Tarim, Yemen

Tarim
The minaret of the Al Muhdhar Mosque at Tarim is 53 metres (175 ft) high, and recognized to be one of the tallest earth structures in the world.
Tarim Location in South Yemen
Coordinates: 16°03′N 49°0′E / 16.050°N 49.000°E / 16.050; 49.000
Country	Yemen
Governorate	Hadhramaut
Population (2012)
• Total	58,523
Time zone	South Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3)

Tarim (Arabic: تريم‎‎ tarīm) is a historic town situated in the Hadhramaut Valley of South Yemen, South Arabia. Tarim is widely acknowledged as the theological, juridical, and academic center of the Hadhramaut Valley. An important focus of Islamic learning, it is estimated to contain the highest concentration of descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (sayyids) anywhere in the world. The city is distinguished for producing numerous Islamic scholars, including Imam al-Haddad. Additionally, Tarim is also home to Dar al-Mustafa, a well-known educational institute for the study of traditional Islamic Sciences.

The Hadhramaut Valley is a large region in (South Arabia) southern Yemen spanning approximately 34,708 square miles (90,000 square kilometers). It consists of a narrow, arid coastal plain bounded by the steep escarpment of a broad plateau (averaging 1,370 meters [4,500 feet]), with a sparse network of deeply sunk wadis (seasonal watercourses). Although the southern edge of Hadhramaut borders the Arabian Sea, Tarim is located about 110 miles (176 kilometers) inland from the coast and 35 kilometers north-east of Seiyun. The region is characterized by rocky plateaus that reach elevations of around 3000 feet (900 m) and are separated by numerous valleys.

The closest airport to Tarim is located approximately 19 miles (30 kilometers) away, in the city of Seiyun. The only international flights directly to Seiyun originate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Otherwise, travelers can fly to the capital city of Sana’a. Then one can either take another flight from Sana’a to Seiyun, or travel by bus or car to Tarim from Sana’a. The distance from Sana’a to Tarim is approximately 335 miles (540 kilometers) and driving time ranges from six to eight hours.