The peninsula of Aden is situated on the south­ern coast of Arabia, at the entrance to the Red Sea. The British crown colony (1839–196­7) occupied only some seventy‑five square miles. Aden’s climate is exceedingly harsh, marked by stifling heat. Its land is barren, devoid of agriculture and mineral wealth. The British recognized the strate­gic significance of Aden’s harbor, commanding the mo…