Aden
Port of Aden (around 1910). Ships lying off Steamer Point at the entrance to the modern inner harbour.
Aden Location in Yemen
Coordinates: 12°48′N 45°02′E / 12.8, 45.033
Country	Yemen
Governorate

Aden (pronounced /ˈeɪdən/; Arabic: عدن [ˈʕɑdæn]) is a city in Yemen, 170 kilometers east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya The Bab-el-Mandeb (variously Transliterated Mandab or Mandib, and with article "el-" given also as "al-" with or without connecting

Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a low isthmus. A harbor or harbour (see spelling differences) or haven, is a place where ships may shelter from the Weather or are stored Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas This harbour, Front Bay, was first used by the ancient Kingdom of Awsan between the 5th and 7th centuries BC. The ancient Kingdom of Awsan in South Arabia (modern Yemen) with a capital at Hagar Yahirr in the wadi Markha to the south of the wadi Bayhan is now marked by a Tell The modern harbour is on the other side of the peninsula. Aden now has a population of about 800,000 people, and is located at 12°48′N 45°02′E / 12.8, 45.033Coordinates: 12°48′N 45°02′E / 12.8, 45.033. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system.

The old town of Aden, situated in the crater of an extinct volcano (1999).

Aden consists of a number of distinct sub-centers: Crater, the original port city; Ma'alla, the modern port; Tawahi, known as "Steamer Point" in colonial days; and the resorts of Gold Mohur. Crater (also Kraytar) (Eng Ar كريتر is one of unofficial names of the oldest districts of the port city of Aden. Khormaksar, located on the isthmus that connects Aden proper with the mainland, includes the city's diplomatic missions, the main offices of Aden University, and Aden International Airport--the former RAF Khormaksar. RAF Khormaksar is a former Royal Air Force station in Aden, during the 1960s it was the busiest station in the RAF with nine squadrons based On the mainland are the sub-centers of Sheikh Othman, a former oasis area; Al-Mansura, a town planned by the British; and Madinat ash-Sha'b (formerly Madinat al-Itihad), the site designated as the capital of the South Arabian Federation and now home to a large power/desalinization facility and additional faculties of Aden University. El Mansurah (also spelled as Mansoura; Arabic: المنصورة) is a city in Egypt, with a population of 420000 The Federation of South Arabia ( Arabic: اتحاد الجنوب العربي Ittihad al-Janūb al-‘arabī) was an organization of States under

Aden encloses the eastern side of a vast, natural harbor that comprises the modern port. The volcanic peninsula of Little Aden forms a near-mirror image, enclosing the harbor and port on the western side. Little Aden became the site of the oil refinery and tanker port. Both were established and operated by British Petroleum until they were turned over to Yemeni government ownership and control in 1977. BP plc, previously known as British Petroleum, is the third largest global Energy company, a multinational oil company (" Oil major

Aden was the capital of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen until that country's unification with the Yemen Arab Republic. The People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, Democratic Yemen, South Yemen or Yemen (Aden was a Socialist republic in present-day southern and The Yemen Arab Republic (YAR (in Arabic: الجمهوريّة العربية اليمنية al-`Arabīyah al-Yamanīyah'') also known as North Yemen On that occasion, the city was declared a free trade zone.

Aden gives its name to the Gulf of Aden. The Gulf of Aden (خليج عدن transliterated: Khalyj 'Adan Somali: Khaleejka Cadan) is located in the Arabian Sea between

History

Main article: History of Yemen

Antiquity

Aden, among South Arabian kingdoms, in the 3rd century AD. The history of Yemen is especially important because Yemen is one of the oldest centers of Civilization in the Near East.

A local legend in Yemen states that Aden may be as old as human history itself. Some also believe that Cain and Abel are buried somewhere in the city. ^[1]

The port's convenient position on the sea route between India and Europe has made Aden desirable to rulers who sought to possess it at various times throughout history. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Known as Arabian Eudaemon in the 1st century BC, it was a transshipping point for the Red Sea trade, but fell on hard times when new shipping practices by-passed it and made the daring direct crossing to India in the 1st century AD, according to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. For the Greek concept of happiness see Eudaimonia. In the 1st century BCE, the Arabian city Eudaemon (usually identified with the The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea ( Periplus Maris Erythraei) is a Greek Periplus, describing navigation and trading opportunities The same work describes Aden as 'a village by the shore', which would well describe the town of Crater while it was still little-developed. There is no mention of fortification but at this stage, Aden was more an island than a peninsula as the isthmus (a tombolo) was not then so developed as it is today. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas A tombolo is a deposition Landform such as a spit or bar which is attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land

Medieval

Although the pre-Islamic civilization of Himyar was capable of building large structures, there seems to have been little fortification at this stage. The Himyarite Kingdom or Himyar (in Arabic مملكة حِمْيَر) anciently called Homerite Kingdom by the Greeks and the Romans Fortifications at Mareb and other places in Yemen and the Hadhramaut make it clear that it and the Sabean culture were well capable of it. See also Ancient history of Yemen The Sabaeans ( Arabic: السبأيين were an ancient people speaking an Old South Arabian language who Thus watch towers, since destroyed, are possible. However, the Arab historians Ibn al Mojawir and Abu Makhramah attribute the first fortification of Aden to Beni Zuree'a. The aim seems to have been twofold: to keep hostile forces out and to maintain revenue by controlling the movement of goods--preventing smuggling. In its original form, some of this work was relatively feeble, but after 1175 AD, rebuilding in a more solid form began.

