2008 Edition

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.

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

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 6.63 cu km/yr (4%/1%/95%) per capita: 316 cu m/yr (2000)

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

5,500 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 2.91% permanent crops: 0.25% other: 96.84% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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

Total renewable water resources

4.1 cu km (1997)

Age structure

0-14 years: 46.2% (male 5,415,385/female 5,218,237) 15-64 years: 51.2% (male 5,996,202/female 5,795,779) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 284,195/female 303,578) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

42.42 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

7.83 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

9.6% of GDP (2001)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

12,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 56.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 60.78 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Arabic

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 62.9 years male: 60.96 years female: 64.94 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50.2% male: 70.5% female: 30% (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)

Median age

total: 16.7 years male: 16.7 years female: 16.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Net migration rate

NA (2008 est.)

Population

23,013,376 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

3.46% (2008 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 9 years male: 11 years female: 7 years (2005)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.41 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

Capital

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

Constitution

16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

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]

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen A. SECHE embassy: Sa'awan Street, Sanaa mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa telephone: [967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266

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

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) 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%

FAX

[1] (202) 337-2017

[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 in the white band, and of Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Government type

republic

Independence

22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen was 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 became independent in November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and became a republic with the overthrow of the theocratic Imamate in 1962; South Yemen became independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

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, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

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

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

National holiday

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Political parties and leaders

General People's Congress or GPC [Abdul-Kader BAJAMMAL]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Mohammed Abdullah AL-YADOUMI (acting)]; 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

Political pressure groups and leaders

Muslim Brotherhood; Women National Committee other: conservative tribal groups

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $7.576 billion expenditures: $8.391 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate

18% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

Yemeni rial (YER)

Currency code

YER

Current account balance

-$362 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$6.044 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

33.4 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements)

Economy - overview

Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported average annual growth in the range of 3-4% from 2000 through 2007. Its economic fortunes depend mostly on declining oil resources, but the country is trying to diversify its earnings. In 2006 Yemen began an economic reform program designed to bolster non-oil sectors of the economy and foreign investment. As a result of the program, international donors pledged about $5 billion for development projects. In addition, Yemen has made some progress on reforms over the last year that will likely encourage foreign investment. Oil revenues probably increased in 2007 as a result of higher prices.

Electricity - consumption

3.804 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

5.017 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar - 199.14 (2007), 197.18 (2006), 192.67 (2005), 184.78 (2004), 183.45 (2003)

Exports

$7.311 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Exports - partners

China 23.3%, India 20.4%, Thailand 19.1%, Japan 7.2%, UAE 5%, US 4.2% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 12.4% industry: 40.9% services: 46.7% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,500 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.8% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$21.66 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$56.24 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$6.735 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners

UAE 15.1%, China 11.6%, US 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 7.1%, Kuwait 5.3%, Germany 4.8% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

3.2% (2007 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

25% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

6.305 million (2007 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

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

135,400 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

336,600 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

62,850 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

320,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

3 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

45.2% (2003)

Public debt

33.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$7.76 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$2.224 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$3.076 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$4.526 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

35% (2003 est.)

Internet country code

.ye

Internet hosts

167 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

320,000 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

1.05 million (1997)

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 mobile-cellular telephone systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity remains low by regional standards international: country code - 967; landing point for the international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); 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 - main lines in use

968,300 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.978 million (2006)

Television broadcast stations

3 (including one Egypt-based station that broadcasts in Yemen); plus several repeaters (2007)

Televisions

470,000 (1997)

Airports

50 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 17 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 33 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 4 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 4 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 13 (North Korea 2, Moldova 1, Panama 6, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Sierra Leone 2, unknown 1) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 71 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,309 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Aden, Hudaydah, Mukalla

Roadways

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

Transportation - note

the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden are high risk for piracy; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers, and cargo are held for ransom

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 5,080,038 females age 16-49: 4,852,555 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 3,585,947 females age 16-49: 3,619,195 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 268,468 female: 258,196 (2008 est.)

Military - note

a Coast Guard was established in 2002

Military branches

Army (includes Republican Guard), Navy (includes Marines), Yemen Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Yemeniya; includes Air Defense Force) (2008)

Military expenditures

6.6% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

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

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): 91,587 (Somalia) (2007) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008