Yemen

SOCOTRA ISLAND, YEMEN - MARCH 12: A general view of the sand dunes and the beach in front of them in the area of Hoq is seen on March 12, 2011 in Socotra Island, Yemen. The Socotran Archipelago is one of the greatest treasures of biodiversity. Located about 400 km south of the mainland in the Indian Ocean, it's is of continental origin, formed as part of the same process of continental drift that shaped the Arabian Peninsula. The archipelago comprised four island: the main island of Socotra and three smaller islands, knows as "the brothers". The main island of Socotra covering an area of 3,626 Km square, consists of coastal plains, inland limestone plateaux and the Haghier Mountains in the Northwest, which reach a height of 1525 meters. The climate is arid, with seasonal monsoons occurring from March to May. An estimated 30% of the island chain's plant life is endemic, as many of the birds from there and not all of the region's animal spices have been identified and the waters surrounding the archipelago are relatively unexplored. Yemen is one of a number of countries in the North African and Middle east region that have seen increasing unrest since the presidents of Egypt and Tunisia were ousted in popular revolts earlier this year. The protest against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year rule have left about 30 people dead since the beginning of the year 2011. Hundreds of police moved in, using tear gas, water cannons and live bullets in Tahrir Square, where protesters have been camping out for weeks. The protesters, fed up with corruption, poverty and a lack of political freedom, have rejected Mr Saleh's offers to form a national unity government and demanded that he step down. The president also faces a separatist movement in the South, a branch of al-Qaeda, and a periodic conflict with Shia tribes in the North. (Photo by Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images)