1998 Edition

Area

total: 527,970 sq km land: 527,970 sq km water: 0 sq km note: 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)

Area-comparative

slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Climate

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

Coastline

1,906 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

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, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 48 00 E

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

Irrigated land

3,600 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Land use

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 30% forests and woodland: 4% other: 63% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 18 nm in the North; 24 nm in the South continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Natural resources

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

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 48% (male 4,016,052; female 3,859,079) 15-64 years: 49% (male 4,066,601; female 3,902,686) 65 years and over: 3% (male 280,152; female 263,393) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

43.36 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

10.27 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

predominantly Arab; Afro-Arab concentrations in western coastal locations; South Asians in southern regions; small European communities in major metropolitan areas

Infant mortality rate

72.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Arabic

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 59.47 years male: 57.71 years female: 61.32 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38% male: 53% female: 26% (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

16,387,963 (July 1998 est.) note: other estimates range as high as 16.6 million

Population growth rate

3.31% (1998 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

7.14 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

17 governorates (muhafazat, singular-muhafazah); Abyan, Aden, Al Bayda, Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, 'Ataq, Dhamar, Hadhramaut, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah, San'a', Ta'izz note: there may be a new governorate for the capital city of Sanaa

Constitution

16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Yemen conventional short form: Yemen local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah local short form: Al Yaman

Data code

YM

Executive branch

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. 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 NA October 1994) head of government: Acting Prime Minister Dr. Abd al-Karim Ali al-IRYANI (since NA April 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: President SALIH was elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term, however, future presidents will be elected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 1 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); 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 House of Representatives vote-NA

FAX

[1] (202) 337-2017 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara K. BODINE embassy: Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa telephone: [967] (1) 238843 through 238852

[967] (1) 251563

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 symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Government type

republic

Independence

22 May 1990 Republic of Yemen was established on 22 May 1990 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}; previously North Yemen had become independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

International organization participation

ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahhab Abdallah al-HAJRI chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: there are over 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of the more prominent are: General People's Congress (GPC), President Ali Abdallah SALIH; Islamic Reform Grouping (Islaah), Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR; Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP), Ali Salih UBAYD; Nasserite Unionist Party, leader NA; National Arab Socialist Baath Party, Dr. Qassim SALAAM note: President SALIH's General People's Congress (GPC) won a landslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and no longer governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping (Islaah) - the two parties had been in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, a loyal opposition party, boycotted the April 1997 legislative election Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

Legal system

based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 April 1997 (next to be held NA April 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-GPC 189, Islaah 52, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Baath Party 2, independents 54, election pending 1

National capital

Sanaa

National holiday

Proclamation of the Republic, 22 May (1990)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

grain, fruits, vegetables, qat (mildly narcotic shrub), coffee, cotton; dairy products, poultry, meat; fish

Budget

revenues: $2.6 billion expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (1998 est.)

Currency

Yemeni rial (YRl) (new currency)

Debt-external

$8 billion (1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $148 million (1993)

Economy-overview

The northern city Sanaa is the political capital of a united Yemen, and the southern city Aden, with its refinery and port facilities, is the economic and commercial capital. Future economic development depends heavily on the attraction of foreign investment to diversify the economy. Former South Yemen's willingness to merge stemmed partly from the sharp decline in Soviet economic support. The low level of domestic industry and agriculture has made northern Yemen dependent on imports for practically all of its essential needs. Once self-sufficient in food production, northern Yemen has become a major importer. Land once used for export crops-cotton, fruit, and vegetables - has been turned over to growing a shrub called qat, whose leaves are chewed for their stimulant effect by Yemenis and which has no significant export market. Economic growth in former South Yemen has been constrained by a lack of incentives, partly stemming from centralized control over production decisions, investment allocation, and import choices. Yemen's GDP has been supplemented by remittances from Yemenis working abroad and by foreign aid. Since the Gulf crisis, however, remittances have dropped substantially. Floods in June 1996 caused the loss of much valuable topsoil in the agricultural sector, increasing the need for imports of foodstuffs. Oil production and GDP as a whole are expected to increase moderately in 1998.

Electricity-capacity

810,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

126 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

1.85 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Yemeni rials (YRl) per US$1-129.158 (1997), 94.157 (1996), 40.839 (1995), 12.010 (official fixed rate 1991-94)

Exports

total value: $2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: crude oil, cotton, coffee, dried and salted fish partners: China 23%, South Korea 19%, Thailand 14%, Brazil 13%, Japan 12%, Thailand 7% (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$31.8 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 15% industry: 39% services: 46% (1995)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$2,300 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

5% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: textiles and other manufactured consumer goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs, cement, machinery, chemicals partners: US 12%, France 11%, UAE 10%, Saudi Arabia 7%, UK 5% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

5% (1997 est.)

Labor force

no reliable estimates exist, most people are employed in agriculture and herding or as expatriate laborers; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-half of the labor force

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

325,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system

since unification in 1990, efforts have been made to create a national telecommunications network domestic: the network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, and tropospheric scatter international: 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

Telephones

131,655 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

10

Televisions

100,000 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

30% (1995 est.)

Airports

48 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 64,725 km paved: 5,243 km unpaved: 59,482 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,059 GRT/18,563 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, oil tanker 2 (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 644 km; petroleum products 32 km Ports and harbors: Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, As Salif, Mocha, Nishtun

Railways

0 km

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Police)

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$407 million (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

5% (1998 est.)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 3,611,419 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 2,026,175 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

18 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 204,674 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

a large section of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not defined; a dispute with Eritrea over sovereignty of the Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea has been submitted to arbitration under the auspices of the International Court of Justice; a decision on the Islands is expected in mid-1998