In 1421 Ming dynasty Yongle Emperor ordered principal envoy grand eunuch Li Xing and grand eunuch Zhou Man of Zheng He's fleet to convey an imperial edict with hats and robes to bestow on the king of Aden. The Yongle Emperor ( Wade-Giles: Yung-lo May 2, 1360 &ndash August 12, 1424) born Zhu Di ( Chu Ti Zheng He ( Birth name 馬三寶 / 马三宝; Arabic / Persian name حجّي محمود شمس Hajji Mahmud Shams) (1371&ndash1433 was a Hui The envoys boarded three treasure ships and set sail from Sumatra to the port of Aden. This event was recorded in the book Ying-yai Sheng-lan by Ma Huan who accompanied the imperial envoy. Ma Huan (Chinese 马欢) courtesy name Chung-dao 宗道, pen name Mountain-woodcutter, born in Hui Ji county of Zhejiang province ^[2]

1951 stamp depicting Steamer Point with the outside of the volcanic rim of Crater in the background

1937 stamp of Aden: Half-anna dhow

British rule

See also: Aden (colony)

In 1838, Sultan Muhsin bin Fadl of the nearby state of Lahej ceded 194 km² (75 sq. A postage stamp is an adhesive paper evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services A dhow ( Arabic, دهو) is a traditional Arab sailing vessel with one or more Lateen Sails They are primarily used along The Colony of Aden (مستعمرة عدن Mustaʿmarat ʿAdan) was a British Crown colony from 1937 to 1963 and consisted of the port city The Sultanate of Lahej or Lahij (Arabic سلطنة لحج Laḥij}} or sometimes the Abdali Sultanate (Arabic سلطنة العب دلي al-ʿAbdalī}} miles) including Aden to the British. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. On 19 January 1839, the British East India Company landed Royal Marines at Aden to occupy the territory and stop attacks by pirates against British shipping to India. Events 1419 - Hundred Years' War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England completing his reconquest of Normandy. Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The port lies about equidistant from the Suez Canal, Bombay (Mumbai), and Zanzibar, which were all important former British possessions. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation Mumbai ( Marathi:,, IPA: formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the financial Zanzibar ( is part of the East African republic of Tanzania. It consists of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Aden had been an entrepôt and a way-station for seamen in the ancient world. An entrepôt (from the French " Warehouse " is a Trading post where merchandise can be imported and Exported without There, supplies, particularly water, were replenished. So, in the mid-nineteenth century, it became necessary to replenish coal and boiler water. Thus Aden acquired a coaling station at Steamer Point. Aden was to remain under British control until 1967.

Until 1937, Aden was ruled as part of British India and was known as the Aden Settlement. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The Colony of Aden (مستعمرة عدن Mustaʿmarat ʿAdan) was a British Crown colony from 1937 to 1963 and consisted of the port city Its original territory was enlarged in 1857 by the 13 km² island of Perim, in 1868 by the 73 km² Khuriya Muriya Islands, and in 1915 by the 108 km² island of Kamaran. Perim (بريم) is a Volcanic island strategically located in the Strait of Mandeb at the southern entrance into the Red Sea, off the southwestern The Khuriya Muriya Islands or Kuria Muria Islands (جزر خوريا موريا transliterated: Juzur Khurīyā Murīyā or Khūryān Mūryān &ndash in antiquity Kamaran Island (كمران) is the largest Yemen -controlled Island in the Red Sea.

In 1937, the Settlement was detached from India and became the Colony of Aden, a British Crown colony. The Colony of Aden (مستعمرة عدن Mustaʿmarat ʿAdan) was a British Crown colony from 1937 to 1963 and consisted of the port city The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom The change in government was a step towards the change in monetary units seen in the stamps illustrating this article. When the Indian Empire went its independent way, Indian rupees (divided into annas) were replaced in Aden by East African shillings. The hinterland of Aden and Hadhramaut were also loosely tied to Britain as the Aden Protectorate which was overseen from Aden. The hinterland is the land or district behind the borders of a coast or river Hadhramaut, Hadhramout or Hadramawt (حضرموت) is a historical region of the south Arabian Peninsula along the Gulf of Aden in the Aden Protectorate ( محمية عدن ʿAdan}} was a British Protectorate in southern Arabia in the early and middle 20th century

Aden is known for its boat-oriented stamps. A postage stamp is an adhesive paper evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services Mukalla is on the Hadhramaut coast, about 500 km east of Aden, in what was then the Aden Protectorate.

