Yemen

Yemen was a country on the Red Sea on the southwestern side of the Arabia peninsula.

Kingdom of Yemen
 File:Yemen drawn.jpg|1926 5 bogshas local issue. File:Yemen 1b defin.jpg|1931 1b value. File:Yemen Arab Alliance.jpg|1939 6b Arab Alliance. File:Yemen dbl crescent.jpg|1940 2b value. File:Yemen flat crescent.jpg|1940 8b definitive. File:Yemen products.jpg|1947 2b coffee plant. File:Yemen hilltop.jpg|1951 20b Sana'a mosque. File:Yemen port.jpg|1961 16b Port of Hodeida. File:Yemen Mareb.jpg|1961 20b Mareb commemorative. File:Yemen Mareb airmail.jpg|1961 16b Mareb airmail. 
 * Yemen's first postal system was that of Ottoman Empire offices opened in the region. These were closed in 1914 at the beginning of World War I.
 * In 1926, it issued 3 stamps for domestic use only with a design of crossed daggers. These are only found cancelled with seal postmarks, generally from either Sana'a or Hodeida. Forgeries exist.
 * In 1930-31, Yemen joined the UPU. Its new definitives had YEMEN at top and were denominated in bogshas (singular: bogchah) and riyals. CTOs are identifiable by their printed cancels. Imperfs exist.
 * In 1939, a design with 3 crossed flags were issued to commemorate the Arab Alliance. They were inscribed either POSTES DE YEMEN or POSTES DE ROYAUME DE YEMEN. Imperfs exist.
 * Beginning in 1930, boxed 4b surcharges were applied to 1930-31 definitives. This was done again at various points from 1945 to 1949 and on other issues from 1949 to 1955. Genuine surcharges were done with steel dies; rubber stamp surcharges are forgeries.
 * In 1940, a new bicolor definitive series was introduced.
 * in 1946, a hospital opening set was released inscribed ROYAUME DE YEMEN.
 * In 1947, airmails using the 1940 and 1942 series were created, overprinted with an airplane and inscriptions including "PAR AVION".
 * Three values showing the royal palace were created but never issued, looted from archives during the brief 1948 revolution.
 * In 1947-58, engraved pictorials were issued inscribed YEMEN. Are we starting to see a lack of focus here?
 * In 1948, a commemorative set inscribed "YEMEN" for Yemen's admission to the United Nations was created but never issued.

 File:Yemen uniss UPU.jpg|1950 unissued UPU. File:Yemen enthronement.jpg|1952 1 imadi 4th anniversary of the enthronement of Ahmed I. File:Yemen 11th Ahmed anniv.jpg|1959 1 imadi enthronement of Ahmed I, 11th anniversary. File:Yemen Arab League center.jpg|1960 4b Arab League Center. 
 * In 1950, an engraved set in two designs commemorating the UPU was created by never released. It exists perf and imperf. There are also se-tenant pairs, various proofs and trials, and more.
 * In 1951, a photogravure pictorial series was released, inscribed ROYAUME “ALMOUTAWAKKILIYYAH„ DU YÉMEN. Complementary airmails were also issued, thankfully with the same inscription.
 * In 1952, a set of castle pictorials was issued, perf and imperf. As you could have guessed, these were inscribed THE MUTAWAKELITE KINGDOM OF YEMEN.
 * In 1953, a set for the installation of King Ahmed I was issued. It is no suprise that it was inscribed POST / YEMEN.
 * Unissued officials similar to the above issue were surcharged for normal postal use in 1958.
 * Meanwhile, in 1957, Yemen began issuing the Arab Postal Union omnibus sets. These are amazingly inscribed YEMEN.
 * Several other commemorative issues followed up to 1962. These included overprints on older stamps including sets for human rights, the 40th stamp anniversary, automatic telephone system, and the 11th anniversary of King Ahmed I's reign.
 * Meanwhile in 1958 and 1959, airmail overprint sets with bilingual inscriptions and year dates were released. Both show an airplane.

Yemen Arab Republic
In September 1962 the rulers of Yemen were overthrown in a coup. This began a civil war. Royalist supporters began issuing stamps under the Mutawakelite Kingdom of Yemen name.  File:Yemen 1962 ovpt on Mareb.jpg|1963 revolution overprint on 10b Mareb. File:Yemen 1962 overprint.jpg|1963 revolution overprint on Arab League commemorative. File:Yemen Arab Rep birds.jpg|1965 ½b partridge. File:Yeman Arab Rep pointsettias.jpg|1964 ½b poinsettia. File:YAR Rubens.jpg|c.1970 ½b portrait by Rubens. File:YAR fashions.jpg|1983 50f local fashions. 
 * Three issues from 1962 were provisionally overprinted "Yemen Arab Republic" in Arabic only.
 * In January 1963, the new government began overprinting older stamps with a bilingual inscription including Y.A.R. 27.9.1962.
 * In 1963, an issue commemorating the first anniversary of the revolution was released. It was inscribed bilingually with Y.A.R..
 * Following issues would be inscribed Y.A.R., YAR or YEMEN ARAB REPUBLIC.
 * In 1967, began issuing topical sets with many in sheetlets and souvenir sheets alongside the expected commemorative sets for local events. The YAR were not quite as bad as (for example) their neighbors in Hadhramaut and Seiyun in South Arabia, and finally ended the scheme in 1972.
 * The civil war ended in 1970.
 * In 1990, the Yemen Arab Republic merged with the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (Yemen PDR) to form the Republic of Yemen.

Postage due
 File:Yemen 12b first due.jpg|1942 12b postage due. File:Yemen 1948 uniss due.jpg|unissued 1948 UN admission 4b value. File:Yemen animals dues.jpg|1964 4b value. 
 * In 1942, Yemen issued its first postage dues, based on the definitive designs of 1940. They are inscribed POSTES DE YEMEN and a smaller "TAX A PERCEVOIR".
 * In 1948, the unissued admission to the United Nations set had several values overprinted in tiny letters in green TAXE A PERCEVOIR. These postage dues were also never issued.
 * In 1964, a set of 3 with hoofed animals was released, inscribed YEMEN ARAB REPUBLIC and POSTAGE DUE. This would start a pattern of postage due issues in values for the three most common rates of the time.
 * Not long after, a set of three flowers was issued, inscribed YAR.
 * In 1966, five of the then-current birds definitives were overprinted diagonally with a bilingual legend including "POSTAGE DUE".
 * Also in 1966, three World Cup postage dues were issued.
 * In 1967, three values showing fruit were released.

Postal tax

 * In 1968, a 1b value was issued showing a stretcher bearer, in bright green with red printing and Red Crescent.
 * In 1973, a ½b value was issued in the same design, in dark blue and red.

