Upper Yafa

Upper Yafa or Upper Yafa'i (Arabic: يافع العليا Yāfi‘ al-‘Ulyā), officially the State of Upper Yafa (Arabic: دولة يافع العليا Daulat Yāfiʿ al-ʿUlyā), was a military alliance in the British Aden Protectorate and the Protectorate of South Arabia. It was ruled by the Harharah dynasty and its capital was Mahjaba, a small town on a hill located about 50 km northeast of Habilayn.

State of Upper Yafa
يافع العليا
Yāfi‘ al-‘Ulyā
State of the Protectorate of South Arabia
c. 1800–1967
Flag
Emblem

Map of Upper Yafa in its region
CapitalMahjaba
Area 
• 1967 est.
1,600 km2 (620 sq mi)
Population 
• 1967 est.
35000
Government
 • TypeConfederal Sultanate
 • Mottoإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأمُرُ بِالعَدلِ وَالإِحسَانِ
'Inn Alllah yamur bialeadl wal'iihsan
"Indeed, Allah commands justice and grace"
Historical era20th century
• Established
c. 1800
• Disestablished
29 November 1967
Succeeded by
South Yemen

The sultan of Upper Yafa had very little control over Upper Yafa's constituent sheikdoms, which had separate protectorate treaties with the British, and were free to disassociate from the policies of the Upper Yafa sheikh. The only time that the Upper Yafa sheikh held influence was during a crisis that threatened the independence of Upper Yafa's states, during which they would unite under the sultan. This meant that Upper Yafa was more akin to a military alliance than a genuine state.

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