Wadi al-Jawf

Wadi al-Jawf is an intermittent stream in the oasis region of Al-Jawf, western Yemen. Its headwaters are in the Yemen Highlands, and it has small perennial streams in its western and southern branches. This region was the heart of the ancient South Arabian kingdom of Ma'in, known for its capital, Qarnaw.1

Historically, Al-Jawf was a fertile and populated area with many towns. After the 9th century CE, power centers shifted, and the region was neglected. In modern times, Al-Jawf was a royalist stronghold during the Yemeni civil war and became a focus of the Houthi insurgency. Today, the oases are sparsely populated, supporting nomadic tribes with camel raising and livestock pasturing as primary economic activities.1