NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 32A; YEMEN (SAN'A'); TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NIS
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP01-00707R000200100030-2
• Release Decision: RIF
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 23
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2016
• Sequence Number: 30
• Content Type: REPORTS

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This chapter was prepared for the NIS by the
Defense Intelligence Agency and includes a con-
tribution on airfields from the Defense Mapping
Agency, Aerospace Center. Research was substan-
tially completed by January 1973.
4

YEMEN (SAWAY)
CONTENTS
This General Survey supersedes the one dated
June 1970, copies of which should be destroyed.
A. Summary 1
1. Systems 1
Transportation and telecommunication sys-
tems inadequate to serve requirements of the
country; administrative agencies and develop-
ment projects.
2. Strategic mobility 1
Limitations of highways for military use; no
railroads or merchant marine; few harbors;
significance of air facilities; poor telecommu-
nications.
B. Highways 3
Extent and salient features of the sparse highway
network; international connections; administra-
tion; development and maintenance; future plans;
freight transport and vehicle inventory.
CONFIDENTIAL
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Page P age
C. ports 4 E. Airfields 9
Three major ports and two minor; tabulation of Air facilities and adequacy; characteristics of
the characteristics of major ports. eight selected airfields.
ID. Civil air F. Telecommunications 10
9 Meager system based on old wire lines built by
Significance of civil air service; the national air-
the Turks; principal center, San'a'; adminisSra-
line, Yemen Airways Corporation; aircraft; per- tion; radio telecommunication; telephone; 'AM
sonnel; administration. station; equipment all imported; future aid.
FIGURES
Fig. 1
Mountainous portion of San'a Al
Page
Fig. 7
Port of Al Hudaydah photo)
Page
7
Hudaydah road photo)
2
Fig. 2
Bituminous highway west of San'a'
Fig. 8
Cargo loading facilities, Al Huday-
(photo)
2
don (photo)
7
Fig. 3
Gravel segment, Ta'izz to San'a'
Fig. 9
Major ports table)
8
Fig. 4
road photo)
Desert track north of Al Hudaydah
3
Fig. 10
Selected airfields table)
10
photo)
3
Fig. 11
General telecommunications pat
Fig. S
Selected highways table)
5
tern map)
11
Fig. 6
Port and airfield, Al Hudaydah
Fig. 12
Terrain and transportation
photo)
8
map) follows
11
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T
;potation
A. Summary (C)
1. Systems
Transporfation a l(I telec�onuntmic'atiom (teleCOnI)
if' the Yemen Arab Republic� (Y.A.R.) are minimal and
are ii)tdCCpuate to serve the country *s requirements.
TIf(! roads are the sole "cans of surface transport:
there are no railroads, pipelines, or navigable. inland
waterways (Figure 12, the Inap at the end of the
chapter). Al Iluclavdxh, the 1Cacling port, is the only
mariti facility that has alongside acccomm odatioll s
for oceangoing vessels, lCnu n has no merchant
marine and only lilnitcd civil aviation facilities.
Beasts of burden, especially Camels, provide
transport in neatly areas served only by trails and
tracks. The lack of roads Icas IIiif clered the
dcvClopnu'nt of agricultural areas, impeded trade, and
nladC the distribution of commodities to isolated
towns and villages difficult. 'Transportation is the
responsibilih of the Ministry of Works. Projects for
improving transportation include con Ruction of nc w
Telec c a
o
4 .a
roads from %uhran (Saudi At;Ibia) to Sa'duh; and
bilnminous snrfac�ing of the S ;ul'a' to Ta'ii�r. road.
The 1)1(1agr,r lelecomlnunication, system consists of
intercity service proyicicd mainly Icy all anticpuated
open wire telegraph network supplenentCd by higil-
f point to -point radiotelegraph stations. A
new high- frcapuenc' transmitter at Satt'a' t carries
telephone alld teleprinter messag('s into the worldwide
C lbIC and \Fireless, IAd, net via Aden and the
satellite ground station al Bahrain. T11C Ministry of
Commnnicatiolls controls tcleconucuniactions
radiobroadcasting is operated by the Yemeni
Broadcasting Authorih-
2. Strategic mobility
'I'lle supply and movement of military forces in
Yellivil wc.;tld be greatly impeded by the, poor land
transportation system. 'There an. no railroads, and the
'For diacritics on place names see the NO of names nn the apnar
of the 'Terrain and 'Transportation map, the neap itself, and the uml,
in the le.el.
