Marib ruins
 The city of Marib is found just east of the western highlands, as the mountains slope off into desert. Three thousand years ago, camel caravans snaked through this city on their way north to the Mediterranean Sea. They carried spices, silks, and jewels from East Asia, and the sweet-smelling resin of two Yemeni trees, frankincense and myrrh. Today, archaeologists visit Marib to dig for the secrets of past civilizations.
Small oil deposits were discovered near Marib in 1984. The export of oil and oil products provides funds for development. At home, low-cost bottled gas and kerosene are welcome substitutes for scarce firewood. Demand for firewood was so strong before the discovery of oil that some environmentalists predicted the loss of all the north's trees and shrubs by the year 2000.
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