# Hawf > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Hawf > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Hawf.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawf > Source revision: 1346476881 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Infobox settlement | name = Hawf | native_name_lang = ar | other_name = | native_name = {{native name|ar|حوف}} | settlement_type = [District](/source/Districts_of_Yemen) | image_skyline = Hawf-Mahrah-Yemen.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = View of the Hawf nature reserve | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-wikidata = yes | pushpin_map_caption = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Yemen}} | subdivision_type1 = [Governorate](/source/Governorates_of_Yemen) | subdivision_name1 = [Al Mahrah](/source/Al_Mahrah_Governorate) | seat_type = | seat = | leader_title = | leader_name = | established_title = | established_date = | area_total_km2 = | population_as_of = 2004 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 5143 | population_density_km2 = | timezone = Yemen Standard Time | utc_offset = +3 | mapframe-zoom = 9 | coordinates = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Hawf''' ({{Langx|ar|حوف}}), officially known as the '''Hawf District''' ({{Langx|ar|مديرية حوف}}), is a [district](/source/Districts_of_Yemen) of the [Al Mahrah Governorate](/source/Al_Mahrah_Governorate) in south-eastern [Yemen](/source/Yemen). As of the 2004 Yemeni census, the district had a population of 5,143 inhabitants.{{cite web|url=http://www.statoids.com/yye.html|title=Districts of Yemen|publisher=Statoids|accessdate=October 20, 2010}} The Hawf Area was nominated as a natural [UNESCO](/source/UNESCO) [World Heritage Site](/source/World_Heritage_Site) in August 2002. Currently, it is listed as a [tentative World Heritage Site](/source/List_of_World_Heritage_Sites_in_Yemen).{{cite web |title=The Hawf Area |url=https://www.distancesto.com/road-map/om/salalah-to-hawf/history/39762.html |accessdate=May 28, 2023 |website=distancesto |publisher=}} The town of Hawf itself is {{convert|12.7|km}} southwest by road from [Sarfait](/source/Sarfait), and {{convert|163|km}} southwest by road from [Salalah](/source/Salalah), one of Oman's largest cities.{{Google maps | url =https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hawf/sarfait/@16.6574125,52.9917586,32624m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x3dd08d14ab1159f1:0x6c1a44fbe4d84325!2m2!1d53.0311171!2d16.6337461!1m5!1m1!1s0x3dd0ede95a47053b:0x345fc2f18a397a6!2m2!1d53.1171276!2d16.6814055?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQ | accessdate =2025-06-16}} ==Geography== The Hawf district is located in the [Al Mahrah Governorate](/source/Al_Mahrah_Governorate) in south-eastern [Yemen](/source/Yemen), situated between approximately 52°42' and 53°04' E longitude and 16°32' and 16°41' N latitude. Hawf itself is {{convert|12.7|km}} southwest by road from [Sarfait](/source/Sarfait) and {{convert|163|km}} southwest by road from [Salalah](/source/Salalah), Oman. Covering an area of 30,000 [hectares](/source/hectares), the district is characterized by rugged mountains that reach a maximum elevation of 1,400 meters above sea level. These mountains are oriented west to east, forming a natural barrier that separates the vast [Rub' al Khali](/source/Rub'_al_Khali) desert to the north from the [Arabian Sea](/source/Arabian_Sea) to the south. The range extends for approximately 60 kilometers, from [Ras Fartak](/source/Ras_Fartak) in the west to the border with [Oman](/source/Oman) in the east.