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highway nehyork could not support sustained military
ttovetnenl. A severe lack of surfaced highways and
suitable alt�rt:ate routes and the extreme!% rugged
terrain make land novetnent very difficult. Lacking a
merchant marine, Yetnerl would have to rely on the
leasing of slips or other assistance� to provide for any
seaborne supply oimrations. The coastline has few
harbors, and onlc the port of Al INdaydah has
alongside acc'otmtuodalions for oceangoing vessels;
these modern facilities have bevii used by 1':gypt and
the U.S.S.R. to land military stores. The rernainittg
port facilities are worked nwinly by lighterage and
have limited military port capacity.
All civil aircraft and indigenous personad would be
available to the military in case of war or national
emergency; however, the withdrawal of foreign pilots
and technical personael would severely limit
operational capability. The only significant interna-
tional atirfield, Ilawdah, is capable of supporting
C -130 type aircraft and has !united maintenance and
conitnunic�utions facilities. Sadah New can also
support -13O aircraft. Al Hudaydah New and Sana
South, both military fields, can support -131 type
aircr while Al Bayc.la, Ilarad, and Qitflat Udhrcan
support �17's. All have limited to poor auxiliary
facilities. Only the runways at Al 11 udaydah New,
flawdah, Sadah New, Sana South, and "tarsi New
have permanent surf aces.
Telecornrnindcations facilities, among the worst in
the 1iddlc halt, consist of rncagcr c,pcm -wire lines and
lo\y -power radio cornmtlnieations stations. Vulnerabil-
ity is high because of the isolation of rnally
installations, the tenuous nature of the wire lines, and
the absence of alternative routes. Conditions impeding
Y.
te r_ N
i
I.
FIGURE 2. The San'a'� Al
Hudaydah road a few miles
west of San'a' (U /OU)
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FIGURE 1. The mountainous portion of the Chinese -built
San'a' to Al Hudaydah road has been reinforced to
prevent collapse during periods of heavy rainfall (U /OU)

s
construction and nainte tit ncc� includr the rnounlain-
oos terrain and sand and dust storns.
B. Highways (C
7'lu� ligh %%a, s%stcm of Yenwn is sparse and
confined rnainly to the- southwest quarter of the
country. The basic system consists of three routes: 11
:11 1 f udavdah to Sawa (I' igores I and 2) Mocha to
San'u via 'I'a'izz (I -fig(ire 3). and 3) Al Iludavdal
soutlwast to the Modm 'I'a'izz road. 'These roads link
the major population ceutcrs and Dort areas. Access
roads art planned or tinder constnction to connect the
basic sy stem to nearby towns and villages. The
remaining three quarters of the cortintry is served by
onsurfaced roads and motorable descrt tracks (I igure
-1). 'I'tte roads are comparable to those of neighboring
countries. International connections wi!h Satidi
,krabia are by nu,torable track or unstirfaced earth
roads; connection with Ycmcn (Aden), it traditional
trading area, is vio it single );rave surfaced road and
several tracks and earth roads.
'fhc highway network totals about 2, 160 miles
consisting of approxinrtlely 290 niles of bituminous
and bituminous surfaced highwa%s, 270 miles of
gravel, and 1.11110 niles of earth roads and nutorable
tracks. Surface N%idths on the bituminoi ;s surfaced
highN%a%s range front 20 to 26 feet: shoulders are 3 to ll
fret wide. These roads are in fair to good condition.
Gravel surfaced roads are 24 feet .vide a nd have
3 to 6 -foot shoulders: condition of these routes is
1) robabIx fair to good. Unsurfaced roads and
nntorable tracks are 6 feet or more aide; the width is
dependent on restrictions of the adjoining terrain. Dry
FIGURE 4. Typical desert
track, located north of Al
Hudaydah (U /OU)
3
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FIGURE 3. Steep gravel segment about SO
miles north of Ta'izz on the Ta'izz to Son'a'
road (U /OU)

wadi beds often oe:ve as roads. Condition of
unsurfaced roads and tracks varies from poor to fair.
