colony · Arabia and the Gulf

Colony of Aden

1937 CE – 1963 CE · capital Aden

Aden as a British Crown colony, a booming port and military base whose politics fed the nationalist movement in South Arabia.

Origins

Under the Government of India Act of 1935, the Aden Settlement was separated from British India and became a Crown colony on 1 April 1937, governed directly from London by a governor. It covered the port of Aden, Crater, Steamer Point and Little Aden.

Rule and society

Aden was one of the world's busiest ports, serving ships on the Suez route. A British Petroleum refinery opened at Little Aden in 1954, and from 1960 Aden housed Britain's Middle East Command. The population of Yemenis, Indians, Somalis and a dwindling Jewish community grew rapidly, and strong trade unions, led by the Aden Trades Union Congress, became the base of anti-colonial politics.

Decline and legacy

In January 1963, against nationalist opposition, the colony joined the Federation of South Arabia and became the State of Aden.

Lineage

Aden Settlement 1839 CE – 1937 CEColony of AdenState of Aden 1963 CE – 1967 CE

Connections (1)

Colony of Aden was a colony of British Empire1937 CE – 1963 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Colony of Aden. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/colony-of-aden
MLA: “Colony of Aden.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/colony-of-aden. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Colony of Aden.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/colony-of-aden.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Colony of Aden’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/colony-of-aden (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