Sana'a, Yemen

Sana'a is the official capital of Yemen and that nation's cultural and political center. Sana'a is also considered one of the oldest cities in the world, and buildings in the oldest part of the city, dating back to 200 CE, are still perfectly preserved. Because of the historical significance of its architecture, Sana'a was declared an endangered city by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the mid-1970s, and given World Heritage Status in 1986 in an effort at conservation. The city's name derives from the ancient South Arabian language, meaning "strength," or "fortified place," due to the high walls that surround the city's oldest sections. Sana'a has witnessed violence and destruction in the early twenty-first century with the insurgency of the Houthi ethnic group against the Yemeni government that erupted into a full civil war. As a result of that conflict, the official recognized Yemeni government was forced to move its operations out of Sana'a, establishing a temporary capital in Aden.

Landscape

Sana'a is located in the northwest of Yemen, which is situated in the southwestern region of the Arabian Peninsula. The city sits on the narrow plateau of a mountain range, between Nuqum on the east and Ayban on the west. The port of Aden, the economic capital of Yemen, is directly south of Sana'a. The city's development at the crossroads of two heavily used ancient trade routes was influential in the city's establishment as the cultural and economic center of the country.

Sana'a is roughly 2,286 meters (7,500 feet) above sea level. As a result, the climate is temperate and the city experiences regular rainfall throughout the summer and autumn. The ideal climate and altitude of Sana'a make it the designated fruit-growing region of a desert nation that is frequently subject to dust storms and sandstorms. Water resources remain a challenge for the city, as over 80 percent of the water supply is extracted from fossil reserves in the Sana'a Basin. Water shortages were aggravated beginning in 2016 when cholera contaminated much of the city's water supply. In 2023, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations began working with officials in Yemen to develop the National Agriculture and Fisheries Strategy and Investment Plan 2030. This plan addresses challenges in the water sector and how natural resources can be better managed.

The city is comprised of two parts: the eastern section, known as the Old City, and the western part, which is more modern and primarily residential. The Old City is fortified and contains mosques and the Suq al-Milh, or Salt Market, which is the city's main souk (market). The urban new city contains a shopping center, modern homes, and Sana'a University, which was opened in 1970.

The 14,000 tower houses in the Old City are multistoried and built of basalt blocks and limestone. Exterior walls look out on communal streets and exhibit script, symbols, and carved windows filled with colored glass. In recent years more families from the countryside have moved into the Old City, replacing the families that have left for the modern housing outside of the high walls.

People

The population in Sana'a was estimated to be about 3.29 million in 2023 by the World Population Review, with a small percentage living within the ancient walled section of the Old City. The official language is Arabic, though English, Indian, and some African languages are spoken to a much lesser extent. The currency of Sana'a is the Yemeni rial.

In 628 CE, after being subject to Christianity under Persian rule during the sixth century, all of Yemen converted to Islam. The national religion is still Islam, and the importance of worship is evidenced by the numerous ornately decorated mosques throughout the city, more than a hundred of which are located in the Old City.

The heart of the culture of Sana'a is the Suq al-Milh located within the Old City. It is a craft and trade market where merchants sell the herbs, meats, spices, and other foods that make for the unique Yemeni cuisine. The market also features clothing, handmade jewelry, pottery, and woodwork, in addition to the janbiya, or jambia, a famous South Arabian dagger that is a part of traditional Yemeni dress for males.

The suq also provides locals access to qat, a narcotic made by grinding the leaves of the evergreen Catha edulis. It is one of the main products of Sana'a and is an important part of social activities. Qat is consumed by groups in social settings. When chewed, the narcotic is said to have amphetamine-like effects.

Customary dress in Sana'a combines conventional clothing from Sana'a with Western-style attire. A traditional garment worn by women is the lithma, a veil used to cover the head and face. A dress code consisting of the conventional Sana'a style is typically observed in the Old City.

Economy

Historically, Sana'a was situated at the intersection of the two trade routes through Yemen, and the economy has been based on import and export trade with nations such as China, India, Thailand, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. The main exports of Sana'a are agricultural products such as qat, coffee, grapes, and other fruits and vegetables. Natural resources like oil, coal, precious metals, and animal products are brought into Sana'a from other areas of the country for trade.

Industries in the city include construction, commerce, and government, while a large majority of residents are involved in agricultural pursuits. Tourism is another significant part of the city's economy. In addition, one of the largest economic endeavors of the city in recent years is the Sana'a International Airport, whose expansion has created numerous jobs. Overall, economic growth in Yemen is slow compared to most other Middle Eastern countries, and nearly half the nation's population lives below the poverty line.