The only two major structures or, the network arc on
the Al Hudaydah to San'a' route. The longest is a 157
foot reinforced- concrete deck bridge located about 30
miles east of Al Hudaydah. Another large reinforced
concrete structure is located just west of San'a'. Many
smaller bridges and culverts are located on the main
routes. Because of the lack of perennial streams, many
wadies are crossed by paved fords. The network has no
tunnels, galleries, or ferries.
Th e Ministry of Works is nominally responsible for
road construction and maintenance. All of the major
surfaced roads, however, have been designed and
constructed by engineers from the United States, the
Soviet Union, and the People's Republic of China,
using their own trained personnel to supervise local
unskilled or semiskilled labor. Chinese and Soviet
contractors have left small maintenance teams to help
administer those roads built by them. Most
construction and maintenance problems stem from the
rugged terrain and the climate. In highland areas,
where much of the population is concentrated,
considerable excavation, blasting embankments, and
retaining walls are required. Maintenance problems in
highland areas include clearing rock slides and
removing debris from paved fords. In desert areas,
sand dunes, drifting sand, intense summer heat, sand
and dust storms, and lack of water present
construction and maintenance problems. Road
construction,and maintenance require special efforts
along the Red Sea coast, because occasional
thunderstorms result in flash floods that overflow wadi
beds and undermine paved fords and culverts. In
irrigated areas numerous ditches and culverts are
required. There is an abundant supply of sand and
gravel and of stone suitable for crushing. Bituminous
.materials, lumber and timber, and reinforcing and
structural steel must be imported. The t I.S. contractors
left behind an assortment of roadbuilding equipment.
Highway development in Yemen continues to be
largely performed by foreign contractors. A West
German firm is currently applying a bituminous
surface and realigning the San'a'� Ta'izz highway.
Chinese contractors are applying a Bituminous surface
to the road from San'a' to Sa'dah, and may be
involved in improving a spur from this road west to
Hajjah. Tha U.S.S.R. has been surveying potential
road links from Al Hudaydah to Maydi and Maydi to
Sa'dah. All of these projects will provide the northern
part of Yemen with its first bituminous highways. The
government of Saudi Arabia has recently :.warded
contracts to a U.S. company for the construction of
4
roads from Qi7an, Saudi Arabia, to Al Hudavdah and
lahran. Saudi Arabia, to Sa'dah.
In addition to thew projects, the International
Development Association (iI)A) has granted Yemen
US$7.7 million for a number of highway projects to
include the Instruction of a 42 -mile road from Ta izz
to At Turbah including sutwmision of construction by
consultants; feasibility studies of three secondary roads
of about 290 miles, and detailed engineering of about
160 miles of these roads determined to be of itigh
economic priority; purchase of equipment for feeder
road construction, highway maintenance, and
engineering; technical assistance to help establish an(]
operate a highway authority; and overseas staff
training. The estimated completion elate for these
projects -s late 191
The greatest seasonal traffic harard results from the
intense heat and accomp dust and haze.
infrequent rains occur in sudden cloudbursts and wash
out sections of roads. Usually no road drainage is
provided, because i' s less expensive to repair
occasional washouts �tan tit provide adequate
drainage facilities. Other restrictions include narrow,
poor road surfaces, sharp curves and steep grades in
the mountains, and sand drifts in the deserts.
Some government control over highway transporta-
tion exists, but the development of the industry is at a
low level. Most trucks are owner oper:_:ed, and the
number of firms having more than a few vehicles is
probably small. Operations are mainly limited to local
short distance hauling and the transport of fain -to-
market commodities. There is some long- distance
hauling between the Red Sea ports and the highland
consumer areas, and between Yemen Min'a') and
Yemen (Aden), partictilarly on the route from Ta'izz
southeast to Aden. Camels and donkeys are still used
for local traffic and afford access to many populated
areas not serve by roads. Buses offer service on the
Mocha- Ta'izz- San'a' Hudaydah route.
In January 1971, there were 12,596 vehicles
registered in Yemen of which 19,294 wee passenger
cars and 2,392 were trucks attd buses.
Figure 5 lists characteristics of the most important
roads.
