2017 Edition

Background

North Yemen became independent from 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 and brief civil war in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to delineate their border. Fighting in the northwest between the government and the Huthis, a Zaydi Shia Muslim minority, continued intermittently from 2004 to 2010. The southern secessionist movement was revitalized in 2007. Public rallies in Sana'a against then President SALIH - inspired by similar demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt - slowly built momentum starting in late January 2011 fueled by complaints over high unemployment, poor economic conditions, and corruption. By the following month, some protests had resulted in violence, and the demonstrations had spread to other major cities. By March the opposition had hardened its demands and was unifying behind calls for SALIH's immediate ouster. In April 2011, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in an attempt to mediate the crisis in Yemen, proposed the GGC Initiative, an agreement in which the president would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution. SALIH's refusal to sign an agreement led to further violence. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2014 in October 2011 calling for an end to the violence and completing a power transfer deal. In November 2011, SALIH signed the GCC Initiative to step down and to transfer some of his powers to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. Following HADI's uncontested election victory in February 2012, SALIH formally transferred his powers. In accordance with the GCC initiative, Yemen launched a National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in March 2013 to discuss key constitutional, political, and social issues. HADI concluded the NDC in January 2014 and planned to begin implementing subsequent steps in the transition process, including constitutional drafting, a constitutional referendum, and national elections. The Huthis, perceiving their grievances were not addressed in the NDC, joined forces with SALIH and expanded their influence in northwestern Yemen, culminating in a major offensive against military units and rival tribes and enabling their forces to overrun the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014. In January 2015, the Huthis surrounded the presidential palace, HADI's residence, and key government facilities, prompting HADI and the cabinet to submit their resignations. HADI fled to Aden in February 2015 and rescinded his resignation. He subsequently escaped to Oman and then moved to Saudi Arabia and asked the GCC to intervene militarily in Yemen to protect the legitimate government from the Huthis. In March, Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition of Arab militaries and began airstrikes against the Huthis and Huthi-affiliated forces. Ground fighting between Huthi-aligned forces and resistance groups backed by the Saudi-led coalition continued through 2016. In 2016, the UN brokered a months-long cessation of hostilities that reduced airstrikes and fighting, and initiated peace talks in Kuwait. However, the talks ended without agreement. The Huthis and SALIH’s political party announced a Supreme Political Council in August 2016 and a National Salvation Government, including a prime minister and several dozen cabinet members, in November 2016, to govern in Sanaa and further challenge the legitimacy of HADI’s government. Further attempts at peace have failed while neither side has made decisive battlefield gains, perpetuating the conflict and deepening the divisions between northern and southern Yemen. Amid rising tensions between the Huthis and SALIH, sporadic clashes erupted in mid-2017, and Huthi forces killed SALIH in early December 2017.

Area

527,968 sq km 527,968 sq km 0 sq km 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)

land

527,968 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)

total

527,968 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

almost four times the size of Alabama; 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

999 m lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,666 m

elevation extremes

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m

highest point

Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,666 m

mean elevation

999 m

Environment - current issues

limited natural freshwater resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection none of the selected 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

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

6,800 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

1,601 km Oman 294 km, Saudi Arabia 1,307 km

border countries (2)

Oman 294 km, Saudi Arabia 1,307 km

total

1,601 km

Land use

44.5% arable land 2.2%; permanent crops 0.6%; permanent pasture 41.7% 1% 54.5% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

44.5%

forest

1%

other

54.5% (2011 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

12 nm 24 nm 200 nm 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

contiguous zone

24 nm

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 limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, erupted in 2007 after awakening from dormancy; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century

volcanism

limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, erupted in 2007 after awakening from dormancy; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century

Natural resources

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

Population - distribution

the vast majority of the population is found in the Asir Mountains (part of the larger Sarawat Mountain system), located in the far western region of the country

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

39.83% (male 5,681,084/female 5,485,959) 21.21% (male 3,015,232/female 2,930,329) 32.27% (male 4,625,967/female 4,422,418) 3.94% (male 506,759/female 598,973) 2.75% (male 353,953/female 416,155) (2017 est.)

