ethnic group itself is called Mahra. Soqotri is another South Semitic language, with speakers on the island of Socotra isolated from the pressures of Arabic on the Yemeni mainland. According to the 1990 census in Yemen, the number of speakers there was 57,000 . Lenovo 3000 Y500 7761 laptop keyboard

Ancient Hemiari, which today is extinct, is another South Semitic language that once was spoken in Yemen.

Foreign language in public schools is taught from grade seven onwards, though the quality of public school instruction is low. Private schools using a British or American system teach English and produce proficient speakers, but Arabic is the dominant language of communication. The number of English speakers in Yemen is small compared to other Arab countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.  HP Pavilion dv6-2125el laptop keyboard

There is a significant number of Russian speakers, originating from Yemeni-Russian cross-marriages occurring mainly in the 1970s and 1980s. A small Vietnamese-speaking community is found in the capital city of Sana'a, originating from Yemeni immigrants expatriated from Vietnam after the Vietnam War in the 1970s. Compaq Presario CQ56-110US laptop keyboard

A small yet rising number of ethnic Chinese in Sana'a brought the Chinese language to the country, a byproduct of historic Chinese immigration. Also there areSouth Asian languages spoken by the small but present South Asian community, most notably Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam and Marathi languages. SONY KFRMBA152A laptop keyboard

Radio broadcasting in Yemen began in the 1940s when it was still divided into South by the British and North by Imami ruling system.[114] After the unity of Yemen in 1990, Yemeni government reformed its corporations and founded some additional radio channels which can broadcast locally. However it drew back after 1994 due to destroyed infrastructures by the civil war. ACER TravelMate 6292 laptop keyboard

Television is the most significant media platform in Yemen. Given the low literacy rate in the country, television is the main source of news for Yemenis. There are six free-to-air channels currently headquartered in Yemen, of which four are state-owned.[115]

The Yemeni film industry is in its early stages; only two Yemeni films have been released as of 2008. HP Pavilion dv6-2019ax laptop keyboard

Football is the most popular sport in Yemen. The Yemen national football team competes in the FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation leagues. The country also hosts many football clubs that compete in the national or international leagues. ACER Aspire 7745G Laptop Keyboard

Yemen's mountains provide many opportunities for outdoor sports, such as biking, rock climbing, hill climbing, skiing,hiking, mountain jumping, and more challenging mountain climbing. Mountain climbing and hiking tours to the Sarawat Mountainsand the Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb, including the 5,000 m peaks in the region, are seasonally organized by local and international alpine agencies. HP AEUT3U00020 Laptop Keyboard

The coast of Yemen and Socotra island also provide many opportunities for water sports, such as surfing, bodyboarding,sailing, swimming, and scuba diving. Socotra island is home to one of the best surfing destinations in the world.  DELL Precision M4500 Laptop Keyboard

Camel jumping is popular among the Zaraniq tribe on the west coast of Yemen on the desert plain by the Red Sea. Camels are rounded up and placed side to side. Athletes jump from a running start to achieve height and length in the air. The jumpers train year round for competitions. Tribesmen tuck their robes around their waists to reduce impediment while running and leaping.[116] SONY VAIO VGN-FS742/W Laptop Keyboard

Yemen's biggest sports event was hosting the 2010 Gulf Cup of Nations in Aden and Abyan in the southern part of the country on 22 November 2010. Yemen was thought to be the strongest competitor, but was defeated in the first three matches of the tournament.[117]

The Yemeni national team has never won a championship, though it includes many renowned Arab players. HP 640436-001 Laptop Keyboard

Among Yemen’s natural and cultural attractions are four World Heritage sites.

