Khemed
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Khemed is the fictional country in the Arabian Peninsula invented by Hergé for Tintin books. The name means "got it!" in Marols, the Brussels Flemish dialect.
Khemed is an Arabic country near the Red Sea and in the Arabian Peninsula. Its capital is Wadesdah (which is derived from the Marols pronunciation of "What is that?"), although its chief economic center appears to be the port city of Khemikhal (a pun on "chemical", obviously, though the French version has "Khemkhâh," Marols for "I'm cold").
Most of the country is desert. In the Tintin stories, Petra appears to be located in Khemed. This is because author Hergé originally set the first story in the British Mandate of Palestine and Transjordan, but, created the country to avoid political issues. Indeed, Khemikhal was originally supposed to be the Israeli port of Haifa.
Khemed is a monarchy, ruled by Emir Mohammed ben Kalish Ezab (Marols kalichesap, liquorice juice), whose son Abdullah does all sorts of mischief, most famously with his exploding cigars and cigarettes. However, Sheik Bab El Ehr (Marols babbeleer, chatterbox) had tried to oust him two times. Last time he was in power for six months with the aid of mercenaries and foreign aircraft.
Tintin stories with Khemed:
- Tintin au pays de l'or noir (Land of Black Gold, 1950)
- Coke en stock (Coke in stock, translated as The Red Sea Sharks, 1958)