0-14 years

39.83% (male 5,681,084/female 5,485,959)

15-24 years

21.21% (male 3,015,232/female 2,930,329)

25-54 years

32.27% (male 4,625,967/female 4,422,418)

55-64 years

3.94% (male 506,759/female 598,973)

65 years and over

2.75% (male 353,953/female 416,155) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

28.4 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

39.9% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

33.5% (2013)

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios

76.8 71.7 5.1 19.8 (2015 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

5.1

potential support ratio

19.8 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

76.8

youth dependency ratio

71.7

Drinking water source

urban: 72% of population rural: 46.5% of population total: 54.9% of population urban: 28% of population rural: 53.5% of population total: 45.1% of population (2012 est.)

rural

53.5% of population

total

45.1% of population (2012 est.)

urban

28% of population

Education expenditures

4.6% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

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

Health expenditures

5.6% of GDP (2014)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

9,900 (2016 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

46 deaths/1,000 live births 50.1 deaths/1,000 live births 41.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

female

41.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

male

50.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

46 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Arabic (official) a distinct Socotri language is widely used on Socotra Island and Archipelago; Mahri is still fairly widely spoken in eastern Yemen

note

a distinct Socotri language is widely used on Socotra Island and Archipelago; Mahri is still fairly widely spoken in eastern Yemen

Life expectancy at birth

65.9 years 63.7 years 68.2 years (2017 est.)

female

68.2 years (2017 est.)

male

63.7 years

total population

65.9 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 70.1% 85.1% 55% (2015 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

55% (2015 est.)

male

85.1%

total population

70.1%

Major infectious diseases

high bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever dengue fever and malaria schistosomiasis (2016)

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease

schistosomiasis (2016)

Major urban areas - population

SANAA (capital) 2.962 million; Aden 882,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality ratio

385 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

19.5 years 19.3 years 19.6 years (2017 est.)

female

19.6 years (2017 est.)

male

19.3 years

total

19.5 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.4 years median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2013 est.)

Nationality

Yemeni(s) Yemeni

adjective

Yemeni

noun

Yemeni(s)

Net migration rate

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

17.1% (2016)

Physicians density

0.31 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

28,036,829 (July 2017 est.)

Population distribution

the vast majority of the population is found in the Asir Mountains (part of the larger Sarawat Mountain system), located in the far western region of the country

Population growth rate

2.28% (2017 est.)

Religions

Muslim 99.1% (official; virtually all are citizens, an estimated 65% are Sunni and 35% are Shia), other 0.9% (includes Jewish, Baha'i, Hindu, and Christian; many are refugees or temporary foreign residents) (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 92.5% of population rural: 34.1% of population total: 53.3% of population urban: 7.5% of population rural: 65.9% of population total: 46.7% of population (2012 est.)

rural

65.9% of population

total

46.7% of population (2012 est.)

urban

7.5% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

9 years 10 years 8 years (2011)

female

8 years (2011)

male

10 years

total

9 years

Sex ratio

1.05 male(s)/female 1.04 male(s)/female 1.03 male(s)/female 1.05 male(s)/female 0.85 male(s)/female 0.87 male(s)/female 1.02 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.05 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.85 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.63 children born/woman (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

33.7% 26% 74% (2010 est.)

female

74% (2010 est.)

male

26%

total

33.7%

Urbanization

35.8% of total population (2017) 3.76% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

rate of urbanization

3.76% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

35.8% of total population (2017)

Administrative divisions

22 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan (Aden), Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Amanat al 'Asimah (Sanaa City), 'Amran, Arkhabil Suqutra (Socotra Archipelago), Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Raymah, Sa'dah, San'a' (Sanaa), Shabwah, Ta'izz

Capital

Sanaa 15 21 N, 44 12 E UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

15 21 N, 44 12 E

name

Sanaa

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

no the father must be a citizen of Yemen; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen no 10 years

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Yemen; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Constitution

adopted by referendum 16 May 1991 (following unification); amended several times, last in 2009; note - after the National Dialogue ended in January 2015, a presidentially appointed Constitutional Drafting Committee worked to prepare a new draft constitution that was expected to be put to a national referendum before being adopted; however, the president’s resignation in January 2015 and subsequent conflict have interrupted the process (2016)

history

adopted by referendum 16 May 1991 (following unification); amended several times, last in 2009; note - after the National Dialogue ended in January 2015, a presidentially appointed Constitutional Drafting Committee worked to prepare a new draft constitution that was expected to be put to a national referendum before being adopted; however, the president’s resignation in January 2015 and subsequent conflict have interrupted the process (2016)