The Old Walled City of Shibam in Wadi Hadhramaut, inscribed by UNESCO in 1982, two years after Yemen joined the World Heritage Committee, is nicknamed "Manhattan of the Desert" because of its "skyscrapers." Surrounded by a fortified wall made of mud and straw, the 16th-century city is one of the oldest examples of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction. FUJITSU Lifebook P7120 Laptop Keyboard

The ancient Old City of Sana’a, at an altitude of more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m), has been inhabited for over two and a half millennia and was inscribed in 1986. Sana’a became a major Islamic centre in the 7th century, and the 103 mosques, 14 hammams (traditional bath houses), and more than 6,000 houses that survive all date from before the 11th century. DELL NSK-DD101 Laptop Keyboard

Close to the Red Sea Coast, the Historic Town of Zabid, inscribed in 1993, was Yemen’s capital from the 13th to the 15th century, and is an archaeological and historical site. It played an important role for many centuries because of its university, which was a center of learning for the whole Arab and Islamic world. Algebra is said to have been invented there in the early 9th century by the little-known scholar Al-Jazari. HP Pavilion ze4130 Laptop Keyboard

The latest addition to Yemen’s list of World Heritage Sites is the Socotra Archipelago. Mentioned by Marco Polo in the 13th century, this remote and isolated archipelago consists of four islands and two rocky islets delineating the southern limit of the Gulf of Aden. The site has a rich biodiversity. Nowhere else in the world do 37% of Socotra’s 825 plants, 90% of its reptiles and 95% of its snails occur. It is home to 192 bird species, 253 species of coral, 730 species of coastal fish, and 300 species of crab and lobster, as well as a range of Aloes and the Dragon’s Blood Tree (Dracaena cinnabari). The cultural heritage of Socotra includes the unique Soqotri language. HP Mini 210-1073TU Laptop Keyboard

The adult literacy rate in 2010 was 63.9%.[118] The government has committed to reduce illiteracy to less than 10% by 2025.[119] Although Yemen’s government provides for universal, compulsory, free education for children ages six through 15, the U.S. Department of State reports that compulsory attendance is not enforced. TOSHIBA Satellite L655-S5150 Laptop Keyboard

The government developed the National Basic Education Development Strategy in 2003 that aimed at providing education to 95% of Yemeni children between the ages of six and 14 years and also at decreasing the gap between males and females in urban and rural areas.[120] HP Pavilion DV7-3065dx Laptop Keyboard

A seven-year project to improve gender equity and the quality and efficiency of secondary education, focusing on girls in rural areas, was approved by the World Bank in March 2008. Following this, Yemen has increased its education spending from 4.5% of GDP in 1995 to 9.6% in 2005.[39]

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According to 2009 estimates, life expectancy in Yemen is 63.27 years.[91] Despite the significant progress Yemen has made to expand and improve its health care system over the past decade, the system remains severely underdeveloped. Total expenditures on health care in 2004 constituted 5% of gross domestic product. In that same year, the per capita expenditure for health care was very low compared with other Middle Eastern countries—US$34 per capita according to the World Health Organization.  ASUS F3H Laptop Keyboard

According to the World Bank, the number of doctors in Yemen rose by an average of more than 7% between 1995 and 2000, but as of 2004 there were still only three doctors per 10,000 people. In 2005 Yemen had only 6.1 hospital beds available per 10,000 persons. Health care services are particularly scarce in rural areas; only 25% of rural areas are covered by health services, compared with 80% of urban areas. Most childhood deaths are caused by illnesses for which vaccines exist or that are otherwise preventable.[122] SONY VAIO VGN-FS742/W Laptop Keyboard

left almost no trace of their existence.[citation needed] Their capital at Unguja Kuu probably was an extensive native town of African construction and composed mainly of perishable materials.[8]:page: 89ACER TravelMate 6292 Laptop Keyboard

 Although there were Arabs in Zanzibar and the remainder of coastal East Africa both before and after the Portuguese, the political situation was far different. HP Pavilion dv6-2160es laptop keyboard

The older settlements prior to the arrival of the Portuguese are quite distinct from the later lordship of Oman and Maskat.... When the Portuguese arrived in 1498 they found on the coast a series of independent towns, peopled by Arabs, but not united to Arabia by any political tie. Their relations with these Arabs were mostly hostile, HP Pavilion dv2-1044ca laptop keyboard

but during the sixteenth century they firmly established their power, and ruled with the aid of tributary Arab sultans. This system lasted till 1631, when the Sultan of Mombasa massacred the European inhabitants. In the remainder of their rule[,] the Portuguese appointed European governors, who were apparently most distasteful to the natives, for they invited the Arabs of Oman, who now appear on the scene for the first time, to assist them in driving the foreigners out.[12]:page: 9TOSHIBA MP-06863US-9308 laptop keyboard

