Yemen is located in South-West Asia, on the Arabian Peninsula . The state is located at the entrance to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait , which connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and separates the Arabian Peninsula from Africa. It is one of the most important and lively shipping lanes in the world. Deserts and semi-deserts occupy a significant part of the country's territory. The climate is mostly arid.
| Geography of Yemen | |
|---|---|
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| Part of the world | Asia and Africa |
| Region | Middle East |
| Coordinates | 15 ° 00′N, 48 ° 00′E |
| Square |
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| Coastline | 1,906 km |
| Boundaries | Total: 1,746 km Saudi Arabia 1,458 km, Oman 288 km |
| Highest point | 3,666 m ( Jebel-en-Nabi-Shweib ) |
| Lowest point | 0 m ( Arabian Sea ) |
Content
Territory and boundaries
Yemen occupies the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula. The state has a land border with Saudi Arabia (in the north) and with Oman (in the east). In the south, Yemen is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea , and in the west by the waters of the Red Sea . The length of the state border is 1,746 km, of which 1,408 km is with Saudi Arabia and 288 km with Oman. The coastline is 1 906 km. Yemen owns a number of islands, the largest of which is Socotra Island, located in the Arabian Sea, 1,000 km east of Aden. Other islands include the Kamaran Islands, Zukar Islands, the Hanish and the Zubair Archipelagoes in the Red Sea, the Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Abd al-Kuri between the coast of Africa and Socotra, etc.
Relief
On the territory of Yemen, there are three geographical zones: the coastal zone of Tihama , the mountainous plateau in the central part of the country ( Yemen mountains ) and the desert zone in the north and east of Yemen. The coastal plain varies from 8 to 65 km wide. Low mountains stretching from 300 to 1100 meters above sea level stretch between the hilly plain and the central massif. Some peaks of the central massif rise above 3000 m above sea level, here is the highest point of both Yemen and the entire Arabian Peninsula - Mount Jabal al-Nabi-Shuaib , having a height of 3,760 meters above sea level. To the east and northeast, the central massif quickly turns into the eastern highlands (750–1100 m), which in turn decrease, passing into the hills of the Rub al-Khali desert . Rub al-Khali is known as the most lifeless area in the entire Arabian Peninsula and one of the most lifeless areas of the world.
Most of the island of Socotra is occupied by mountains; coastal plains are extremely narrow. Some peaks rise up to 1525 m, and the other islands of the archipelago are also mountainous.
The country is located in a seismically active region, on its territory there are three volcanic fields : Bir-Borhut , Harrah-Arhab and Harra-Bal-Haf . In a number of regions of the country earthquakes are quite frequent.
Inland waters
There are practically no permanent rivers in Yemen. Small streams and rivers begin in the mountainous regions of the country, but in the dry season most of them dry up. To provide the population with water wells and artesian wells are used. Wadi Hadramaut is the largest seasonal river of the Arabian Peninsula , it stretches across the lifeless desert for more than 160 km, forming a valley about 10 km wide and about 300 m deep. The Hadramaut valley is distinguished by its fertility; in the lower reaches of the Wadi, incorporating several tributaries, it turns into a real river Masila , which flows into the Arabian Sea near the city of Saykhut . The most significant rivers in the north-west of the country are the Moor and Madab .
Soils
Soils are predominantly red-brown, mountainous, desert, partially saline. Mostly characterized by low organic matter content.
Climate
The peculiarity of Yemen’s climate is the increased humidity of the air, reaching 96% in summer, combined with heat. The rainy season falls in the summer, from July to September. In the south, precipitation is abundant, on average 500–700 mm per year, on the plateau it is noticeably drier. In the dry period from October to February there is a warm, very dry weather. The average temperature in June is 27 ° С, in January - 14 ° С. You can travel around the country all year round, except, perhaps, June and July (for the northern part of the country and coastal areas) and the period from May to July for the southern part, in which deserts predominate.
The northern part of the country is mostly covered with mountains, the highest of which reach 3000 - 3500 meters. In mountainous areas, the climate is dry and temperate. During the day the sun shines brightly, but some nights, especially in the winter, are quite cool. Mountainous areas of the country are characterized by moderate rainy summer with an average maximum of about 21 ° C and cool, arid winter with temperatures sometimes falling below 0 ° C. The mountainous areas of the south of the country receive from 520 to 760 mm of precipitation per year, and some areas in the south-west, such as Ibb province, can receive up to 1000-1500 mm of precipitation. Rainfall in the capital, Sanaa, reaches 300 mm.
In areas located near the coast of the Red Sea is dominated by desert. In coastal areas it is hot and humid throughout the year, and in summer the humidity increases. The climate of the coastal plain is tropical, characterized by high temperatures, which can sometimes reach 54 ° C. The average temperatures of Adena vary from 25 ° C in January to 32 ° C in June; average annual rainfall is 127 mm.
Monthly average thermometer readings:
- January: 10 to 20 ° C
- In February: from 15 to 25 ° C
- In March: from 20 to 30 ° C
- In April: from 20 to 30 ° C
- May to August: 25 to 35 ° C
- September: from 20 to 30 ° C
- October-November: from 15 to 25 ° C
- December: 10 to 25 ° C
The above-mentioned temperatures are observed mainly in the mountainous regions of the country, while on the coasts of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean the temperature in winter is 20-30 ° C and 30-45 ° C in summer. Monsoons affect precipitation. The rainiest (if it can be said about Yemen) season is April-May. A small amount of precipitation falls in July and August and quite a bit - in December.
It rains for 1-2 hours, usually in the evening or at night, very rarely in the morning. For many areas in the north and east of the country, there is usually a complete lack of precipitation over five years or more. [one]
Flora and fauna
Most of the territory of Yemen is devoid of vegetation. For deserts and semi-deserts, grasses are typical, there are different types of wormwood, acacia, camel thorn, spurge, jujube, saxaul, tamarisk, etc. There are rare evergreen forests and bushes in the foothills. Seeing rapid population growth in recent decades, most of the forests in the foothills and valleys have been reduced due to the release of new areas for agriculture.
The fauna is represented by antelopes , gazelles , hyenas , jackals , caracals , desert foxes , the Arabian wolf . In the mountains and near the fertile valleys there are monkeys. In deserts in large quantities live rodents, reptiles and arachnids. Birds include kite, hawk, flamingo, pelican , white-eyed gulls [2] , etc. Coastal waters are rich in marine fauna.
Literature
- Gusterin P.V. The Republic of Yemen and its cities: a Handbook. M., 2006.
Notes
- ↑ International Center “Sanamed” for the employment of doctors abroad. >> Weather in Yemen.
- ↑ Alexander Marinin. Seagull (Larus): description, food features, types, photos (rus.) (Neopr.) ? . O-prirode.ru (July 29, 2017). The appeal date is July 1, 2019.