Al-Boraikah: A History of Attractions [Archives:2001/52/Last Page]

Al-Boraikah or Lesser Aden is one of the Aden districts. It consists of three neighborhoods, al-Shaab which includes Bir Ahmed, al-Haswa, and al-Mehram, al-Boraika which includes al-Khaisa, al-Ghadeer al-Faresi and Salaaddin and the third neighborhood is Omran.
According to the 1998 census, the population of this 16,800-square km area reached 56,072 people.
Generally speaking, the Lesser Aden has been gifted with unique sites. It is naturally protected by mountains. Throughout history, Lesser Aden was a target for many colonizers and invaders. The Britishers occupied Aden in 1839 after which they expanded their control over the neighboring areas of Khor Makser in 1849, Lesser Aden in 1869, Shiekh Othman in 1882 and Al-Haswa in 1888.
Most of Aden districts, such as Khor Makser, Mualla, and Lesser Aden are coastline regions overlooking the Red Sea, Aden Gulf and the Arab Sea. These regions are coastal plains extending from the Omani borders towards the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Aden was declared a free zone during the British colonization in 1850 and was made a commercial center for all British colonies in the region.
The prospering trade exchange between the East and the West following the inauguration of the Suez Canal in 1869 had its great influence on the rehabilitation of Aden to be an international commercial route. This inspired the colonizers to better exploit the Port of Aden as a trade and service center providing drinking water, food, fuels, etc., for ships.
At the time, the Aden Refinery Company was established as a British Company. It had a strategic location for refining the crude oil and its derivatives and a special harbor for exporting and importing oil directly from and to the Lesser Aden. Oil pipes were also extended to fuel ships. As the activities of the company prospered, it restructured the port taking into consideration the establishment of a number of apartments, hotels and a hospital.
During the last two years the al-Boraika has witnessed laudable construction. Tourist attractions such as, parks, corniches, paved roads have been paid proper attention by the leadership of the governorate, as well as the Aden Refinery Company.
In this respect the Lesser Aden will remain one of the important promising regions in the field of investment. It has a fascinating coastline that has not been fully utilized and this perhaps can be attributed to insufficient propagating means. Different kinds of tourist projects can be established here so as to develop the tourist industry. Recently, the Gulf Countries have shown interest in the development of a number of sea sports such as yacht racing in al-Ghadeer, Khaisa and Omran.
These areas have great tourist potentials that are awaiting more efforts to prosper.
Ridhwan al-Saqqaf
Aden


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