Modern States of Arabia: Map & History

The imams based their legitimacy on descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad, mostly via al-Qasim ar-Rassi (d. 860). After him, the medieval imams are sometimes known as the Rassids. The first of the ruling line, his grandson al-Hadi ila'l-Haqq Yahya, was born in Medina. His fame as an intellectual as well as a leader of note, led to his invitation to Yemen. He was summoned to govern the highland tribes in 893 and again in 896–897. Al-Hadi introduced a multitude of policies and practices that evolved into the particular Yemenite Zaydiyyah brand. The efforts of al-Hadi eventually became the basic guidelines for the religious as well as political characteristics of Yemeni Zaydism. Al-Hadi, however, was not able to consolidate his rule in all of Yemen. He could not even create an enduring state in the highlands, due to the strong localism persisting in the region.

From Wikipedia: Imams of Yemen · History: Establishment (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Although there was a Portuguese presence in the region, the Yaruba imams expelled them in the 17th century. The imams later expanded their own maritime empire to the Persian Gulf and Zanzibar, expelling the Portuguese from the wider region, before falling to the Persians. Persian hegemony in Muscat and Oman was ended in 1749 by a defeat at the hands of the elected Imam Ahmad bin Said. The British Empire was keen to dominate southeast Arabia to curb the influence of other European powers and to weaken the Omani Empire in the 18th century. The British empire thus backed the Albusaidi Sultans of Muscat that came to power in the second half of the 18th century. The British empire established a series of treaties with the Sultans with the objective of increasing British political and economic influence over Muscat.

From Wikipedia: Muscat and Oman · Background (CC BY-SA 4.0)

In the early 1820s, the Sultanate lost most of its territories in the Persian Gulf, which became the Trucial States under British protection. The fifth Sultan of the Al Said dynasty, Said bin Sultan, consolidated the Sultanate's territorial holdings and economic interests and Oman prospered. However, the Omani fleet was unable to compete with the more technically advanced European fleets and the Sultanate lost much of the trade with South Asia. Pressure by the British to abandon the slave trade further led to the loss of political and economic clout of the Sultanate.

From Wikipedia: Muscat and Oman · Consolidation and decline (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Imamate of Oman, similar to the Sultanate of Muscat, was ruled by the Ibadi sect. Imams exercised spiritual and temporal representation over the region.

From Wikipedia: Imamate of Oman · Governance (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Historically, Asir was known for producing coffee, wheat, alfalfa, barley, senna, and frankincense. Wheat was grown in the summer and sesame has been grown in wetter areas of the region. Straw was used to make mats, hats, and baskets while tribes in the area also wove tents from straw.

From Wikipedia: Asir · Economy (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Asir Province is served by several institutions of higher education, the most prominent being King Khalid University (KKU). Established in 1998 through a royal decree that merged the satellite campuses of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University and King Saud University, The main campus is located in Abha, with satellite campuses in cities such as Khamis Mushait, Muhayil, and Bisha. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across fields like medicine, engineering, computer science, humanities, Islamic studies, and business. It enrolls both male and female students.

From Wikipedia: Asir · Education (CC BY-SA 4.0)

North Yemen was a republic governed nominally under a constitution adopted in 1970, suspended in 1974, and largely restored between 1978 and the late 1980s. Although a succession of bodies carried out some of the functions of a legislature, they exercised little real power until the late 1980s. During that period, policy making remained in the hands of a relatively progressive military elite that worked closely with a variety of civilians that included a large and growing group of technocrats, the major tribal leaders, and other traditional conservative notables. Although political parties were formally banned, several parties did exist and operated with varying degrees of influence during and between elections.

From Wikipedia: North Yemen · History: Politics (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Qatari Peninsula was close enough to the Dilmun civilization in Bahrain to have felt its influence. Barbar pottery was excavated in two sites by the Qatar Archaeology Project, suggesting Qatar's involvement in Dilmun's trade network. When the people of Dilmun began engaging in maritime activities around 2100 to 1700 BC, the inhabitants of Qatar started diving for pearls in the Persian Gulf. The Qataris were engaged in the trading of pearls and date palms during this era.

