Ibb (Arabic: إِبّ, romanizedʾIbb) is a city in Yemen, the capital of Ibb Governorate, located about 117 km (73 mi) northeast of Mocha and 194 km (121 mi) south of Sana'a.[3] A market town and administrative centre developed during the Ottoman Empire, it is one of the most important medium-sized cities in the country.[4] It is situated on a mountain ridge, surrounded by fertile land. As of 2023, it has an estimated population of 771,500 residents. Other names for Ibb, is "The Land of Green"[citation needed]

Ibb
إِبّ
City
Ibb is located in Yemen
Ibb
Ibb
Location in Yemen
Coordinates: 13°58′N 44°10′E / 13.967°N 44.167°E / 13.967; 44.167
Country Yemen
GovernorateIbb Governorate
DistrictIbb
Population
 (2005)[1]
 • Total
221,472 Increase
 • Estimate 
(2023)[2]
771,514 Increase
Time zoneUTC+3 (Yemen Standard Time)

History

edit
 
Local men

Ibb has been occupied since ancient times, and due to its strategic importance, the Ottomans used it as an administrative center.[3] It thrived as a market town and the Ottomans established the Wednesday market in Ibb.[5] Ibb was governed by a semi-autonomous emir until 1944, when the emirate was abolished. At times in its history many people have migrated to Ibb from areas of Yemen experiencing drought, to find work in farming.[6] In the mid-1950s there was reportedly an outbreak of smallpox in the city.[7]

German explorer Hermann Burchardt photographed the city in 1901; these photos are now held at the Ethnological Museum of Berlin.[8]

Climate

edit

Ibb is located at an altitude of 2,050 metres (6,730 ft) on a spur of Mount Shamāḥī.[9] Due to its high altitude, Ibb has a dry-winter humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cwa), and is one of the wettest areas of Yemen,[3] typically receiving around 500 mm of rain per annum.

Climate data for Ibb (1,950 m (1.21 miles))
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 21.0
(69.8)
21.1
(70.0)
23.6
(74.5)
25.5
(77.9)
27.8
(82.0)
30.1
(86.2)
29.7
(85.5)
27.9
(82.2)
25.7
(78.3)
23.1
(73.6)
21.0
(69.8)
20.8
(69.4)
24.8
(76.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 14.5
(58.1)
15.2
(59.4)
17.0
(62.6)
19.1
(66.4)
21.7
(71.1)
23.5
(74.3)
24.3
(75.7)
23.2
(73.8)
20.6
(69.1)
17.1
(62.8)
14.9
(58.8)
14.5
(58.1)
18.8
(65.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 7.9
(46.2)
9.3
(48.7)
10.4
(50.7)
12.7
(54.9)
15.5
(59.9)
16.9
(62.4)
18.8
(65.8)
18.4
(65.1)
15.5
(59.9)
11.1
(52.0)
8.7
(47.7)
8.1
(46.6)
12.8
(55.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 5.8
(0.23)
4.6
(0.18)
12.9
(0.51)
16.0
(0.63)
10.2
(0.40)
48.8
(1.92)
150.0
(5.91)
144.6
(5.69)
74.2
(2.92)
32.5
(1.28)
14.1
(0.56)
5.3
(0.21)
519
(20.44)
Source: National Weather Service

Notable landmarks

edit
 
Local architecture

The city is noted for its towering stone houses, with geometrical friezes and circular stained glass windows known as qamiriya.[3] The main mosque was built during the Ottoman period, and there are other mosques and also a fortress in the vicinity, closed to visitors. An ancient overhead aqueduct still remains.[10] Ibb University was established in 1996.[3] The main football team is Al Sha'ab Ibb.

Notable people

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Ibb Population 2024".
  2. ^ "Ibb Population 2024".
  3. ^ a b c d e Carter, Terry; Dunston, Lara (2007). Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula. Lonely Planet. p. 484. ISBN 978-1-74104-546-8.
  4. ^ Wald, Peter (1996). Yemen. Pallas Athene. p. 179. ISBN 978-1-873429-11-2.
  5. ^ Blumi, Isa (30 July 2010). Chaos in Yemen: Societal Collapse and the New Authoritarianism. Taylor & Francis. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-203-84742-8.
  6. ^ Burrowes, Robert D. (2010). Historical Dictionary of Yemen. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-8108-5528-1.
  7. ^ El-Khalidi, Hatem (September 2011). Sojourn in a Dreadful Land (Yemen Chronicles). Dorrance Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-4349-1197-1.
  8. ^ Ibb, by Hermann Burchardt Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine (Click on photo to enlarge); Whitewashed houses Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ^ "Ibb". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  10. ^ Ingrams, William Harold (1964). The Yemen: Imams, rulers & revolutions. Praeger. p. 31.
edit

  Media related to Ibb at Wikimedia Commons