Ibb

Ibb الحزام إب
Ibb Location in Yemen
Coordinates: 13°58′N 44°10′E / 13.967°N 44.167°ECoordinates: 13°58′N 44°10′E / 13.967°N 44.167°E
Country	Yemen
Governorate	Ibb Governorate
Population (2005)
• Total	160,000
Time zone	Yemen Standard Time (UTC+3)

Ibb (or Abb) (Arabic: إب‎ ʾIbb) 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.^[1] A market town and administrative centre developed during the Ottoman occupation, it is one of the most important medium-sized cities in the country.^[2] It is situated on a mountain ridge, surrounded by fertile land. As of 2005, it had a population of 160,000.

History

Local men

Ibb has been occupied since early Islamic times, and due to its strategical importance, the Ottomans used it as an administrative centre.^[1] It thrived as a market town and the Ottomans established the Wednesday market in Ibb. ^[3] 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 which had been experiencing drought, to find work in farming.^[4] In the mid 1950s there was reportedly an outbreak of smallpox in the city.^[5]

German explorer, Hermann Burchardt, photographed the city in 1901, photos now held at the Ethnological Museum of Berlin.^[6]

Climate

Ibb is located at an altitude of 2,050 metres (6,730 ft) on a spur of Mount Shamāḥī.^[7] Due to its high altitude, Ibb has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen climate classification: Cwa), and is one of the wettest areas of Yemen,^[1] typically receiving 800–1200 mm.

Climate data for Ibb (1950 m)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	21.0 (69.8)	21.1 (70)	23.6 (74.5)	25.5 (77.9)	27.8 (82)	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)	24.78 (76.6)
Average low °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)	8.7 (47.7)	8.1 (46.6)	12.77 (54.99)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	5.8 (0.228)	4.6 (0.181)	12.9 (0.508)	16.0 (0.63)	10.2 (0.402)	48.8 (1.921)	150.0 (5.906)	144.6 (5.693)	74.2 (2.921)	32.5 (1.28)	14.1 (0.555)	5.3 (0.209)	519 (20.434)
Source: National Weather Service

Notable landmarks

Local architecture

The city is noted for its towering stone houses, with geometrical friezes and circular stained glass windows known as qamiriya.^[1] 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.^[8] Ibb University was established in 1996. Ibb also contains an art centre and museum and hotels such as Saba Tourist Hotel and Al-Riyad Hotel.^[1] The main football team is Al Sha'ab Ibb.

Notable people

• Abdul Aziz Al-Maqaleh - poet and writer
• Abdul Rahman al-Iryani - former President of Yemen
• Brian "The Lion" Mihtar - professional boxer
• Abdul Majeed al-Zindani - founder and head of the Iman University.

References

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