From Wikipedia: History of Qatar · Prehistory: Bronze Age (2100–1155 BC) (CC BY-SA 4.0)

In a move which angered Mohammed bin Khalifa, Faisal bin Turki provided a safe haven for Abdullah bin Ahmed's sons in Dammam in 1852. Consequently, the Bahrainis attempted to drive away residents of Al Bidda and Doha who were suspected of being loyal to the Wahhabi by imposing an economic blockade on the inhabitants, which prevented them from engaging in pearl hunting. The blockade continued until the end of the year. In February 1853, the Wahhabi began marching from Al-Hasa to Al Khor. After Bahrain received assurance from Qatar that they would not cooperate with the Wahhabi forces if they crossed their borders, they sent Ali bin Khalifa to the mainland to act as a collaborator with the local resistance. A British-mediated peace agreement was reached between the two parties in 1853.

From Wikipedia: History of Qatar · Al Khalifa and Saudi control (1783–1868): Economic repercussions (CC BY-SA 4.0)

In June 1867, Ali bin Khalifa, the Bahraini representative in Qatar and brother of Muhammad bin Khalifa, seized a Bedouin from Al Wakrah and deported him to Bahrain. Mohammed bin Thani demanded his release, but Ali bin Khalifa refused. This prompted Mohammed bin Thani to expel him from Al Wakrah. Upon receiving news of this, Muhammad bin Khalifa released the Bedouin prisoner and expressed his desire for renewed peace talks. Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, the son of Mohammed bin Thani, traveled to Bahrain to negotiate on his behalf. He was imprisoned upon arrival, and a large number of ships and troops were soon sent to punish the people of Al Wakrah and Al Bidda. Abu Dhabi joined on Bahrain's behalf due to the conception that Al Wakrah served as a refuge for fugitives from Oman.

From Wikipedia: History of Qatar · Al Khalifa and Saudi control (1783–1868): Qatari–Bahraini War (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Human rights in Kuwait has been the subject of significant criticism, particularly regarding the Bedoon (stateless people). The Kuwaiti government's handling of the stateless Bedoon crisis has come under criticism from many human rights organisations and even the United Nations. According to Human Rights Watch in 1995, Kuwait has produced 300,000 stateless Bedoon. Kuwait has the largest number of stateless people in the entire region. Since 1986, the Kuwaiti government has refused to grant any form of documentation to the Bedoon including birth certificates, death certificates, identity cards, marriage certificates, and driving licences. According to several human rights organizations, Kuwait is committing ethnic cleansing and genocide against the stateless Bedoon.

From Wikipedia: Kuwait · Government and politics: Human rights and corruption (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The biggest non-oil industry is steel manufacturing. United Steel Industrial Company (KWT Steel) is Kuwait's main steel manufacturing company, which caters to all of Kuwait's domestic market demands (particularly construction). Kuwait is self-sufficient in steel.

From Wikipedia: Kuwait · Economy: Other non-oil industries (CC BY-SA 4.0)

In the early 1990s, Kuwait deported nearly 400,000 Palestinians. Kuwait's policy was a form of collective punishment, in response to the alignment of the PLO with Saddam Hussein. Kuwait also deported thousands of Iraqis and Yemenis after the Gulf War. Hundreds of thousands of stateless Bedoon, also spelled Bidoon in UN documents, were also expelled from Kuwait in the early-to-mid 1990s. At the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in 1995, it was revealed that the Al Sabah ruling family deported 150,000 stateless Bedoon to refugee camps in the Kuwaiti desert near the Iraqi border with minimal water, insufficient food, and no basic shelter. Many of the stateless Bedoon fled to Iraq where they remain stateless people even today.

From Wikipedia: Kuwait · History: 1992–2023: Post-war period (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Kuwait has the oldest performing arts industry in the Arabian Peninsula. Kuwait's television drama industry is the largest and most active Gulf Arab drama industry and annually produces a minimum of fifteen serials. Kuwait is the main production center of the Gulf television drama and comedy scene. Most Gulf television drama and comedy productions are filmed in Kuwait. Kuwaiti soap operas are the most-watched soap operas from the Gulf region. Soap operas are most popular during the time of Ramadan, when families gather to break their fast. Although usually performed in the Kuwaiti dialect, they have been shown with success as far away as Tunisia. Kuwait is frequently dubbed the "Hollywood of the Gulf" due to the popularity of its television soap operas and theatre.