{{Cite journal |last=Schlecht |first=Eva |last2=Zaballos |first2=Luis G. H. |last3=Quiroz |first3=Diana |last4=Scholte |first4=Paul |last5=Buerkert |first5=Andreas |date=2014-10-01 |title=Traditional land use and reconsideration of environmental zoning in the Hawf Protected Area, south-eastern Yemen |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140196314001311 |journal=Journal of Arid Environments |volume=109 |pages=92–102 |doi=10.1016/j.jaridenv.2014.05.016 |issn=0140-1963}} Geologically, the mountains are predominantly [limestone](/source/limestone), with occasional [granite](/source/granite) outcrops visible on the surface. A dry [plateau](/source/plateau) lies at the upper reaches of the mountains, and a narrower plateau traverses the range at an approximate elevation of 450 meters above sea level. The mountainous terrain is deeply incised by {{transliteration|ar|[wadi](/source/wadi)s}}, which can reach depths of 800 to 900 meters and dissect the range along most of its length. Inland, the mountains gradually transition into [gravel](/source/gravel) hills and eventually into the desert, while towards the Arabian Sea, they form steep [escarpments](/source/Escarpment). ==Climate== {{Main|South Arabian fog woodlands, shrublands, and dune}} In Hawf, the climate is hot and dry. Most rain falls in the winter. The [Köppen-Geiger climate classification](/source/K%C3%B6ppen_climate_classification) is [Bwh](/source/Desert_climate). The average annual temperature in Hawf is {{convert|26.2|°C|1}}. About {{convert|51|mm|2|abbr=on}} of precipitation falls annually.{{Cite web |title=Climate Al Mahrah Governorate: Temperature, climate graph, Climate table for Al Mahrah Governorate |url=https://en.climate-data.org/asia/yemen/al-mahrah-governorate-2161/ |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=en.climate-data.org}} According to UNESCO, the area in Hawf District, together with the [Dhofar Governorate](/source/Dhofar_Governorate) in the neighboring [Oman](/source/Oman), is important given its plant diversity. While most of the rest of the country is arid, Hawf is covered with trees and is home to several animal species. The expansion and intensification of agriculture threaten the area.{{cite web |title=The Hawf Area |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1726/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102194840/https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1726/ |archive-date=2 January 2021 |accessdate=17 August 2022 |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre}} During the south-westerly monsoon season, from June to September, the steep coastal range frequently experiences cloud cover. The area receives approximately 500 mm of annual precipitation, with an additional potential of up to 1,000 mm from fog and cloud-derived moisture during the rainy season. However, precise rainfall data specifically for the Hawf region is not readily available. Temperatures are typically highest from mid-March to mid-June and lowest in January and February. These specific climatic conditions, particularly the relatively high precipitation, support a distinctive flora, including a dry deciduous monsoon forest that extends into Oman's neighboring [Dhofar mountain range](/source/Dhofar_Mountains). {{Weather box|location = Hawf |metric first = Y |single line = Y |Jan high C = 27.4 |Feb high C = 27.9 |Mar high C = 30.4 |Apr high C = 32.6 |May high C = 34.4 |Jun high C = 34.6 |Jul high C = 31.7 |Aug high C = 31.2 |Sep high C = 31.9 |Oct high C = 31.6 |Nov high C = 30.5 |Dec high C = 28.2 |Jan low C = 16.7 |Feb low C = 18.1 |Mar low C = 20.1 |Apr low C = 22.5 |May low C = 25.0 |Jun low C = 25.9 |Jul low C = 24.6 |Aug low C = 23.7 |Sep low C = 23.5 |Oct low C = 21.1 |Nov low C = 19.3 |Dec low C = 17.9 |Jan precipitation mm = 4 |Feb precipitation mm = 3 |Mar precipitation mm = 4 |Apr precipitation mm = 10 |May precipitation mm = 1 |Jun precipitation mm = 2 |Jul precipitation mm = 7 |Aug precipitation mm = 8 |Sep precipitation mm = 1 |Oct precipitation mm = 2 |Nov precipitation mm = 4 |Dec precipitation mm = 5 |year precipitation mm= 51 |source = Climate-Data.org, Climate data |date=02 February 2018}} ==Ecology== The Hawf region features an ecosystem shaped by its distinctive climatic conditions, particularly its significant levels of precipitation. This environment supports a relic dry deciduous [monsoon forest](/source/monsoon_forest) that spans approximately 90 square kilometers in Yemen. The forest is primarily characterized by the [Anogeissus dhofarica](/source/Anogeissus_dhofarica) tree, often found alongside [Jatropha](/source/Jatropha) and [Commiphora](/source/Commiphora) species, and it is home to over 250 plant species. The area also hosts diverse