Yemen

Sana’a is Yemen’s official (constitutional) capital, designated after the 1990 unification of North Yemen (capital Sana’a) and South Yemen (capital Aden). Although Yemen’s internationally recognized government has used Aden as a temporary administrative seat during the conflict, the recognized national capital remains Sana’a. Set high in the mountains at about 2,300 meters, Sana’a is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, famed for its UNESCO-listed Old City with gingerbread-like tower houses decorated in white gypsum. Memory tip: Sana’a sits so high—Sana’a = “so high”—link the name to its lofty setting and official status. For contrast, Aden is the major southern port and former South Yemen capital, Taiz a cultural center, and Mukalla the coastal capital of Hadhramaut.