South Yemen today is seen as a potential Al-Qaeda stronghold and the heart of a separatist movement threatening to rip apart southern Arabia. How has this country of forbidding mountains and arid deserts changed from British colony to communist state and then to 'terrorist base' in half a century? What went wrong with the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen and why are Southern Yemenis once more calling for a separate state? In 'Yemen Divided' author and Middle East expert Noel Brehony tells for the first time the comprehensive history of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. He explains the power politics that came to form a communist republic a few hundred miles from the holiest site in Islam. He explores the factors and forces that led to the state's demise forcing it to yield to northern acquisition in 1990. This important book tells the little known story of a struggle for independence, a flirtation with communism and the foundering of a new state. It makes essential reading for anyone who wants to understand why Yemen, sensitive neighbour to Saudi Arabia and stategically vital to Middle East security, has veered towards massive instability.