In 1698, Zanzibar fell under the control of the Sultanate of Oman.[13]

In 1832,[11]:page: 162 or 1840[14]:page: 2,045 (the date varies among sources), Said bin Sultan moved his capital from Muscat, Oman to Stone Town in Zanzibar City. After Said's death in June 1856, two of his sons, Thuwaini bin Said and Majid bin Said, struggled over the succession. Said's will divided his dominions into two separate principalities, TOSHIBA Satellite M40x Series laptop keyboard

with Thuwaini to become the Sultan of Oman and Majid to become the first Sultan of Zanzibar. The brothers quarrelled about the will, which was eventually upheld by Lord Charles Canning, Great Britain's Viceroy and Governor-General of India.[11]:pages: 163-4[12]:pages: 22-3

HP Pavilion DV7-3085dx laptop keyboard

Beginning in 1886, Great Britain and Germany plotted to obtain parts of the Zanzibar sultanate for their own empires.[14]:page: 188 In October 1886, a British-German border commission established the Zanj as a 10 nautical mile (19 km) wide strip along most of the coast of East Africa, stretching from Cape Delgado (now in Mozambique) to Kipini (now in Kenya), includingMombasa and Dar es Salaam. Over the next few years, however, almost all of these mainland possessions were lost to European imperial powers. SONY VAIO VGN-SZ770N laptop keyboard

The sultans developed an economy of trade and cash crops in the Zanzibar Archipelago with a ruling Arab elite. Ivory was a major trade good. The archipelago, also known as the Spice Islands, was famous worldwide for its cloves and other spices, and plantations were developed to grow them. The archipelago's commerce gradually fell into the hands of traders from the Indian subcontinent, whom Said bin Sultan encouraged to settle on the islands. DELL Latitude E6400 laptop keyboard

During his 14-year reign as sultan, Majid bin Said consolidated his power around the East African slave trade. Malindi in Zanzibar City was East Africa's main port for the slave market between Africa and Asia (including the Middle East), and in the mid-19th century as many as 50,000 slaves passed annually through the port. ACER Aspire One A110-1626 laptop keyboard

Many were captives of Tippu Tib, a notorious Arab slave trader and ivory merchant. Tib led huge expeditions, some 4,000 strong, into the African interior, where chiefs sold him their villagers for next to nothing. These Tib used to caravan ivory back to Zanzibar, then sold them in the slave market for large profits. In time Tib became one of the wealthiest men in Zanzibar, the owner of multiple plantations and 10,000 slaves.[15] COMPAQ Presario V6103EA laptop keyboard

One of Majid's brothers, Barghash bin Said, succeeded him and helped abolish the slave trade in the Zanzibar Archipelago and largely developed Unguja's infrastructure.[16] Another brother of Majid, Khalifa bin Said, was the third sultan of Zanzibar and furthered the archipelago's progress toward abolishing slavery.[11]:page: 172Packard Bell Easynote TK85 laptop keyboard

The House of Representatives has a similar composition to the National Assembly of Tanzania. 50 members are elected directly from electoral constituencies to serve five-year terms; 10 members are appointed by the President of Zanzibar; 15 special seats are for women members of political parties that have representation in the House of Representatives; 6 members serve ex officio, including all regional commissioners and the attorney general.[21] Five of these 81 members are then elected to represent Zanzibar in the National Assembly.[22] TOSHIBA Satellite 1410-S173 laptop keyboard

Unguja has three administrative regions: Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North and Zanzibar Urban/West. Pemba has two: Pemba North and Pemba South.[23]

Concerning the independence and sovereignty of Zanzibar, Tanzania Prime Minister Mizengo Pindasaid on 3 July 2008 that there was "nothing like the sovereignty of Zanzibar in the Union Government unless the Constitution is changed in [the] future". Zanzibar House of Representatives members from both the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, and the opposition party, Civic United Front, disagreed and stood firmly in recognizing Zanzibar as a fully autonomous state.[24] DELL Inspiron 1564 laptop keyboard

Zanzibar has a government of national unity, with the current president of Zanzibar being Ali Mohamed Shein, since 1 November 2010.