Country name

Republic of Yemen Yemen Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah Al Yaman Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen] name derivation remains unclear but may come from the Arab term "yumn" (happiness) and be related to the region's classical name "Arabia Felix" (Fertile or Happy Arabia); the Romans referred to the rest of the peninsula as "Arabia Deserta" (Deserted Arabia)

conventional long form

Republic of Yemen

conventional short form

Yemen

etymology

name derivation remains unclear but may come from the Arab term "yumn" (happiness) and be related to the region's classical name "Arabia Felix" (Fertile or Happy Arabia); the Romans referred to the rest of the peninsula as "Arabia Deserta" (Deserted Arabia)

former

Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

local long form

Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah

local short form

Al Yaman

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador Matthew H. TUELLER (since 10 June 2014) Sa'awan Street, Sanaa; note - Embassy closed in March 2015; relocated to Jeddah, Saudia Arabia P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa [967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266 [967] (1) 303-182

chief of mission

Ambassador Matthew H. TUELLER (since 10 June 2014)

embassy

Sa'awan Street, Sanaa; note - Embassy closed in March 2015; relocated to Jeddah, Saudia Arabia

FAX

[967] (1) 303-182

mailing address

P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa

telephone

[967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Ahmad Awadh BIN MUBARAK (since 3 August 2015) 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 [1] (202) 965-4760 [1] (202) 337-2017

chancery

2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Ahmad Awadh BIN MUBARAK (since 3 August 2015)

FAX

[1] (202) 337-2017

telephone

[1] (202) 965-4760

Executive branch

President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (since 21 February 2012); Vice President Ali Mohsin al-AHMAR, Gen. (since 3 April 2016) Prime Minister Ahmad Obaid bin DAGHIR (since 3 April 2016) appointed by the president president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 February 2012 (next election NA); note - a special election was held on 21 February 2012 to remove Ali Abdallah SALIH under the terms of a Gulf Cooperation Council-mediated deal during the political crisis of 2011; vice president appointed by the president; prime minister appointed by the president Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (GPC) elected as a consensus president with about 50% popular participation; no other candidates

cabinet

appointed by the president

chief of state

President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (since 21 February 2012); Vice President Ali Mohsin al-AHMAR, Gen. (since 3 April 2016)

election results

Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (GPC) elected as a consensus president with about 50% popular participation; no other candidates

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 February 2012 (next election NA); note - a special election was held on 21 February 2012 to remove Ali Abdallah SALIH under the terms of a Gulf Cooperation Council-mediated deal during the political crisis of 2011; vice president appointed by the president; prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Ahmad Obaid bin DAGHIR (since 3 April 2016)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white) 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

note

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

in transition

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]); notable earlier dates: North Yemen became independent on 1 November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and became a republic with the overthrow of the theocratic Imamate on 27 September 1962; South Yemen became independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

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]); notable earlier dates

North Yemen became independent on 1 November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and became a republic with the overthrow of the theocratic Imamate on 27 September 1962; South Yemen became independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, EITI (temporarily suspended), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (consists of the president of the Court, 2 deputies, and nearly 50 judges; court organized into constitutional, civil, commercial, family, administrative, criminal, military, and appeals scrutiny divisions) judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council, chaired by the president of the republic and consisting of 10 high-ranking judicial officers; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65 appeal courts; district or first instance courts; commercial courts

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the president of the Court, 2 deputies, and nearly 50 judges; court organized into constitutional, civil, commercial, family, administrative, criminal, military, and appeals scrutiny divisions)

judge selection and term of office

judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council, chaired by the president of the republic and consisting of 10 high-ranking judicial officers; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65

subordinate courts

appeal courts; district or first instance courts; commercial courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of Islamic law, Napoleonic law, English common law, and customary law

