City in Hadramaut, Yemen
About Mukalla
Mukalla, officially the Mukalla City District, is a seaport and the capital city district of Yemen's largest governorate, Hadhramaut. The city is in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula on the Gulf of Aden, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, about 480 kilometres east of Aden. It is the most important port city in the Hadhramaut region. It was also the capital of the Islamic Emirate of Yemen from 2015 to 2016. It is also the sixth-largest city in Yemen, with a population of approximately 595,000 as of 2023. The city is served by the nearby Riyan International Airport.
Etymology
The current name "Mukalla" (المكلا) is derived from the Arabic verb "kala" (كلا), meaning "to preserve" or "to nurture." This reflects the city's historical role as a safe harbor and bustling port, providing shelter and nurturing trade in the region. However, several other names and epithets have been associated with Mukalla throughout its history, each offering insights into its development and cultural significance: Al-Kheesa: This early name, meaning "bay" or "cove" in Arabic, highlights Mukalla's sheltered location and its early function as a fishing village. Bandar Yaqoub: This name comes from the saint Yaqoub bin Yusuf, a man who settled in the city around the 12th century AD. His shrine remains a significant local landmark. Bandar Omar: Named after a local figure, Omar bin Ali bin Sheikh Abu Bakr, who founded the Al-Rawda Mosque near Yaqoub's shrine. …
History
Mukalla is not far from Qana, the ancient principal Hadrami trading post between India and Africa, with incense producing areas in its hinterland. Mukalla was founded in 1035 as a fishing settlement. After witnessing a struggle for control by the Kathiri and Qu'aiti Sultanates in the 19th and 20th centuries, it became the capital of the Qu'aiti State of Hadhramaut. The Qu'aiti Sultanate was part of the Eastern Aden Protectorate until that merger, and a British Resident Advisor was stationed at Mukalla. The other major cities of the Sultanates were Ash-Shihr and Shibam. Captain Haines, a British officer who surveyed Yemen in the 1830s, described Mukalla as a town of 4,500 inhabitants with a significant trade in slaves. …
Economy
The main market souq is one of the main commercial hubs of the city. The port is located to the east of the town. The port is available for vessels with length less than 150 metres (490 feet), as per 2010 Pilot Book Pilot Directions. At the same time two vessels with the length 150 metres (490 feet) each and about 20 small fishing vessels can stay alongside in Mukalla port (fishing vessel moored alongside one to another). The port is fitted with an oil pipe line for tankers at the tanker dock, with oil storage tanks located adjacent to the port. A cement factory of the "RAYSUT" Omani-Yemeni company (Oman-Yemen company) located in the port and is able to ship cement in bulk on cement carriers.
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