There are many political parties in Zanzibar, but the most popular parties are the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and the Civic United Front (CUF). Since the early 1990s, the politics of the archipelago have been marked by repeated clashes between these two parties. SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

Contested elections in October 2000 led to a massacre on 27 January 2001 when, according to Human Rights Watch, the army and police shot into crowds of protestors, killing at least 35 and wounding more than 600. Those forces, accompanied by ruling party officials and militias, also went on a house-to-house rampage, indiscriminately arresting, beating, and sexually abusing residents. Approximately 2,000 temporarily fled to Kenya.[25] TOSHIBA Satellite P10 Series laptop keyboard

Violence erupted again after another contested election on 31 October 2005, with the CUF claiming that its rightful victory had been stolen from it. Nine people were killed.[26][27]

Following 2005, negotiations between the two parties aiming at the long-term resolution of the tensions and a power-sharing accord took place, but they suffered repeated setbacks. The most notable of these took place in April 2008, when the CUF walked away from the negotiating table following a CCM call for a referendum to approve of what had been presented as a done deal on the power-sharing agreement.[28]  HP Mini 210-1073TU laptop keyboard

In November 2009, the then-president of Zanzibar, Amani Abeid Karume, met with CUF secretary-general Seif Sharif Hamad at the State House to discuss how to save Zanzibar from future political turmoil and to end the animosity between them.[29] This move was welcomed by many, including the United States.[30] It was the first time since the multi-party system was introduced in Zanzibar that the CUF agreed to recognize Karume as the legitimate president of Zanzibar.[29] SONY Vaio VGN-AW290J laptop keyboard

A proposal to amend Zanzibar's constitution to allow rival parties to form governments of national unity was adopted by 66.2 percent of voters on 31 July 2010.[31]

Zanzibar is located in the Indian Ocean. It is in the East Africa Time zone (UTC +3) and does not use daylight saving time. SONY Vaio PCG-K45 laptop keyboard

The northern tip of Unguja island is located at 5.72 degrees south, 39.30 degrees east, with the southernmost point at 6.48 degrees south, 39.51 degrees east.[32] The island is separated from the Tanzanian mainland by a channel, which at its narrowest point is 36.5 kilometres (22.7 mi) across.[33] The island is about 85 kilometres (53 mi) long and 39 kilometres (24 mi) wide,[33] with an area of 1,464 km2 (565 sq mi).[34] Unguja is mainly low lying, with its highest point being 120 metres (390 ft).[34] Unguja is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs.[34] The reefs are rich in marine biodiversity.[35] DELL 454RX Laptop Keyboard

The northern tip of Pemba island is located at 4.87 degrees south, 39.68 degrees east, and the southernmost point is located at 5.47 degrees south, 39.72 degrees east.[32] The island is separated from the Tanzanian mainland by a channel some 56 kilometres (35 mi) wide.[33] The island is about 67 kilometres (42 mi) long and 23 kilometres (14 mi) wide, with an area of 985 km2 (380 sq mi).[33] Pemba is also mainly low lying, with its highest point being 95 metres (312 ft).[36] SONY VAIO VGN-N325QE/W Laptop Keyboard

Endemic mammals with continental relatives include the Zanzibar red colobus, one of Africa's rarest primates, with perhaps only 1,500 existing. Isolated on this island for at least 1,000 years, the Zanzibar red colobus (Procolobus kirkii) is recognized as a distinct species, with different coat patterns, calls, and food habits than related colobus species on the mainland.[41] The Zanzibar red colobus live in a wide variety of drier areas of coastal thickets and coral rag scrub, as well as mangrove swamps and agricultural areas. ADELL PVDG3 Laptop Keyboard

bout one third of them live in and around Jozani Forest. The easiest place to see the colubus are on farm land adjacent to the reserve. They are accustomed to people and the low vegetation means they come close to the ground. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 Laptop Keyboard

