Linking the lawless Horn of Africa to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, Yemen is a strategically vital country on the brink of collapse, whose implosion, combined with a growing Al Qaeda presence, could have consequences for the whole Middle East and beyond. Ginny Hill takes us inside this fascinating and complex country, introducing us to a range of characters; Somali refugees, tribal warlords, Qat-chewing philosophers, corrupt politicians and gun-runners. She shows us the transnational networks of crime, people-smuggling and terrorism which sweep through the country, the legacy of civil war, and how the most vibrant democracy in the Middle East became mired in corruption and separatist violence. Part reportage, part history, and part informed analysis, this is an indispensable guide to the little-understood country which is about to dominate international headlines.