Kathiri state of Seiyun, 1942. Seiyun is about 160 km inland from Mukalla.

Aden's location also made it a useful entrepôt for mail passing between places around the Indian Ocean and Europe. Mail, or post, is a method for transmitting information and tangible objects wherein written Documents typically enclosed in Envelopes and also The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface Thus, a ship passing from Suez to Bombay could leave mail for Mombasa at Aden for collection. Mumbai ( Marathi:,, IPA: formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the financial Mombasa is the second largest City in Kenya, lying on the Indian Ocean. See History of postage in Aden. Aden is a city in Yemen. Aden's location made it a popular exchange port for Mail passing between places around the Indian Ocean and Europe

After the loss of the Suez Canal in 1956, Aden became the main base in the region for the British. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation

Aden sent a team of two to the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia. The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Perth, Western Australia, Australia from 22 November-1 December 1962 Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia.

Little Aden 1955 to 1967

Little Aden is still dominated by the oil refinery built for British Petroleum. An oil refinery is an industrial Process plant where Crude oil is processed and refined into more useful Petroleum products, such as Gasoline BP plc, previously known as British Petroleum, is the third largest global Energy company, a multinational oil company (" Oil major Little Aden was well known to seafarers for its tanker port with a very welcoming seaman's mission near to the BP Aden tugs' jetties, complete with swimming pool and air conditioned bar. TUGboat (ISSN 0896-3207 is a journal published three times per year by the TeX Users Group. The accommodation areas for the refinery personnel were known by the original Arabic names of Bureika and Ghadir.

A street scene at the old town of Aden. 1999

Bureika was wooden housing bunkhouses built to accommodate the thousands of skilled men and labourers imported to build the refinery, later converted to family housing, plus imported prefabricated houses "the Riley-Newsums" that are also to be found in parts of Australia (Woomera). Bureika also had a protected bathing area and Beach Club.

Ghaddir housing was stone built, largely from the local granite quarry; much of this housing still stands today, now occupied by wealthier locals from Big Aden. Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or Minerals are extracted Little Aden also has a local township and numerous picturesque fishing villages, including the Lobster Pots of Ghaddir. The army had extensive camps in Bureika and through Silent Valley in Falaise Camp, these successfully protected the refinery staff and facilities throughout the troubles, with only a very few exceptions. Schooling was provided for children from kindergarten age through to primary school, after that, children were bussed to The Isthmus School in Khormaksar, though this had to be stopped during the Aden Emergency.

Federation of South Arabia and the Aden Emergency

See also: History of Yemen

In order to stabilize Aden and the surrounding Aden Protectorate from the designs of North Yemen, the British attempted to gradually unite the disparate states of the region in preparation for eventual independence. The history of Yemen is especially important because Yemen is one of the oldest centers of Civilization in the Near East. North Yemen is a term currently used to designate both the Yemen Arab Republic (1962–1990 and its predecessor the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen On 18 January 1963, the Colony of Aden was incorporated into the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South against the wishes of much of the city's populace as the State of Aden and the Federation was renamed the Federation of South Arabia (FSA). Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Federation of Arab Emirates of the South (اتحاد إمارات الجنوب العربي was an organization of States within the British Aden Protectorate The Federation of South Arabia ( Arabic: اتحاد الجنوب العربي Ittihad al-Janūb al-‘arabī) was an organization of States under

An insurgency against British rule known as the Aden Emergency began with a grenade attack by the National Liberation Front (NLF) against the British High Commissioner on December 10, 1963, killing one person and injuring fifty, and a "state of emergency" was declared. The Aden Emergency was an insurgency against British crown forces in what is now the country of Yemen on the southern Arabian Peninsula. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

In 1964, Britain announced its intention to grant independence to the FSA in 1968, but that the British military would remain in Aden.