wildlife, including around 65 bird species, more than 12 species of wild mammals, and various reptiles. Many naturally occurring wild herbivores and numerous carnivores are either at risk of extinction or have already become extinct. In the [coastal plain](/source/coastal_plain)s, common plant species include [Adenium obesum](/source/Adenium_obesum), [Calotropis procera](/source/Calotropis_procera), [Ziziphus leucodermis](/source/Ziziphus_leucodermis), [Grewia villosa](/source/Grewia_villosa), [Euphorbia hadramautica](/source/Euphorbia_hadramautica), and [Acacia tortilis](/source/Acacia_tortilis). Further inland, at the base of the mountain [escarpment](/source/escarpment)s, the vegetation is predominantly composed of [xerophytic shrubs](/source/Xerophyte) such as [Commiphora](/source/Commiphora) spp., [Grewia spp.](/source/Grewia), [Jatropha dhofarica](/source/Jatropha_dhofarica), [Croton confertus](/source/Croton_confertus), and the succulent creeper [Cissus quadrangularis](/source/Cissus_quadrangularis). The [wadi](/source/wadi)s support [riparian](/source/Riparian_zone) woodlands with species like [Tamarindus indica](/source/Tamarindus_indica), [Ficus sycomorus](/source/Ficus_sycomorus), [Ficus vasta](/source/Ficus_vasta), and [Ficus lutea](/source/Ficus_lutea). Above the 450-meter [plateau](/source/plateau), the [semi-evergreen](/source/Semi-deciduous) woodland increasingly features [Anogeissus dhofarica](/source/Anogeissus_dhofarica), Ficus vasta, [Ziziphus spina-christi](/source/Ziziphus_spina-christi), [Acacia nilotica](/source/Acacia_nilotica), [Rhus somalensis](/source/Rhus_somalensis), [Commiphora spp.](/source/Commiphora), and [Dodonaea angustifolia](/source/Dodonaea_viscosa_subsp._angustifolia). A dense [herbaceous layer](/source/herbaceous_layer), rich in [legumes](/source/Legume), [grasses](/source/Poaceae), and [ferns](/source/Fern), thrives beneath these species. Additionally, leguminous plants such as [Cadia purpurea](/source/Cadia_purpurea) and [Senna obtusifolia](/source/Senna_obtusifolia) are also found, particularly in areas that were previously cleared for agriculture and later abandoned. ==Economy== The primary economic activity for the local population is [livestock husbandry](/source/livestock_husbandry), accounting for 37% of livelihoods, followed by [crop farming](/source/crop_farming) at 32%, and [fishing](/source/fishing) at 29%. A study on the local population revealed that 53% of surveyed households primarily depended on agricultural activities for income. In the upper zone, agro-pastoral activities provided the main income for 80% of households, while in the lower zone, this was true for only 29.4%. Animal husbandry contributed the major share of on-farm income for 84% of interviewed households, with the remaining 16% earning more from crop production. Crop cultivation is largely [subsistence](/source/Subsistence_agriculture)-oriented, with produce only commercialized when there is a surplus or an urgent need for cash. Beyond agro-pastoral activities, households engage in various off-farm economic pursuits. These include employment as teachers (53%), civil servants (20%), nurses (7%), and other forms of employment (13%), as well as commercial activities (7%). Short-term opportunities also contribute to monetary and non-monetary income. While surveyed households did not hire external labor for cropping, some residents in [Jadeb](/source/Jadeb) employed shepherds for their goats. Additionally, the coastal settlements saw the employment of housemaids for cleaning duties. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Further reading== *[https://sanaacenter.org/publications/main-publications/13271 Yemen Environmental Bulletin: The Need for Climate Change Preparedness in Al-Mahra] {{Al Mahrah Governorate}} {{Tourist attractions in Yemen|state=col}} {{coord|16|35|N|52|50|E|type:city_source:kolossus-arwiki|display=title}} Category:Districts of al-Mahrah Governorate --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hawf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawf) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawf?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.