ABSTRACT
Emigration has probably been characteristic of Southwest Arabia throughout its history. Indeed, a British geographer characterized the region as an "ethnic reservoir" and argued that Yemen's "influence has been strongly evident largely through migration far outside its borders." This chapter examines ancient migration from Yemen and explores in more detail modern migration and its characteristic pattern. The role of climatic variation in modern migration from Yemen is equally difficult to ascertain. Emigration from Yemen was initiated by the intrusion of Western colonial powers into the region and is marked by the creation of -the British coaling station at Aden in 1839. The economic strategy followed by most Yemenis abroad, whether in Europe, America, Saudi Arabia, or the Gulf, aims at minimizing expenditures in the receiving country in order to maximize the amount of money available for conspicuous consumption and/or investment back home. Since the beginning of the modern period Yemeni migration has followed virtually the same pattern.
