Yemen was once controlled by the British

Britain invaded Yemen and had control of Adan that was once called south Yemen. Britain had control from 1839 to 1967. Adan was controlled because it was so called the important base for the royal navy . It was more important when the opening of the Suez canal.Adan became an important route to India.Britain left when they were forced out by the "revolutionaries who gained support from the soviet union".  http://www.angelfire.com/mac/egmatthews/worldinfo/asia/yemen.html