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament or Majlis consists of the Shura Council or Majlis Alshoora (111 seats; members appointed by the president; member tenure NA) and the House of Representatives or Majlis al Nuwaab (301 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms) last held on 27 April 2003 (next scheduled for April 2009 but postponed indefinitely) House of Representatives percent of vote by party - GPC 58.0%, Islah 22.6%, YSP 3.8%, Unionist Party 1.9%, other 13.7%; seats by party - GPC 238, Islah 46, YSP 8, Nasserist Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party 2, independent 4

description

bicameral Parliament or Majlis consists of the Shura Council or Majlis Alshoora (111 seats; members appointed by the president; member tenure NA) and the House of Representatives or Majlis al Nuwaab (301 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms)

election results

House of Representatives percent of vote by party - GPC 58.0%, Islah 22.6%, YSP 3.8%, Unionist Party 1.9%, other 13.7%; seats by party - GPC 238, Islah 46, YSP 8, Nasserist Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party 2, independent 4

elections

last held on 27 April 2003 (next scheduled for April 2009 but postponed indefinitely)

National anthem

"al-qumhuriyatu l-muttahida" (United Republic) Abdullah Abdulwahab NOA'MAN/Ayyoab Tarish ABSI adopted 1990; the music first served as the anthem for South Yemen before unification with North Yemen in 1990

lyrics/music

Abdullah Abdulwahab NOA'MAN/Ayyoab Tarish ABSI

name

"al-qumhuriyatu l-muttahida" (United Republic)

note

adopted 1990; the music first served as the anthem for South Yemen before unification with North Yemen in 1990

National holiday

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

National symbol(s)

golden eagle; national colors: red, white, black

golden eagle; national colors

red, white, black

Political parties and leaders

General People's Congress or GPC [Sadiq Abu RAS] National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party [Qassem Salam SAID] Nasserist Unionist People's Organization [Abdulmalik al-MEKHLAFI] Yemeni Reform Grouping or Islah [Muhammed Abdallah al-YADUMI] Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Dr. Abd al-Rahman Umar al-SAQQAF]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Huthis Muslim Brotherhood Women National Committee conservative tribal groups; southern secessionist groups; al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

other

conservative tribal groups; southern secessionist groups; al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

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

$3.467 billion $5.232 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures

$5.232 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

$3.467 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-6.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate

26% (31 December 2017 est.) 27% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current account balance

-$579 million (2017 est.) -$1.532 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$7.252 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $7.181 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37.9 (2009 est.) 37.3 (1999 est.)

Economy - overview

Yemen is a low-income country that faces difficult long-term challenges to stabilizing and growing its economy, and the current conflict has only exacerbated those issues. The ongoing war has halted Yemen’s exports, pressured the currency’s exchange rate, accelerated inflation, severely limited food and fuel imports, and caused widespread damage to infrastructure. More than 80% of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance and over half are food insecure. Prior to the start of the conflict in 2014, Yemen was highly dependent on declining oil and gas resources for revenue. Oil and gas earnings accounted for roughly 25% of GDP and 65% of government revenue. The Yemeni Government regularly faced annual budget shortfalls and tried to diversify the Yemeni economy through a reform program designed to bolster non-oil sectors of the economy and foreign investment. In July 2014, the government continued reform efforts by eliminating some fuel subsidies and in August 2014, the IMF approved a three-year, $570 million Extended Credit Facility for Yemen. However, the conflict that began in 2014 stalled these reform efforts and ongoing fighting continues to accelerate the country’s economic decline. In September 2016, President HADI announced the move of the main branch of Central Bank of Yemen from Sanaa to Aden where his government could exert greater control over the central bank’s dwindling resources. Regardless of which group controls the main branch, the central bank system is struggling to function. Yemen’s Central Bank’s foreign reserves, which stood at roughly $5.2 billion prior to the conflict, have declined to negligible amounts. The Central Bank can no longer fully support imports of critical goods or the country’s exchange rate. The country also is facing a growing liquidity crisis and rising inflation. The private sector is hemorrhaging, with almost all businesses making substantial layoffs. Access to food and other critical commodities such as medical equipment is limited across the country due to security issues on the ground. The Social Welfare Fund, a cash transfer program for Yemen’s neediest, is no longer operational and has not made any disbursements since late 2014. Yemen will require significant international assistance during and after the protracted conflict to stabilize its economy. Long-term challenges include a high population growth rate, high unemployment, declining water resources, and severe food scarcity.