Rare native animals include the Zanzibar leopard, which is critically endangered and possibly extinct, and the recently described Zanzibar servaline genet. There are no large wild animals in Unguja, and forest areas such as Jozani are inhabited by monkeys, bush-pigs, small antelopes, civets, and, rumor has it, the elusive leopard. Various species of mongoose can also be found on the island. There is a wide variety of birdlife and a large number of butterflies in rural areas. HP Pavilion dv6-2112sa Laptop Keyboard

The people of Zanzibar are of diverse ethnic origins.[46] The first permanent residents of Zanzibar seem to have been the ancestors of the Hadimu and Tumbatu, who began arriving from the East African mainland around AD 1,000. HP Pavilion G7-1073NR Laptop Keyboard

HP Pavilion dv6-3141se Laptop Keyboard

Because they lacked central organization, they were easily subjugated by outsiders.[citation needed] Zanzibar today is mostly populated by African people of Swahili origin,[43] but there is also a minority population of Asians, originally from India and Arab countries.

Considerable disparities exist in the standard of living for inhabitants of Pemba and Unguja, as well as the disparity between urban and rural populations. The average annual income is US$250. About half the population lives below the poverty line. IBM Lenovo Thinkpad X201 Laptop Keyboard

Despite a relatively high standard of primary health care and education, infant mortality in Zanzibar is 54 out of 1,000 live births, which is 10.0 percent lower than the rate in mainland Tanzania. The child mortality rate in Zanzibar is 73 out of 1,000 live births, which is 21.5 percent lower than the rate in mainland Tanzania.[48] Compaq Presario CQ42-228LA Laptop Keyboard

Malnutrition affects an estimated one in three of Zanzibar's people.[citation needed]

Life expectancy at birth is 57 years,[49] which is significantly lower than the 2010 world average of 67.2. ACER Aspire 2920Z Laptop Keyboard

The general prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the sexually active population of Zanzibar is 0.6 percent, with the rate slightly higher in females (0.7 percent) than males (0.5 percent). The rate for divorced women, however, is 10 percent and is even higher for injecting drug users (16 percent), men who have sex with men (MSM) (12.3 percent), and female sex workers (10.8 percent). Among MSM, 13.9 percent reported injecting drugs within the previous three months, 77.5 percent reported being paid for sex within the previous year, and 71.2 percent reported having female sex partners within the previous year.[50] Lenovo 45N2106 Laptop Keyboard

Ancient pottery implies trade routes with Zanzibar as far back as the time of the ancient Assyrians. Traders from Arabia, thePersian Gulf region of modern-day Iran (especially Shiraz), and west India probably visited Zanzibar as early as the 1st century. They used the monsoon winds to sail across the Indian Ocean to land at the sheltered harbor located on the site of present-day Zanzibar City.[citation needed] HP Mini 110-3120la Laptop Keyboard

The clove, originating from the Moluccan Islands (today in Indonesia), was introduced in Zanzibar by the Omani sultans in the first half of the 19th century.[52] Zanzibar, mainly Pemba Island, was once the world's leading clove producer,[53] but annual clove sales have plummeted by 80 percent since the 1970s. Zanzibar's clove industry has been crippled by a fast-moving global market, international competition, Lenovo ThinkPad T410-2516 Laptop Keyboard

and a hangover from Tanzania's failed experiment with socialism in the 1960s and 1970s, when the government controlled clove prices and exports. Zanzibar now ranks a distant third with Indonesia supplying 75 percent of the world's cloves compared to Zanzibar's 7 percent.[53]

Zanzibar exports spices, seaweed, and fine raffia. It also has a large fishing and dugout canoe production. Tourism is a major foreign currency earner. Lenovo Thinkpad T410I Laptop Keyboard

The Government of Zanzibar legalized foreign exchange bureaux on the islands before mainland Tanzania moved to do so. The effect was to increase the availability of consumer commodities. The government has also established a free port area, which provides the following benefits: contribution to economic diversification by providing a window for free trade as well as stimulating the establishment of support services; ASUS A6700L Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

administration of a regime that imports, exports, and warehouses general merchandise; adequate storage facilities and other infrastructure to cater for effective operation of trade; and creation of an efficient management system for effective re-exportation of goods.[54] Toshiba Satellite L655D-S5055 Laptop

The island's manufacturing sector is limited mainly to import substitution industries, such as cigarettes, shoes, and processed agricultural products. In 1992, the government designated two export-producing zones and encouraged the development of offshore financial services. Zanzibar still imports much of its staple requirements, TOSHIBA Satellite L655D-S5067 laptop keyboard

petroleum products, and manufactured articles.

