The division between the politically powerful Zaydis and the wealthy Shafiis has caused bitterness between them. Clan relationships are also very important to most Yemenis. Feuds between rival clans divide many areas of the country. Way of life. Most people of Yemen make a living as farmers or herders.
Farmers grow crops in the highland valleys and scattered oases.
Herders raise sheep in the drier regions. Many people make a living by doing craftwork. These workers produce handicrafts in small, one-room shops. On the coasts and on Socotra Island, many people live by fishing. The men spear fish near the shore from dugout canoes called sambugs, or net them in deeper water from single-sail dhows.