Exchange rates

Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar - 275 (2017 est.) 214.9 (2016 est.) 214.9 (2015 est.) 228 (2014 est.) 214.89 (2013 est.)

Exports

$501.2 million (2017 est.) $163.6 million (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish, liquefied natural gas

Exports - partners

Egypt 26%, Saudi Arabia 15.4%, Oman 11.3%, Malaysia 9.8%, Thailand 5.8%, UAE 4.9% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

121.3% 13.5% 3.7% -7.8% 4.2% -34.8% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services

4.2%

government consumption

13.5%

household consumption

121.3%

imports of goods and services

-34.8% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

3.7%

investment in inventories

-7.8%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

24.1% 14.3% 61.6% (2017 est.)

agriculture

24.1%

industry

14.3%

services

61.6% (2017 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,300 (2017 est.) $2,400 (2016 est.) $2,800 (2015 est.) data are in 2017 dollars

note

data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - real growth rate

-2% (2017 est.) -9.8% (2016 est.) -28.1% (2015 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$25.67 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$68.95 billion (2017 est.) $70.37 billion (2016 est.) $78 billion (2015 est.) data are in 2017 dollars

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

0.1% of GDP (2017 est.) -4.1% of GDP (2016 est.) -3.7% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

2.6% 30.3% (2008 est.)

highest 10%

30.3% (2008 est.)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Imports

$4.573 billion (2017 est.) $3.117 billion (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners

UAE 12.8%, China 12%, Turkey 8%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Indonesia 6.8%, Brazil 6.6%, India 4.8% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

13.7% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

20% (2017 est.) 5% (2016 est.)

Labor force

7.425 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

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

Population below poverty line

54% (2014 est.)

Public debt

135.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 119.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$245.1 million (31 December 2017 est.) $592.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of broad money

$9.338 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $11.95 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$3.706 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $4.515 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$5.542 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $6.718 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

13.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

27% (2014 est.) 35% (2003 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

22 million Mt (2013 est.)

Crude oil - exports

49,590 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - production

21,670 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

3 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es)

Electricity - consumption

3.634 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

99% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

1.534 million kW (2015 est.)

Electricity - production

5.006 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity access

13,300,000 48% 79% 33% (2013)

electrification - rural areas

33% (2013)

electrification - total population

48%

electrification - urban areas

79%

population without electricity

13,300,000

Natural gas - consumption

1.19 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - exports

8.8 billion cu m (2014 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

2.85 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

140,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

27,290 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

84,340 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

56,840 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run TV with 2 stations; state-run radio with 2 national radio stations and 5 local stations; stations from Oman and Saudi Arabia can be accessed (2007)

Internet country code

.ye

Internet users

6,732,928 24.6% (July 2016 est.)

percent of population

24.6% (July 2016 est.)

total

6,732,928

Telephone system

cell phone penetration growing rapidly the national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, tropospheric scatter, GSM and CDMA mobile-cellular telephone systems; fixed-line teledensity remains low by regional standards but mobile cellular use expanding apace 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 (2016)

domestic

the national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, tropospheric scatter, GSM and CDMA mobile-cellular telephone systems; fixed-line teledensity remains low by regional standards but mobile cellular use expanding apace

general assessment

cell phone penetration growing rapidly

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 (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

1.213 million 4 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (July 2016 est.)

total subscriptions

1.213 million

Telephones - mobile cellular

17.536 million 64 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

64 (July 2016 est.)

total

17.536 million

Airports

57 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

3

2,438 to 3,047 m

9

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2013)

over 3,047 m

4

total

17

Airports - with unpaved runways

9 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

7

2,438 to 3,047 m

5

914 to 1,523 m

16

over 3,047 m

3

total

40

under 914 m

9 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

7O (2016)

Merchant marine

general cargo 3, oil tanker 4, other 24 (2017)

by type

general cargo 3, oil tanker 4, other 24 (2017)

total

31

National air transport system

1,387,999 0 mt-km (2015)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

0 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

1,387,999

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

10

number of registered air carriers

2

Pipelines

gas 641 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,370 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla

major seaport(s)

Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla

Roadways

71,300 km 6,200 km 65,100 km (2005)

paved

6,200 km

total

71,300 km

unpaved

65,100 km (2005)

Maritime threats

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; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators reduced the incidence of piracy in that body of water; one attack was reported in 2016 and one reported during the first half of 2017

Military branches

Land Forces, Naval and Coastal Defense Forces (includes Marines), Air and Air Defense Force (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Yemeniya), Border Guards, Strategic Reserve Forces (2013)

Military expenditures

3.97% of GDP (2014) 4.08% of GDP (2013) 4.57% of GDP (2012) 4.93% of GDP (2011)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 2-year service obligation (2012)

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

5,877 (Ethiopia) (2016); 256,169 (Somalia) (2017) 2,014,026 (conflict in Sa'ada Governorate; clashes between al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula and government forces) (2017)

IDPs

2,014,026 (conflict in Sa'ada Governorate; clashes between al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula and government forces) (2017)

refugees (country of origin)

5,877 (Ethiopia) (2016); 256,169 (Somalia) (2017)

Trafficking in persons

Yemen is a source and, to a lesser extent, transit and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; trafficking activities grew in Yemen in 2014, as the country’s security situation deteriorated and poverty worsened; armed groups increased their recruitment of Yemeni children as combatants or checkpoint guards, and the Yemeni military and security forces continue to use child soldiers; some other Yemeni children, mostly boys, migrate to Yemeni cities or Saudi Arabia and, less frequently Oman, where they end up as beggars, drug smugglers, prostitutes, or forced laborers in domestic service or small shops; Yemeni children increasingly are also subjected to sex trafficking in country and in Saudi Arabia; tens of thousands of Yemeni migrant workers deported from Saudi Arabia and thousands of Syrian refugees are vulnerable to trafficking; additionally, Yemen is a destination and transit country for women and children from the Horn of Africa who are looking for work or receive fraudulent job offers in the Gulf states but are subjected to sexual exploitation or forced labor upon arrival; reports indicate that adults and children are still sold or inherited as slaves in Yemen Tier 3 – Yemen does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; weak government institutions, corruption, economic problems, security threats, and poor law enforcement capabilities impeded the government’s ability to combat human trafficking; not all forms of trafficking are criminalized, and officials continue to conflate trafficking and smuggling; the status of an anti-trafficking law drafted with assistance from an international organization remains unknown following the dissolution of the government in January 2015; the government did not report efforts to investigate, prosecute, or convict anyone of trafficking or slavery offenses, including complicit officials, despite reports of officials willfully ignoring trafficking crimes and using child soldiers in the government’s armed forces; the government acknowledged the use of child soldiers and signed a UN action plan to end the practice in 2014 but made no efforts to release child soldiers from the military and provide them with rehabilitative services; authorities failed to identify victims and refer them to protective services; the status of a draft national anti-trafficking strategy remains unknown (2015)

current situation

Yemen is a source and, to a lesser extent, transit and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; trafficking activities grew in Yemen in 2014, as the country’s security situation deteriorated and poverty worsened; armed groups increased their recruitment of Yemeni children as combatants or checkpoint guards, and the Yemeni military and security forces continue to use child soldiers; some other Yemeni children, mostly boys, migrate to Yemeni cities or Saudi Arabia and, less frequently Oman, where they end up as beggars, drug smugglers, prostitutes, or forced laborers in domestic service or small shops; Yemeni children increasingly are also subjected to sex trafficking in country and in Saudi Arabia; tens of thousands of Yemeni migrant workers deported from Saudi Arabia and thousands of Syrian refugees are vulnerable to trafficking; additionally, Yemen is a destination and transit country for women and children from the Horn of Africa who are looking for work or receive fraudulent job offers in the Gulf states but are subjected to sexual exploitation or forced labor upon arrival; reports indicate that adults and children are still sold or inherited as slaves in Yemen

