protectorate · Arabia and the Gulf
Federation of South Arabia
Origins
In April 1962 the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South was renamed the Federation of South Arabia. In January 1963 the Colony of Aden joined as the State of Aden, despite opposition from Aden's trade unions and nationalists, and more protectorate states joined in the following years.
Rule and society
The federation was ruled by sultans, emirs and sheikhs with British advisers, and Britain kept its military base at Aden. In December 1963 a grenade attack on the High Commissioner at Aden airport led to a state of emergency. Two rival movements, the National Liberation Front and FLOSY, fought the British and each other in Aden and the Radfan mountains.
Decline and legacy
In 1966 Britain announced it would leave without a defence agreement. In 1967 the federal army and states collapsed as the National Liberation Front took over; Britain withdrew on 29 November 1967 and South Yemen became independent.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (18)
- Federation of South Arabia was a protectorate of British Empire1962 CE – 1967 CE
- Sultanate of Lahej was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- Fadhli Sultanate was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- Audhali Sultanate was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- Emirate of Beihan was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- Emirate of Dhala was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- Lower Aulaqi Sultanate was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- Lower Yafa Sultanate was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- Upper Aulaqi Sheikhdom was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- Aqrabi Sheikhdom was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- State of Dathina was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- Wahidi Sultanate was part of Federation of South Arabia1962 CE – 1967 CE
- State of Aden was part of Federation of South Arabia1963 CE – 1967 CE
- Haushabi Sultanate was part of Federation of South Arabia1963 CE – 1967 CE
- Alawi Sheikhdom was part of Federation of South Arabia1963 CE – 1967 CE
- Shaib Sheikhdom was part of Federation of South Arabia1963 CE – 1967 CE
- Upper Aulaqi Sultanate was part of Federation of South Arabia1964 CE – 1967 CE
- Muflihi Sheikhdom was part of Federation of South Arabia1965 CE – 1967 CE
More states of Arabia and the Gulf →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Federation of South Arabia. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/federation-of-south-arabia
- MLA
- “Federation of South Arabia.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/federation-of-south-arabia. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Federation of South Arabia.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/federation-of-south-arabia.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Federation of South Arabia’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/federation-of-south-arabia (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