C. Ports (C)
Use- of the coastline is limited by the scarcity of
harbors, foul nearshore approaches (paiticularly in the
north), and difficulty of access to the interior. The
country has three major ports: Al Hudaydah (Figures
6, 7, and 8), As Salif, and Mocha; and tw minor
ports: Al Luhayyah and Maydi. AI Hudaydah waF
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FIGURE 5. Selected highways (C)
vuIo/n AND nEST/N^r/vm
T^ux to Yemen (Aden) border
A\Boduxd^hm8on'a'.
onvr^on vnowLnxn
ouST^Nxn SURFACE TYPE w/"rx W,orx ^xm^num
Miles F"a
225 Om,d...................... m u-o Built bxU.8.io/oo5-o0.Nv major bridges. Flat m moun-
tainous alignmmt. 7hesegmmt from Mocha u/Tv'iphas
many culverts and is subject to flooding (Apr.-Sept.).
From ra'/xxmSan^u' the road has numerous curves and
mrud,o, but is being mvUnned, vidoned, and 'bituminous
surfaced.
40 Gravel; some improved earth 24 8-6 Built by U.B. in ,wwo. 8iUr to movutxinou alignment.
Subject to Ovvdi^n.
/�u Bituminous zo-oo o 8oUt by People's 8vpuh\io of China, 1863'*7. %Y^n/ ohu,n
our,"v and steep grades; ax hddmm/xu\v,,m. Cvo,m"
v^umwuy. 5+0 ft, over wadi, 14 miles cast of Al
Rudoxd^b. Flat to mountainous alignment.
Suu'a'm Saudi Arabia border via Sa'duk.....
*uuo
Mile Vm�u...........................
*�o
Bituminous treatment 18-20
no Built by China. Undulating to mountainous alignment.
Mile �0m \0o.........................
*120
Improved earth no
no Bmwo o",favod with bituminous materials by Chinese. Un-
dulating to mountainous alignment.
Mile 100m20o........................
*40
Unimproved earth no
no Hilly m mountainous alignment. Road connects with Nuj,^o
oasis.
AlBudurdabm vicinity 7^'i^x,-1aZubid...
Ito
Bituminous treatment 20
a BuUxhy U.S.S.R. 1960-*9 Flat u` hilly alignment.
no Data not available.
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in center, and urban area at bottom (U /OU)
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FIGURE 6. Port facilities of Al liudoydch at top center, airfield

FIGURE 7. Port cf Al Hudaydah (C)
a1"pk
FIGURE 8. Cargo loading facilities
at Al Hudaydah (C)
hnill Im the l�. S. S.IJ. :orcl i, l I onl\ hurt it 11
alon, ,idt ac c onunodation, for oft ;tligm m4 c,' I, :ard
modern fac�ilitit�,. 'I'll( rt�nr,tining Kurt, :ur ,nntll :un1
art� \mrktd nurinl% k liihtrrmt v.
:11 Ilrrda\dah i, under nriIititrk c�ontrul: tht otII r
1>crrt, art� aclntini,tered h\ Inc�;rl anthoriIit-, act orr
ht�hall of t1w s;mernment. ll Iludacl:rh ha,
important ntilit:tr% si,t;nific:uut. and tlrrriut; dw c�i%it
\gar if ;t, n,td h I;t;Irl for landing nrililun
t�tl Ili lrnu�rIt. and 1>t11,ount�!. I is,. I,o nlilixt d a, ;t n:nal
h:ut� Inr light draft. kn t Ott n,it dt t Iolrnrt of
IIrOgranr rurcir�r,\;t\ at .1, S:dif inc�II des c�on,lrI wt ion ul
;i ,all loading fac�iIiI fur (I t 1t clr:ro>;IIt c
I "Vi1 ,luclit�, fur fII dt�\t�Inlriuc nt n1' \lncha art�
Iwinti t�ond� t�lt cI 'I'll( tmrt, art ads tluatt� nun,. I,ul
Iurthrr tlt t Iulrnu�nl I ht� IIC('dr�tl iI lt�rru�n \\t�re
to hu dellicd u,t� of dt u. \khic�h at ltrt�,t�nt h:urcllt�,
nh tanlial hnl cl\\indlirtg Iwrtitm of lt�nu�ni receipt,
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FIGURE 9. Major ports (C)
NAME; LOCATION; MILITARY PORT
CAPACITY
ACTIVITIES
HARBOR
BERTHA
Al Hudaydah
Principal port of entry; naval base for light
Open roadstead; improved basin; well protected
Alongside--2 standard ocean -type, one
14'48'N., 42�57 SW. coast. of
craft. Receipts- -rice, cereals, flour, sugar,
quays and offshore pipeline berths in Khawr
standard coaster -type cargo vessels;
Arabian Peninsula, 200 miles NW.
