Yemen Geography

Yemen is located in the Middle East, on the Arabian Peninsula's southwestern corner, bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the northeast, the Gulf of Aden to the south, and the Red Sea to the west. It is about twice the size of Wyoming.

The country's geography is diverse, encompassing five main regions:

• Tihāmah: A coastal plain extending along the Red Sea. This plain varies in width, from 5 miles (8 km) to as much as 40 miles (64 km). It experiences high temperatures and humidity, often exceeding 100°F (upper 30s°C) in cities like Aden and Hodeidah.
• Western Highlands: Rising sharply from the Tihāmah, these highlands reach elevations of over 10,000 feet.
• Central Mountains (Yemen Highlands): The highest mountain range in the Arabian Peninsula, with Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb, the highest peak, reaching over 12,000 feet.
• Eastern Highlands: Gradually descending from the central mountains, these highlands transition into the desert.
• Eastern and Northeastern Deserts: Part of the Rubʿ al-Khali (Empty Quarter), one of the largest sand deserts globally. This area is largely uninhabitable due to the arid climate and lack of permanent rivers.

Yemen's climate is primarily arid and subtropical. Temperatures vary significantly based on elevation, with coastal areas experiencing higher temperatures and humidity. The average annual rainfall is relatively low, around 5 inches (127 mm), but the southern mountainous regions receive significantly more rainfall, between 20.5 and 29.9 inches (520 to 760 mm) annually. Yemen has distinct rainy and dry seasons influenced by monsoons. There are five main ecological zones: coastal plain, temperate highlands, high plateaus, desert interior, and the islands archipelago. Between 1971 and 2020, Yemen's mean annual temperature increased by 0.42°C per decade. Yemen's terrain is predominantly mountainous, with terraced agriculture common in the highlands. The Hadramaut mountain range is located in the center of the country. The country's geology includes Precambrian basement rocks overlaid by sediments from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras, topped with volcanic rocks and loess. A more detailed overview of Yemen's geography can be found here: