Yemen

Republic of YemenAl Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah

republic

Yemen as the 2007 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 127 fields, one of 35 editions from 1991 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSanaa, UTC+3
Position15 00 N, 48 00 E
Area527,970 sq km
LocationMiddle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Populationas each edition published it
22.23 million July 2007 est. · 10.06m in 1991
Population growth% a year
3.461% 2007 est. · 3.31% in 1993
Median ageyears
16.7 years 2007 est. · 16.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
62.52 years 2007 est. · 50.94 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.49 children per woman 2007 est. · 7.4 in 1991
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
57.88 deaths per 1,000 live births 2007 est. · 121 in 1991
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,000 2006 est. · $775 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2.6% 2006 est. · 3.1% in 1994

Introduction

1 field

Background

North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Geography

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

18 fields

Land useshare of 527,970 sq km

arable land 2.91%permanent crops 0.25%other 96.84% (2005)irrigated 5,500 sq km (2003)
Area
527,970sq km
land: 527,970 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Coastline
1,906km
territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Highest point
3,760m
Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayblowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
1,746km
border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Location

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 48 00 E

Map references

Middle East

Climate

  • mostly desert;
  • hot and humid along west coast;
  • temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon;
  • extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east

Terrain

  • narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains;
  • dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Natural resources

  • petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble;
  • small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper;
  • fertile soil in west

Natural hazards

sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Environment - current issues

  • very limited natural fresh water resources;
  • inadequate supplies of potable water;
  • overgrazing;
  • soil erosion;
  • desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes

People

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2007 est.)

281,121
65 and over2.6%
296,463
5,781,491
15-6451.1%
5,585,152
5,239,003
0-1446.3%
5,047,301
MaleFemale
Population
22,230,531
(July 2007 est.)growth rate: 3.461% (2007 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2007 est.)

Birth
42.67Death
8.05Net migration
0

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2007 est.)62.52
60.61 · 64.54Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)57.88
62.48 · 53.05
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)50.2%
70.5% · 30%Median age years (2007 est.)16.7
16.6 · 16.7
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.038 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.035 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.948 male(s)/female
total population:
1.034 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.49 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Yemeni(s)
adjective:
Yemeni

Ethnic groups

predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Religions

Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Languages

Arabic

Government

Republic; President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger of North and South Yemen); Prime Minister Ali Muhammad MUJAWWAR (since 31 March 2007)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

77.2%
Ali Abdallah SALIH 77.2%Faysal BIN SHAMLAN 21.8%election last held 20 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2013)

Legislature, 296 seats, elected 27 April 2003one dot, one seat

GPC 228Islah 47YSP 7independents 14

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Yemen
conventional short form:
Yemen
local long form:
Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
local short form:
Al Yaman
former:
Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

Capital

name:
Sanaa
geographic coordinates:
15 21 N, 44 12 E
time difference:
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

  • 19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah);
  • Abyan, 'Adan, Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz

note: for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital city of Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate

Independence

  • 22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]);
  • note - previously North Yemen had become independent in November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen became independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

National holiday

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Constitution

16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)
head of government:
Prime Minister Ali Muhammad MUJAWWAR (since 31 March 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Rashad Muhammad al-ALIMI
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections:
  • president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  • election last held 20 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2013);
  • vice president appointed by the president;
  • prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results:
Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 77.2%, Faysal BIN SHAMLAN 21.8%

Legislative branch

a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections:
last held on 27 April 2003 (next to be held in April 2009)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

  • General People's Congress or GPC [Abdul-Kader BAJAMMAL];
  • Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR];
  • Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdal Malik al-MAKHLAFI];
  • National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr. Qasim SALAM];
  • Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL];
  • note - there are at least seven more active political parties

International organization participation

AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Abd al-Wahab Abdallah al-HAJRI
chancery:
2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 965-4760
FAX:
[1] (202) 337-2017

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKI
embassy:
Sa'awan Street, Sanaa
mailing address:
P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
telephone:
[967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266
FAX:
[967] (1) 303-182

Flag description

  • three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
  • similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription), in a horizontal line centered in the white band;
  • also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Economy

Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported average annual growth of 3.5% from 2000 through 2006.

47 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$20.46billion
(2006 est.)official exchange rate: $15.07 billion (2006 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,000
(2006 est.)
Real growth rate
2.6%
(2006 est.)industrial production growth: 3% (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2006 est.)

agriculture 12.4%industry 42.2%services 45.4% (2006 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

31.4%
China
12.8%
17.4%
India
16.7%
Thailand
4.1%
UAE
16.4%
Saudi Arabia
7.7%
7%
South Korea
6.7%
US
4%
Kuwait
5.8%
Brazil
4.5%
Malaysia
4.2%
Exports $7.285 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)Imports $4.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)(2006)

Budget

Revenues
$7.363 billionExpenditures
$7.199 billion (2006 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
4.456 billion (2005 est.)Electricity consumption
3.381 billion (2005 est.)

Economy - overview

Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported average annual growth of 3.5% from 2000 through 2006. Its economic fortunes depend mostly on oil. Oil revenues probably increased in 2006 as a result of higher prices. Yemen was on an IMF-supported structural adjustment program designed to modernize and streamline the economy, which led to substantial foreign debt relief and restructuring.

However, government dedication to the program waned in 2001 for political reasons. Yemen is struggling to control excessive spending and rampant corruption. Yemen is dependent on foreign aid to finance its budget deficits and development projects. In November, Yemen secured $4.7 billion in assistance from Arabian Gulf and Western donors.

Labor force

5.972 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

note: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force

Unemployment rate

35% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
3%
highest 10%:
25.9% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed)

17.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Public debt

29.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

  • grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton;
  • dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry;
  • fish

Industries

  • crude oil production and petroleum refining;
  • small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods;
  • food processing;
  • handicrafts;
  • small aluminum products factory;
  • cement;
  • commercial ship repair

Oil - production

387,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

85,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

320,600 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves

3.72 billion bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

459 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance

$1.836 billion (2006 est.)

Exports

$7.285 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Imports

$4.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Economic aid - recipient

$2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$7.545 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$5.494 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

Yemeni rial (YER)

Exchange rates

Yemeni rials per US dollar - 197.18 (2006), 192.67 (2005), 184.78 (2004), 183.45 (2003), 175.63 (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
2 million
(2006)
Fixed lines
968,400
(2006) · country code .ye

Telephone system

general assessment:
since unification in 1990, efforts have been made to create a national telecommunications network
domestic:
the national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone systems
international:
  • country code - 967;
  • satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat;
  • microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

7 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Internet users

270,000 (2006)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

4
over 3,047 m
3
8
2,438 to 3,047 m
8
3
1,524 to 2,437 m
5
1
914 to 1,523 m
13
1
under 914 m
4
Paved 17Unpaved 33

Airports

50 (2007)

Pipelines

gas 71 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,284 km (2006)

Roadways

total:
71,300 km
paved:
6,200 km
unpaved:
65,100 km (2005)

Merchant marine

total:
4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,474 GRT/18,072 DWT
by type:
cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries:
12 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 3, North Korea 2, Panama 5, St Kitts and Nevis 1) (2007)

Ports and terminals

Aden, Nishtun

Military

Army (includes Republican Guard), Navy (includes Marines), Yemen Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2007)

7 fields

Military branches

Army (includes Republican Guard), Navy (includes Marines), Yemen Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2007)

Military service age and obligation

voluntary military service program authorized in 2001; 2-year service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49:
4,058,223
females age 18-49:
3,868,112 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49:
2,790,705
females age 18-49:
2,792,406 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49:
236,517
females age 18-49:
230,641 (2005 est.)

Military - note

a Coast Guard was established in 2002

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 78,582 (Somalia) (2006)

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Yemen.” The World Factbook 2007. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/yemen/2007.