From Wikipedia: Kuwait · Culture: Performing arts (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The National Liberation Front, now rebranded as the National Front, had approximately 26,000 members, a small number of university-educated leaders, and all of them, without exception, had no experience in government. The front was divided into two right-wing and left-wing sections. The right-wingers and their popular leader, Qahtan, did not want to make major changes in the prevailing social and economic structure and took a conservative stance toward "liberating all Arab lands from colonialism, supporting the resistance of the Palestinian people, and supporting socialist regimes around the world to resist imperialism and colonial forces in the Third World." The leftist faction of the National Front was also promoting and opposing the establishment of popular forces and proposals to nationalise lands, and they were not preoccupied with the struggle of social classes.

From Wikipedia: South Yemen · History: Reforms and the establishment of a Marxist-Leninist state (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Members of the Yemeni Socialist Party and the Government, especially Abdul Fattah Ismail, drafted the state's constitution. Egyptian and East German advisors provided technical assistance. Promulgated on 30 November 1970, seventeen months after the Corrective Move, it was later amended on 31 October 1978 to formalise the replacement of the National Front by the Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP).

From Wikipedia: South Yemen · Government and politics: Government (CC BY-SA 4.0)

A few months after the civil war of 1986, the PDRY had discovered oil after more than 6 decades of unsuccessful exploration, the Soviet Union discovered oil in the Shabwah Governorate in late 1986, marking a turning point for the resource-scarce nation. Decades of unsuccessful exploration efforts, hampered by the harsh desert environment and political instability, had left South Yemen heavily reliant on foreign aid, primarily from the Soviet Union, and remittances from its citizens working abroad, estimated to be around half of government revenue by the mid-1980s. The discovery, made by the Soviet oil company Technoexport, emerged amidst the Cold War, with the Soviet Union playing a crucial role in the exploration and discovery process.

From Wikipedia: South Yemen · Economy: Oil (CC BY-SA 4.0)

On 13 January 1986, a violent struggle began in Aden between Ali Nasir's supporters and supporters of the returned Ismail, who wanted power back. This conflict, known as the South Yemen Civil War, lasted for more than a month and resulted in thousands of casualties, Ali Nasir's ouster, and Ismail's disappearance and presumed death. Some 60,000 people, including the deposed Ali Nasir, fled to the YAR. Ali Salem al-Beidh, an ally of Ismail who had succeeded in escaping the attack on pro-Ismail members of the Politburo, then became General Secretary of the Yemeni Socialist Party.

From Wikipedia: South Yemen · History: 1986 Civil War (CC BY-SA 4.0)

According to journalist Bilal Zenab Ahmed, nostalgia remains strong in parts of southern Yemen for the PDRY. Ahmed compared nostalgia for South Yemen to nostalgia for the Soviet Union, noting their shared emphasis on cultural memory and ongoing impact on modern-day nationalism. Ahmed asserted that nostalgia for the perceived stability, social benefits, and low unemployment of South Yemen have played a strong role in support for modern-day South Yemeni separatism. The Southern Movement in particular drew much of its initial support from elements of the southern Yemeni population nostalgic for the former Marxist government, and socialist nostalgia features subtly in much of its messaging, propaganda, and symbolism.

From Wikipedia: South Yemen · Legacy (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Yemen is a unitary semi-presidential republic with a bicameral legislature. Under the 1991 constitution, an elected president, an elected 301-seat Assembly 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. In Sanaa, a Supreme Political Council (not recognised internationally) forms a government for Houthi-controlled territory of Yemen.

From Wikipedia: Yemen · Government and politics (CC BY-SA 4.0)

A key challenge is severe water scarcity, especially in the Highlands, prompting The Times, in 2009, to write "Yemen could become first nation to run out of water." A second key challenge is a high level of poverty, making it difficult to recover the costs of service provision. Access to water supply sanitation is low. Yemen is both the poorest country and the most water-scarce country in the Arab world. Third, the capacity of sector institutions to plan, build, operate and maintain infrastructure remains limited. Last but not least the security situation makes it even more difficult to improve or even maintain existing levels of service.

From Wikipedia: Yemen · Economy: Water supply and sanitation (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Football is the most popular sport. The Yemen Football Association is a member of FIFA and AFC. The Yemeni national football team participates internationally. The country also hosts many football clubs. They compete in the national and international leagues.

From Wikipedia: Yemen · Culture: Sport (CC BY-SA 4.0)