In January 1967, there were mass riots by the NLF and the rival Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen (FLOSY) supporters in the old Arab quarter of Aden town, which continued until mid February, despite the intervention of British troops. During the period there were many attacks on the troops, and an Aden Airlines DC3 plane was destroyed in the air with no survivors. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

On November 30, 1967 the British finally pulled out, leaving Aden and the rest of the FSA under NLF control. Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The Royal Marines, who had been the first British troops to occupy Aden in 1839, were the last to leave — with the exception of a Royal Engineer detachment. The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy

Independence

Aden in 1960

Aden became the capital of the new People's Republic of South Yemen which was renamed the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen in 1970. The People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, Democratic Yemen, South Yemen or Yemen (Aden was a Socialist republic in present-day southern and The People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, Democratic Yemen, South Yemen or Yemen (Aden was a Socialist republic in present-day southern and With the unification of northern and southern Yemen in 1990, Aden was no longer a national capital but remained the capital of Aden Governorate which covered an area similar to that of the Aden Colony. The Yemen Arab Republic (YAR (in Arabic: الجمهوريّة العربية اليمنية al-`Arabīyah al-Yamanīyah'') also known as North Yemen

On December 29, 1992, Al Qaeda conducted its first known terrorist attack in Aden, bombing the Gold Mohur Hotel [gəʊld mɔː], where U. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Al-Qaeda, alternatively spelled al-Qaida, al-Qa`ida or al-Qa`idah, ( Arabic:; ar-Latn ''al-qāʿidah'' Translation: The Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion S. servicemen were known to have been staying en route to Somalia for Operation Restore Hope. Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known Unified Task Force (UNITAF was a United States led United Nations sanctioned multinational force which operated in the Republic of Somalia from 9 A Yemeni and an Austrian tourist died in the attack. ^[3]

Aden was briefly the centre of the secessionist Democratic Republic of Yemen from 21 May 1994 but was reoccupied by Republic of Yemen troops on 7 July 1994. Secession (derived from the Latin term secessio is the act of withdrawing from an organization union or especially a political entity See also 1994 civil war in Yemen The Democratic Republic of Yemen (الجمهورية اليمن الديمقراطية in southern Yemen seceded from the Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar)

Members of al Qaeda attempted to bomb USS The Sullivans at the port of Aden as part of the 2000 millennium attack plots. Construction The contract to build The Sullivans was awarded to Bath Iron Works Corporation in Bath Maine on 8 April 1992 and her keel was laid down The 2000 millennium attack plots were Terrorist attacks planned by members of Al-Qaeda to occur on or near January 1, 2000: the bombing of four The boat that had the explosives in it sank, forcing the planned attack to be aborted.

The USS Cole bombing occurred in Aden on 12 October 2000. The USS Cole bombing was a Suicide bombing attack against the U Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar.

Main sights

Aden has a number of historical and natural sites of interest to visitors. These include:

• The Cisterns of Tawila - an ancient, water-cachement system located in the sub-center of Crater. The Cisterns of Tawila, or the Tawila Tanks, are the best-known historic site in Aden, Yemen.
• Sira Fort
• The Aden Minaret
• The Palace of the Sultanate of Lahej/National Museum
• The Aden Military Museum
• The Rimbaud House
• The fortifications of Jebal Hadid and Jebal Shamsan
• The beaches of Aden and Little Aden
• Al-Aidaroos Mosque
• The Zoroastrian Temple

Transportation

The city is served by the Aden International Airport, 9. Aden International Airport is an airport in Aden, Yemen. Airlines and destinations * Djibouti Airlines (Djibouti City 5 kilometers away from the city.

• Scheduled flights (as in December 2006):
  • Djibouti Airlines: Djibouti
  • Royal Jordanian: Amman
  • Yemenia: Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, Mukalla, Sanaa, Seiyun, Socotra

Aden harbor 1960

See also

• British military history
• History of postage in Aden

References

• Norris, H. Djibouti Airlines is an Airline based in Djibouti. It operates regional scheduled and charter services using Wet leased aircraft as required as well Djibouti ( جيبوتي Jībūtī, Somali: Jabuuti) officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Royal Jordanian Airlines ( Arabic: الملكية الأردنية transliterated: al-Malakiyah al-Orduniyah is an Airline based in Amman Amman (ɑˈmɑːn sometimes spelled Ammann ( Arabic عمان ʿAmmān) is the Capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom Yemenia - Yemen Airways (الخطوط الجوية اليمنية is the national Airline of Yemen, based in Sana'a. Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt. Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Jeddah (also spelled Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda; جدّة Ǧiddah) is a Saudi Arabian city located on the coast of the Al Mukalla (المكلا is the capital city of the Hadramaut coastal region in the southern part of Yemen on the Gulf of Aden. Say'un (سيئون also transliterated as Saywun or Seiyun) is a town in the Hadhramaut region of Yemen. Socotra or Soqotra ( Arabic سقطرى; Suquṭra) is a small Archipelago of four islands and islets in the Indian Ocean Aden is a city in Yemen. Aden's location made it a popular exchange port for Mail passing between places around the Indian Ocean and Europe T. ; Penhey, F. W. (1955). "The Historical Development of Aden's defences". The Geographical Journal.  

Footnotes

External links

• Aden Free Zone
• Port of Aden
• Postage stamp showing the ancient harbour with Crater town beyond, surrounded by forts on its volcanic rim
• Old Aden picture postcards

• Postal Stamps from Aden