Mehri people
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (206,600) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Languages | |
| Mehri, Soqotri, Arabic | |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Arabs |
Mehri (var. Al-Mahrah, Al-Meheri, Al-Mahri or Al-Mahra (Arabic: المهرة), also known as Al-Mahrah tribe (Arabic: قبيلة المهرة), are an ethnic group primarily inhabiting South Arabia and the island of Socotra.
The Mehri are one of the largest tribes in the Al Mahrah Governorate of Yemen and in the island of Socotra. Group members are also found in other countries in the Arabian Peninsula, mainly Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and UAE. Additionally, the Arab Salah clan of Al Mahrah tribe resides in the Puntland region in northeastern Somalia.
According to Ethnologue, there are around 115,200 total Mehri speakers. Of those, 50,000 live in Yemen (2011), 50,800 in Oman (2000), and 14,400 in Kuwait (2000). and around 71,400 Soqotri speakers in Yemen and other Arabian countries. and according to Saudi officials there are around 20,000 Mehri speakers in Saudi Arabia.
The Mehri speak the Mehri language as their native language. It belongs to the Modern South Arabian (MSA) subgroup of the Afro-Asiatic family's Semitic branch.
Mehri is divided into two main dialects: Eastern Mehri (Mehriyot) and Western Mehri (Mehriyet). These idioms in turn have urban and Bedouin varieties.
On the island of Socotra, the Mehri people speak the Soqotri language.
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