tier rating

Tier 3 – Yemen does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; weak government institutions, corruption, economic problems, security threats, and poor law enforcement capabilities impeded the government’s ability to combat human trafficking; not all forms of trafficking are criminalized, and officials continue to conflate trafficking and smuggling; the status of an anti-trafficking law drafted with assistance from an international organization remains unknown following the dissolution of the government in January 2015; the government did not report efforts to investigate, prosecute, or convict anyone of trafficking or slavery offenses, including complicit officials, despite reports of officials willfully ignoring trafficking crimes and using child soldiers in the government’s armed forces; the government acknowledged the use of child soldiers and signed a UN action plan to end the practice in 2014 but made no efforts to release child soldiers from the military and provide them with rehabilitative services; authorities failed to identify victims and refer them to protective services; the status of a draft national anti-trafficking strategy remains unknown (2015)

Terrorist groups - foreign based

aim(s): overthrow the Yemen Government and, ultimately, establish a pan-Islamic caliphate under a strict Salafi Muslim interpretation of Sharia area(s) of operation: operational throughout Yemen, in collaboration with its affiliate organization, al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) aim(s): replace the Yemen Government with an Islamic state and implement ISIL's strict interpretation of Sharia area(s) of operation: operational primarily in 'Adan and the capital, Sanaa, where operatives conduct attacks against Shia Muslims and government facilities and personnel; claimed responsibility for the deadliest attack in to 'Adan, where a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device on 29 August 2016, killing approximately 70 new recruits standing in line to register to join the military; suicide bombers detonated explosives on 20 March 2015 inside two Shia Muslim mosques in Sanaa, killing at least 137 worshippers and injuring over 300, which marked the first attack ISIL had claimed in Yemen; actively recruits Sunni Muslim youths; ISIL refers to Yemen as its Wilayat Sanaa; ISIL-Yemen was placed in the US State Department's designated global terror category under Executive Order 13224 on 19 May 2016

aim(s)

replace the Yemen Government with an Islamic state and implement ISIL's strict interpretation of Sharia

area(s) of operation

operational primarily in 'Adan and the capital, Sanaa, where operatives conduct attacks against Shia Muslims and government facilities and personnel; claimed responsibility for the deadliest attack in to 'Adan, where a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device on 29 August 2016, killing approximately 70 new recruits standing in line to register to join the military; suicide bombers detonated explosives on 20 March 2015 inside two Shia Muslim mosques in Sanaa, killing at least 137 worshippers and injuring over 300, which marked the first attack ISIL had claimed in Yemen; actively recruits Sunni Muslim youths; ISIL refers to Yemen as its Wilayat Sanaa; ISIL-Yemen was placed in the US State Department's designated global terror category under Executive Order 13224 on 19 May 2016

Terrorist groups - home based

aim(s): overthrow the Yemen Government and, ultimately, establish a regional Islamic caliphate; eradicate Western influence and presence from Yemen and the rest of the Arabian Peninsula area(s) of operation: a core al-Qa'ida affiliate that was headquartered in Al Mukalla, Hadramawt Governorate, until Yemeni forces and their allies drove AQAP from the city in April 2016; most active in southern, eastern, and central Yemen, especially in Abyan, Al Baydah, Hadramawt, Sabwah, and Ma'rib governorates; conducts ongoing attacks against Yemeni Government forces, officials, and facilities and Western embassies, diplomats, tourists, and Shia Muslims, oil facilities, and merchant ships, as well as Western and Saudi Arabian interests; assessed in 2015 to have up to 4,000 members

aim(s)

overthrow the Yemen Government and, ultimately, establish a regional Islamic caliphate; eradicate Western influence and presence from Yemen and the rest of the Arabian Peninsula

area(s) of operation

a core al-Qa'ida affiliate that was headquartered in Al Mukalla, Hadramawt Governorate, until Yemeni forces and their allies drove AQAP from the city in April 2016; most active in southern, eastern, and central Yemen, especially in Abyan, Al Baydah, Hadramawt, Sabwah, and Ma'rib governorates; conducts ongoing attacks against Yemeni Government forces, officials, and facilities and Western embassies, diplomats, tourists, and Shia Muslims, oil facilities, and merchant ships, as well as Western and Saudi Arabian interests; assessed in 2015 to have up to 4,000 members