cement, petroleum products, cotton
Kathib, shallow and shoal- encumbered bay of 20
2 standard coaster -t,pe tankers (off
of Aden.
goods, machinery, manufactured goods.
sq. miles; depths 6 to 26 ft.
shore pipeline).
1,600
Shipments coffee, cotton, hides. Minor
Fairway limitations -5- mile -long approach channel
Anchorage Several berths for all classes
ship repairs for harbor craft.
dredged to depth of 24 ft. with width of 196 ft..
off the entrance to Khawr Kathib.
leads to uasin dredged to depth of 24 ft.
Largest vessel accommodated- -Would occupy along-
side general cargo berth having depth of 26 ft.,
length not limiting; tanker berth with least depth
of 22 ft., length 320 ft.
As Salif
Salt shipping center; base for petroleum
Roadstead in Madiq Kamaran; protected by
Alongside -3 lighters.
15 �18 42 �40 35 miles NW.
explorations. Receipts� machinery,
Kamaran Island; depths 3 to IS ft.
A:chorage� Numerous berths for all
of Al Hudaydah.
manufactured goods. Shipments �salt.
Fairway limitations Berthing capability limited by
classes 1 /4 to I mile offshore.
150
berths rather than fairways.
Largest vessel accommodated--Would occupy along-
side berth having least dept:. of 7 ft.
Mocha
Coffee shipment port. Receipts �rice, ce-
Roadstead; quav on inner side of breakwater extend-
Alongside �One small coaster -type
13 �19'N., 4:3 �15'E.; 40 ntfles N. of
reals, cotton goods, petroleum products,
ing from S. shore of bay; depths 5 to 13 ft.
cargo vessel; 2 lighters.
Perim Island.
machinery, manufactured goods. Ship-
Fairway limitations �Clear and deep to roadstead;
Anchorage Numerous berths fir all
400
ments coffee. Minor repairs for local
depths 5 to 13 ft. in bay restrict vessel size.
classes 2 to 3 miles offshore.
wooden- hulled craft.
Largest vessel accommodated -Would occupy along-
side general cargo berth having least depth of 13
ft., length 200 ft.
'The estimated military port capacity i.: the maximum amount of general cargo expressed in long tons--that can be unloaded onto the wharves and cleared from the wharf
aprons during a period of one 24 -hour day (20 effective cargo working hours). The estimate is base/: on the static cargo- transfer facilities of the port existing at the time the
estimate is prepared and is designed for comparison rather than for operational purposes; it cannot be projected beyond a single day by straight multiplication.
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Significant details of major ports are tabulated in
Figure 9.
D. Civil air (C)
Civil air transport is important chiefly because of
the sparseness of surface transportation facilities.
Activities of the nation's flagcarrier, Yemen Airways
Corporation (YAC), consist mainly of domestic
operations. The YAC was created in Ma 1967 from
Yemen Arab Airlines (YAAL), a privately o
company which had provided scheduled air services
since 1961. Under the terms of au agreement with
Lufthansa, the West German airline, YAC receives
technical and financial assistance including
scholarships. Saudi Arabian Airlines also has provided
assistance in the form of aircraft and scholarships and
is likely to continue its assistance. YAC is a member of
the Arab Air Carriers Organization, which is patterned
upon the International Air Transport Association
(IATA assuming a regional role similar to that of
IATA.
YAC operates three Douglas DC -:3 aircraft on
scheduled domestic routes between Barat, Al
Hudaydah, Sadah, San'a', and Ta'izz, and to the
neighboring countries of Ethiopia, the French
Territory of Afars and Issas, and the People's
Democratic Republic of Yemen, The carrier also
operates five Douglas DC -613's (one in cargo
configuration) providing international air service
between Yemen and Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi
A
YAC employs about 160 persons. All of the DC -3
crews and the DC -6 first officers are Yemeni nationals.
