Yemen is claiming to have ousted Jordan as the cultural capital of Arabia after UNESCO awarded the Socotra Archipelago World Heritage status, bringing the total number of internationally recognised sites in the country to four.

The other major sites in Yemen are the old walled city of Shibham, with skyscrapers that rise out of the sand; the old city of Sana’a, with buildings dating back to before the time of William the Conqueror; and the historic town of Zabid, where algebra is said to have been invented in the 9^th century.

The Socotra Archipelago, often described as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean, consists of four islands and two rocky islets near the Gulf of Aden and has a rich biodiversity. It was listed as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO committee on July 8.

Oman also boasts four sites of international acclaim, while Jordan has three.

By Linsey McNeill