Yemen has a volcanic field called the Harras of Dhamar (هاراس دامار). The volcanic area, which stretches 80 km (50 mi) east of the town of Dhamar, is home to numerous stratovolcanoes, lava flows, and young cones. Older rhyolitic flows are covered with basaltic lava flows. The volcano was the cause of the only known eruption of the Arabian Peninsula in the 20th century, which may have occurred in 1937.
The field is located 100 kilometers (62 miles) southeast of Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, and west of Al-Bayda’, 2,450–2,500 meters (7,900–8,200 feet) above sea level. The name Dhamar originates from Dhamar Ali Yahbir II, king of Saba’ and Dhu-Raydan in 15–35 AD. He is famous for having rebuilt the enormous dam of Ma’rib, and his statue was discovered in the city of Al-Nakhla Al-Hamra’a, also known as “The Red Palm.”
People who lived close to the harras of Dhamar spoke of a volcanic eruption that must have occurred in 1937 near the town” (von Wissmann, 1942; Rathjens and von Wissmann, 1942; quoted in Neumann van Padang, 1963); nevertheless, no subsequent research has verified, discovered, or detailed this purported activity. The climate in Dhamar is semiarid and chilly.
Other Facts:
Location: Dhamar Governorate, Yemen
Last Known Eruption: unknown, probably in 1937
Tectonic Setting: Intraplate Continental Crust (>25km)
Elevations: 3,500 meters – 11,500 feet
Volcano Types: Volcanic Field
Rock Types: Basalt, Rhyolite, and Picaro-Basalt
Status: Historical
Population within 30 km to 100 km: 791,280 to 5,778,960
Latitude: 14.57°N
Longitude: 44.67°E
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