!n the past, many Yemeni flight and technical
personnel received training in Yugoslavia or the
U.S.S.R. Currently, selected personnel are sent to the
Civil Aviation Directorate School in Syria for
specialized technical training. In addition, 26 students
are receiving, instructions at the Ltfthansa training
centers in Germany under scholarships provided by
the West German Government. Duration of the
Lufthansa training which is for pilots, air traffic
controllers, and mechanics is from 2 to 3 years.
YAC's aircraft maintenance capability has been
limited to routine repairs, and most of the major
maintenance and overhaul requirements have been
handled by airlines in Ethiopia, Jordan, and Lebanon.
Administrative functions relating to civil aviation
activities are directed by the Civil Aviation
Department of the Ministry of Communications. The
Y.A.R. has been a member of the International Civil
Aviation Organization since 1964. Yemen, has civil
aviation agreements or provisional arrangements with
eight countries including the U.S.S.R. Yemen is served
by five foreign airlines which conduct scheduled
flights to six regional countries and tree U.S.S.R.
E. Airfield S2 (C)
Yemen has 24 airfields and 10 former airfield sites;
there are no seaplane stations. Eighteen airfields are
civil landing grounds, five are military airfields, and
two are joint military /civil facilities. Airfields are
distributed almost eve;ly across central and western
Yemen with the largest concentration along the
southwestern coast.
The airfield system is barely adequate, riot nearly as
well developed as those of other Arab countries such as
Egypt. The only significant international airfield,
Rawdah, has a 10,650 -foot asphalt runway capable of
supporting C -130 -type aircraft. This airfield has
taxiways and aprons plus limited maintenance and
communications facilities. Sadah New, a recentiv
completed civil /military airfield is capable of
supporting C -130 type aircraft. Taizz New, also a joint
civil /military airfield, handles civil airlines as well as
medium -size military transports. As Salif East. Harib,
Marib, and Wadi Jauf are civil airfields capable of
handling light civil or military aircraft, but all have
extremely limited auxiliary facilities. Al Hudaydah
New, the best military base in Yemen, and Sana South
are the two largest military airfields. Each is able to
support up through C -131 -type aircraft. The smaller
military landing strips such as Al Bayda, Harad, and
Qaflat Udhr can support C-47's, but have poor
auxiliary facilities,
Al Hudaydah New, Rawdah, Sadah New, Sana
South, and Taizz New have permanent surfaced
runways. Al Hudaydah New and Rawdah have
taxiways and aprons capable of handling operational
military aircraft or supporting cargo and airline
schedules.
Yemen has 14 airfields with temporary surfaces and
six with natural surfaces. Very few have taxiways,
lighting, communications, or maintenance facilities.
Airfield maintenance practices and support and
service facilities are believed to be inadequate. There
is no new airfield construction underway.
Figure 10 lists characteristics of the most important
airfields.
Tor detailed information on individual air facilities in Yemen
(San'a'), consult Volume 16, Airfields and Seaplane Stations of the
World, published by the Defense Mapping Agency, Aerospace
Center for the Defense Intelligence Agency.
9
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200100030 -2

FIGURE 10. Selected airfields (C)
LONGEST RUNWAY:
SURFACE DIMENSIONS:
LARGEST AIRCRArr
ELEVATION ABOVE SEA
NORMALLY
NAME AND LOCATION
LEVEL
ESWL
SUPPORTED
REMARKS
Fret
Po *ands
Al Bayda............
Gravel
14,200
C-47
Military. !Military staging field.
14 45
6,000 x 175
6,000
Al Hudaydah New....
�45'N., �59'E.
Asphalt
60,160
C 1:31.............
Military. Aviation and jet fuels,
1.1 42
9,845 x 1:30
oxygen,
lighting, Tube, and maintenance available.
39
As Salif East.........
�18'N., �52'E.
Graded earih..........
14,200
DC- 3
Private. Oil company field.
15 42
6,000 x 150
100
Qalat Nlarinaf
Graded earth..........
28,160
C- 34
Military. Auxiliary field.