There is also a possibility of oil availability in Zanzibar on the island of Pemba, and efforts have been made by the Tanzanian Government and Zanzibar revolutionary Government to exploit what could be one of the most significant discoveries in recent memory. Oil would help boost the economy of Zanzibar, but there have been disagreements about dividends between the Tanzanian mainland and Zanzibar, the latter claiming the oil should be excluded in Union matters.[citation needed] SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

In 2007, a Norwegian consultancy firm went to Zanzibar to determine how the region could develop its oil potential.[55] The firm recommended that Zanzibar followneo-liberal economist Hernando de Soto Polar's ideas about the formalization of property rights for persons living on ancestral land for which they probably do not have a legal deed.[56]

In 2000 there were 207 government schools and 118 privately owned schools in Zanzibar.[2] There are also two universities and one college: Zanzibar University, the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA) and the Chukwani College of Education.[57]  HP G71-449WM laptop keyboard

SUZA was established in 1999, and is located in Stone Town, in the buildings of the former Institute of Kiswahili and Foreign Language (TAKILUKI).[58] It is the only public institution for higher learning in Zanzibar, the other two institutions being private. In 2004, the three institutions had a total enrollment of 948 students, of whom 207 were female.[59] SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

The primary and secondary education system in Zanzibar is slightly different than that of the Tanzanian mainland. On the mainland, education is only compulsory for the seven years of primary education, while in Zanzibar an additional three years of secondary education are compulsory and free.[2] Students in Zanzibar score significantly less on standardized tests for reading and mathematics than students on the mainland.[2][60] TOSHIBA Satellite U305-S2804 laptop keyboard

In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, national service after secondary education was necessary, but it is now voluntary and few students volunteer. Most choose to seek employment or attend teacher's colleges.

There are five ports in the islands of Unguja and Pemba, all operated and developed by the Zanzibar Ports Corporation. TOSHIBA Satellite C655-SP6007L laptop keyboard

The main port at Malindi, which handles 90 percent of Zanzibar's trade, was built in 1925. The port was rehabilitated between 1989 and 1992 with financial assistance from the European Union. The Italian contractor, Cogefar-Impressit, was supposed to build wharves that lasted 60 years; however, the wharves lasted only 11 years before crumbling and degenerating because the company deviated from the specifications. HP Pavilion dv6-3034nr laptop keyboard

 [62] The port was again rehabilitated between 2004 and 2009 with a 31 million euro grant from the European Union. The contract was awarded to M/S E Phil and Sons of Denmark. SONY VAIO VGN-CS11S/Q laptop keyboard

But the port is again facing problems, including sinking.[61]

The energy sector in Zanzibar consists of unreliable electric power, petroleum and petroleum products; it is also supplemented by firewood and its related products. Coal and gas are rarely used for either domestic and industrial purposes. HP Pavilion dv6-3141se laptop keyboard

Unguja (Zanzibar Island) gets most of its electric power from mainland Tanzania through a 39 kilometer, 100 megawatt submarine cable from Ras Kiromoni (near Dar es Salaam) to Ras Fumba on Unguja. The laying of the cable was begun on 10 October 2012 by the Viscas Corporation of Japan and was funded by a US$28.1 million grant from the United States through the Millennium Challenge Corporation.[68][69] The cable became operational on 13 April 2013.[70] HP Pavilion dv6-2154ca laptop keyboard

The previous 45 megawatt cable, which was seldom-maintained, was completed by Norway in 1980.[71]

Since May 2010, Pemba Island has had a 75 kilometer, 25 megawatt, subsea electrical link directly to mainland Tanzania. The cable project was financed through a 45 million euro grant from Norway and contributions of 8 million euros from the Zanzibar government and 4 million euros from the Tanzanian national government. TOSHIBA Tecra M6 laptop keyboard