Landmarks

The architecture of the Old City is the most distinguishing feature of Sana'a. Townhouses built nearly 400 years ago exhibit detailed stained glass windows and intricate friezes, a band which extends above doorways and windows, carved into the exterior stone. Within the Old City lies the Suq al-Milh, the center for local trade. Visitors can purchase food, jewelry, spices, souvenirs, and the raisins and coffee beans for which Sana'a is famous.

Several mosques are popular tourist sites. Al-Jami'al-Kabir (the Great Mosque), is the largest and the oldest of the mosques, and can be found on the western side of the city. Most of the mosque was built in the twelfth century, though some of the columns date from pre-Islamic times, while others remain from the original Qalis Cathedral that was destroyed after Yemen converted to Islam. This mosque is situated on the site where a previous mosque was built during the time of the Prophet Muhammad.

Other famous mosques include Qubbat al-Bakiliya in the eastern part of the city, built during Turkish occupation and exhibiting Turkish influence in its architecture; Salah al-Din and Qubbat Talha also in the east; and al-Aqil, the smallest mosque which is also lighted at night. Only Muslims are allowed inside the mosques.

Sana'a is also home to two museums that are open to visitors. The National Museum is inside a twentieth-century royal palace, now named the Dar as-Sa'd, or the "House of Good Luck," and houses relics and artifacts from some of Yemen's most ancient families. Adjacent to the National Museum is the Military Museum, which documents the history of war in Sana'a.

History

Occupation and change have characterized the 3,000-year history of Sana'a. After it was founded, Sana'a became a garrison town and a popular place for the ancient Sabean kings during their dynasty. Sana'a was also the chosen capital of the lost kingdoms of the Himyarites and subsequently the Abyssinians, who dominated Sana'a for fifty years beginning in 525 CE.

Persia conquered Sana'a in 575 CE, and ruled the city until the 628 when Yemen embraced Islam. Following this mass conversion, all non-Muslim places of worship were destroyed and construction of mosques commenced, and Sana'a became a significant center for the widespread influence of Islam during.

A period of unrest followed in Sana'a as the city was ruled in turn by various powerful dynasties, among them the Umayyads, the Abbasids, the Yu'firids, and the Sulayhids. The Rasulid Imams dominated the city for nearly two hundred years. The two centuries brought much suffering to Sana'a as the city experienced political unrest, internal strife, invading dynasties and epidemics.

In 1547 the city was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, but by 1623, the Zaydi Imams had reclaimed the capital, beginning a long reign highlighted by an economic boom and development. Many of the homes in the Old City are examples of this expansion.

In 1872 the Ottoman Turks began a second conquest and occupation of Sana'a. Turkish rule introduced a fast-paced modernizing program which inspired the development of schools, hospitals, and modern architecture. The Zaydi Imams took back power in 1919, until the assassination of Imam Yahya in 1948. The succeeding ruler, Imam Ahmad, responded by temporarily reassigning the capital city of Yemen to Ta'izz.

Following Ahmed's death in 1962, Ahmed's son, Imam Badr, ascended to the throne, prompting a civil war between revolutionary republicans and the supporters of the Imam Badr that shook the political structure of Sana'a until 1969, when the Yemen Arab Republic was established. The new decade brought peace, and the creation of a new city center, shopping areas, and modern amenities.

In 1990, the Yemen Arab Republic officially merged with the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. Sana'a was declared the political capital, and Aden the economic capital. Sana'a was soon considered the most influential and modern city of a unified Republic of Yemen in the early twenty-first century.

However, domestic unrest in Yemen continued and would have a major impact on Sana'a. Beginning in 2004, several waves of fighting between the Houthis (or Huthis), a minority group practicing Zaydi Shia Islam, and the government broke out before a 2010 ceasefire was declared. However, political turmoil came to a head again in 2011, with Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh (Salih) finally agreeing to step down in 2012, and the Houthi insurgency regained momentum. In September 2014 Sana'a was captured by Houthi forces, and Saleh's successor Abd Mansur Hadi was forced to flee to the city of Aden, where he established a new provisional capital for the official Yemeni government. A Saudi-led intervention in Yemen then targeted Houthi forces, and airstrikes in Sana'a reportedly damaged and even destroyed historic World Heritage sites, prompting an outcry from UNESCO. AS of 2024, insurgents still controlled Sana'a.

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