I6 �13
8,202 x 098
1,500
Rawdah
15 �28'N., 44 �13'E.
Asphalt...............
10,650 150
3:1,500
C 130...
,loins. Fuel, oil. lighting, oxygen, navaids
x
and servicing available.
7,218
Sadah New..........
16 58'N.,43 �44'E.
Asphalt
:35,5100
C- 1:30.............
Joint. Newly completed airfield.
9,550 x 115
5,940
Sana South..........
15 44
Asphalt
7,800 x 165
17,03.1
C- 131.............
Military. Aviation fuel, oil, lighting and
7,800
minor maintenance available.
Sukhne
Gravel................
14,200
DC-- 3.............
Civil.
14 43 �26'E,
�1,500 x 200
1,160
Taizz New...........
13 41'N., 44 �08
Asphalt
35,500
C- 130.............
Joint.. Aviation and jet fuel available.
9,130 x 170
5,840
*Equivalent Single -Wheel
Loading: Capacity of
an airfield
run Way to sustain the weight of any multiple -wheel landing
aircraft in terms of the single
-wheel equivalent.
-gear
F. Telecommunications (C)
The telecommunications system is a meager one
that dates from the early 1900's and the "Turkish
occupation, but it has been somewhat improved under
the republican government. The original skeletal
network of open -wire lines only carrying telegraph was
one of the most primitive in the world. The principal
`owns in the central, coastal, and southern regions are
connected by low capacity facilities supplemented
by radio at towns not on the wire lines; improvements
over the past decade have been made with a greater
reliance on radio equipment. The principal
telecommunication center is San'a'; other towns with
sizable facilities are Al Hudaydah and Ta'izz.
Although somewhat improved over the obsolete and
deteriorated system, facilities are still inadequate to
support desired administrative and economic
advances. Such progress as has been made would have
been impossible without outside aid, and Yemen still
10
ranks among the lowest Middle Eastern countries in
telecommunication developractit. The total of 3,550
telephones is less than any other Middle Eastern
country except Oman.
Telecommunications are administered by the
Ministry of Comniunications. International telecom
raunications are under the control of Cable and
Wireless Ltd., a British firm, since an agreement
sighed in August 1970 with the Ministry of
Communications. Radiobroadcasting is managed b
the Yemeni Broadcasting Authority with programing
under the Ministry of Information.
Under a telecommunication aid program from East
Germany, open -wire lines between Al Hudaydah,
San'a', and Taizz have been improved and are now
capable of handling 12 telephone and teleprinter
channels. Supplementing the wire lines are about 20
low -power radiocommunication telegraph stations,
the more important of which are shown on the map
(Figure 1.1). Under the aid program, the automatic
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200100030 -2

CONFIDENTIAL
s
t
T
i`
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SAUDI ARABIA
$a'dah
l
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as
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c
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YEMEN
(AIDEN)
Sl_'LF OF ADEN
ETHIOPIA i-- der.
y
r
Open wire
0
AM broadcast
F. T. A. 1.
Q
Domestic -adio
communlcat,,ns
International rasio
communications
FIGURE 11. General telecommunications pattern (C)
telephone exchanges at San'a', Al lludaydah, and
Ta'izz have had new 1,000 -line switchboards
installed. In addition, 200 -line exchanges have been
installed at several smaller towns.
CONFIDENTIAL
(:able� and Wireless Ltd. completed augmentation
of the San'a' radio station wi2'1 a 1 -k%i-. ,sigh- frequency
transmitter early in 1971. 1'h� i,ew station is designed
to transmit telephone and teleprinter messages into the
worldwide C& %V net via Aden and the satellite ground
station at Bahrain. Yemen, its dues paid by Kuwait, is
a mev 'ner of the International Telecommunic'Ition
Satellite Consortium (INTELSAT); however, it has no
earth st ation or definite plans to build one.
Special purpose telecommunication facilities are as
meager as the general civil facilities. 'There is one ship
to- shore coastal radiocommunication statirtn at Al
Hudaydah built in 1961 with U.S.S.R. aid. A few
Yemeni airports have radio navigation equipment.
AM radiobroa(least programs are transmitted from
a station at San'a' utilizing several transmitters. A 5-
kw. and a 60 k%%-. transmitter broadcast on medium
frequency for local coverage, and 5- and 25 -kw.
transmitters on high frequency provide national and
international coverage. A 60 -k%v. mediuni wave AM
transmitter is in operation in Ta'i !z. Yemen is
estimated to have 25,000 radio receivers.
There is no electronic equipment r
capability; imports have come from the U.S.S.R., East
Germany, I` ranuc, the United Kingdom, and West
Germany. Technical personne are few despite Yerneni
efforts to have them traincA at home anti abroad by
foreign contractors. Government efforts to develop
telecornniunications face great cbstacles because of
these: shortages. 'There is some prospect of Sat-di
Arabian aid for a communications satellite station,
and for United Arab Ernirates' assistance in the form
of a radiobroadcast transmitter. Disappointnient with
Arab -world response to appeals for aid were a factor in
the renewal of relations with the United States, from
which Yom en expects help in the telec�oinnumiications
field.
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200100030 -2

Pla,-es and features referred t
COORDINATES
0 f 0 fEl
AbR as Su'ad, Saudi Arabia 1' 28 44 06
A4 Pali 13 42 44 43
Aden, Yemen (Aden) 19 46 45 01
Abmadi. 14 48 42 57
Al Bay4i
13 58 45 36
Bayt al Faqih 14 31 43 17
AltjULaydah 14 48 42 57
Al Lubayyah 15 43 42 42
Al Luhayyah (port) 15 42 42 42
Ar Riihidah............................. 13 20 44 17
Asir, Saudia Arabia (rt.gion) 19 00 42 00
As Salif 15 IS 42 41
At Ta'if, Saudi Arabia 21 16 40 24
At Turbah 13 02 43 54
Az Zaydiyah 15 18 43 04
Bab el Mandeb (strait). 12 30 43 20
Bahrain (island) 26 00 50 30
Biijil i5 04 43 17
Balaq 15 19 45 23
Bani al Harith 15 38 4.1 10
Bani al Harith (tribal area) 15 38 44 10
Bi..-P,t 13 35 44 39
Da'da 16 ol 43 50
Dhamir 14 46 44 23
Dhofar, Saudi Arabia (region) 17 00 54 10
Hadhramaut (region) 15 00 50 00
1jajjah 15 42 43 34
Ijarao 16 28 43 04
fjarib 14 57 45 30
Ibb 13 58 44 12
Jiblah 13 56 44 10
Jidda (Juddah), Saudi Arabia 21 30 39 12
Ji�aYn 16 59 44 11
Kamarftn, Yemen (Aden) (island). 15 21 42 34
Khawr Kathib (bay) 14 52 42 57
D in the General Survey (U/OU)
COORnl1K RTES
Kirsh, Yemen (Aden)
14 37
46 45
Madiq Kamariin (channel)
15 20
42 38
Mafbaq
15 07
43 54
Manhkhah
15 07
43 44
Ma'rib
15 30
45 21
Maydi
16 18
42 48
Mocha
13 19
43 15
Najran, Saudi Arabia (oasis)
17 30
44 10
Perim, Yemen (Aden) (iAland)..........
12 39
43 25
Qa'tabah
13 51
44 42
Qizftn, Saudi Arabia
16 54
42 32
Ramlat as Sab'atayn (dunee)
15 30
46 00
Rid� I I
14 28
44 53
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
24 38
46 43
Rub' al Khali ;desert)
20 00
51 00
sa
16 57
43 44
Salif. Ra's as (point)
15 19
42 40
So Wa
15 23
44 12
Ta'izz...
13 38
44 02
TihRmah (area)
14 03
47 55
Uqdah, Saudi Arabia
14 07
43 05
WAd! Zabid (wadi)
14 09
43 18
Zabid
14 12
43 18
7,ahriin, Saudi Arabia
17 40
43 30
Selected Airfields
Al Bayda 14 06 45 26
Al Hudaydah Naw 14 45 42 59
As Salif East 1 5 IS 42 fit
Qalat &*arinaf 16 GO 43 11
Rowdah 15 28 44 13
Sadah New 16 58 43 44
Sana South 15 19 44 12
Sukhne 14 48 43 26
Taizz New 13 41 44 08
1 0
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01 -00707R000200100030-2

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