The project ended years of dependence on unreliable and erratic diesel generation subject to frequent power cuts. Only about 20 percent of the cable's capacity was being used in January 2011, so it is anticipated that the cable will meet the island's needs for 20 to 25 years.[72][73] SONY VAIO VGN-NW240F laptop keyboard

Between 70 and 75 percent of the electricity generated is used domestically while less than 20 percent is used industrially. Fuel wood, charcoal and kerosene are widely used as sources of energy for cooking and lighting for most rural and urban areas. The consumption capacity of petroleum, gas, oil, kerosene and IDO is increasing annually, going from a total of 5,650 tons consumed in 1997 to more than 7,500 tons in 1999.[citation needed] DELL Inspiron 510m Laptop Keyboard

 From 21 May to 19 June 2008, Unguja suffered a major failure of its electricity system, which left the island without electrical service and mostly dependent on diesel generators. The failure originated in mainland Tanzania.[74] Another blackout happened from 10 December 2009 to 23 March 2010, caused by a problem with the submarine cable that formerly supplied electricity from mainland Tanzania.[75] This led to a serious shock to Unguja's fragile economy, which is heavily dependent on foreign tourism. SONY VAIO VPCF12AFM Laptop Keyboard

Zanzibar's most famous event is the Zanzibar International Film Festival, also known as the Festival of the Dhow Countries. Every July, this event showcases the best of the Swahili Coast arts scene, including Zanzibar's favorite music, Taarab.[76] SAMSUNG Q320 Laptop Keyboard

Important architectural features in Stone Town are the Livingstone house, The Old dispensary of Zanzibar, the Guliani Bridge, Ngome kongwe (The Old fort of Zanzibar) and the House of Wonders.[77] The town of Kidichi features the Hamamni Persian Baths, built by immigrants from Shiraz, Iran during the reign of Barghash bin Said. SONY VAIO VPCF12AFM Laptop Keyboard

HP 636191-001 Laptop Keyboard

Zanzibar also is the only place in Eastern African countries to have the longest settlement houses formally known asMichenzani flats which were built by the aid from East Germany during 1970's to solve housing problems in Zanzibar.[citation needed]

Football is the most popular Sport in Zanzibar, overseen by the Zanzibar Football Association.[82] Zanzibar is an associate member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). TOSHIBA Mini NB 505-SP0160 Laptop Keyboard

This means that the Zanzibar national football team is not eligible to enter national CAF competitions, such as the African Nations Cup, but Zanzibar's Football Clubs get representation at the CAF Confederation Cup and the CAF Champions League.

The national team participates in non-FIFA Football tournaments such as the FIFI Wild Cup, and the ELF Cup. Because Zanzibar is not a member of FIFA, their team is not eligible for the FIFA World Cup. SONY VAIO VGN-FW180FU Laptop Keyboard

The Zanzibar Football Association also has a Premier League for the top clubs, which was created in 1981.

Since 1992, there has also been Judo in Zanzibar. The founder, Mr. Tsuyoshi Shimaoka established a strong team which participates in national and international competitions. In 1999, Zanzibar Judo Association (Z.J.A.) was registered and became an active member of Tanzania Olympic Committee.[citation needed] DELL Precision M4500 Laptop Keyboard

In 1974, Zanzibar became the first area in Africa to introduce colour television. Because of longstanding opposition to television by President Julius Nyerere, the first television service on mainland Tanzania was not introduced until 1994.[78] The broadcaster in Zanzibar is called Television Zanzibar (TVZ).[79] Among the famous reporters of TVZ during the 1980s and 1990s were the late Alwiya Alawi 1961–1996 (the elder sister of Inat Alawi, famous Taarab singer during the 1980s), Neema Mussa, Sharifa Maulid, Fatma Mzee, Zaynab Ali, Ramadhan Ali, and Khamis[citation needed] DELL INSPIRON 1464 Laptop Keyboard

Zanzibar has one AM radio station[80] and twenty-one FM radio stations.[81]

In terms of landline communications, Zanzibar is served by the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited and Zantel Tanzania.

Almost all mobile and Internet companies serving mainland Tanzania are also available in Zanzibar. TOSHIBA NB200-10J Laptop Keyboard

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