Forgotten World (132): Yemen
Yemen at the southern end of the Arabian peninsula has been at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East and Asia for thousands of years thanks to its position on the ancient spice routes. The modern Republic of Yemen was born in 1990 when traditionalist North Yemen and Marxist South Yemen merged after years of border wars and skirmishes. But the peace broke down in 1994 and a short civil war ended in defeat for separatist southerners and the survival of the unified Yemen.
Since unification Yemen has been modernising and opening up to the world, but it still maintains much of its tribal character and old ways, tensions still persist between the north and the south, and its 22 million citizen live in the poorest country in the Middle East. The scene of attacks on a US warship and a French tanker, Yemen has gained a reputation as a haven for Islamic militants.