2024 Edition Primary

Background

The Kingdom of Yemen (colloquially known as North Yemen) became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1918 and in 1962 became the Yemen Arab Republic. 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 the People's Republic of Southern Yemen (colloquially known as South Yemen). Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist orientation and changed the country's name to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. The exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states, which 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 Houthis, a Zaydi Shia Muslim minority, continued intermittently from 2004 to 2010, and then again from 2014 to the present. The southern secessionist movement was revitalized in 2007. Public rallies in Sana'a against then President Ali Abdallah SALIH -- inspired by similar Arab Spring demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt -- slowly gained momentum in 2011, fueled by complaints over high unemployment, poor economic conditions, and corruption. Some protests resulted in violence, and the demonstrations spread to other major cities. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) mediated the crisis with the GCC Initiative, an agreement in which the president would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution. SALIH eventually agreed to step down and transfer some powers to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. After HADI's uncontested election victory in 2012, SALIH formally transferred all presidential powers. In accordance with the GCC Initiative, Yemen launched a National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in 2013 to discuss key constitutional, political, and social issues. HADI concluded the NDC in 2014 and planned to proceed with constitutional drafting, a constitutional referendum, and national elections. The Houthis, perceiving their grievances were not addressed in the NDC, joined forces with SALIH and expanded their influence in northwestern Yemen, which culminated in a major offensive against military units and rival tribes and enabled their forces to overrun the capital, Sana'a, in 2014. In 2015, the Houthis surrounded key government facilities, prompting HADI and the cabinet to resign. HADI fled first to Aden -- where he rescinded his resignation -- and then to Oman before moving to Saudi Arabia and asking the GCC to intervene militarily in Yemen. Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition of Arab militaries and began airstrikes, and ground fighting continued through 2016. In 2016, the UN initiated peace talks that ended without agreement. Rising tensions between the Houthis and SALIH culminated in Houthi forces killing SALIH. In 2018, the Houthis and the Yemeni Government participated in UN-brokered peace talks, agreeing to a limited cease-fire and the establishment of a UN mission. In 2019, Yemen’s parliament convened for the first time since the conflict broke out in 2014. Violence then erupted between HADI's government and the pro-secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) in southern Yemen. HADI's government and the STC signed a power-sharing agreement to end the fighting, and in 2020, the signatories formed a new cabinet. In 2020 and 2021, fighting continued as the Houthis gained territory and also conducted regular UAV and missile attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia. In 2022, the UN brokered a temporary truce between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. HADI and his vice-president resigned and were replaced by an eight-person Presidential Leadership Council. Although the truce formally expired in 2022, the parties nonetheless refrained from large-scale conflict through the end of 2023. Saudi Arabia, after the truce expired, continued to negotiate with the Yemeni Government and Houthis on a roadmap agreement that would include a permanent ceasefire and a peace process under UN auspices.

Area

land

527,968 sq km

note

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

highest point

Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,666 m

lowest point

Arabian Sea 0 m

mean elevation

999 m

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

border countries

Oman 294 km; Saudi Arabia 1,307 km

total

1,601 km

Land use

agricultural land

44.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 41.7% (2018 est.)

forest

1% (2018 est.)

other

54.5% (2018 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

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 summervolcanism: 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

0-14 years

34.4% (male 5,622,998/female 5,430,285)

15-64 years

62.2% (male 10,112,603/female 9,865,805)

65 years and over

3.4% (2024 est.) (male 485,538/female 623,214)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

23.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

39.9% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

33.5% (2013)

Current health expenditure

4.3% of GDP (2015)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

60.4% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

4.7

potential support ratio

19.9 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

71.7

youth dependency ratio

69.4

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 84.2% of population

improved: total

total: 99.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 15.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 10.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.5% of population

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asian, European

Gross reproduction rate

1.37 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

39 deaths/1,000 live births

male

49.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

44.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Languages

Arabic (official)

major-language sample(s)

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note

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

female

70.6 years

male

65.8 years

total population

68.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

55% (2015)

male

85.1%

total population

70.1%

Major urban areas - population

3.292 million SANAA (capital), 1.080 million Aden, 941,000 Taiz, 772,000 Ibb (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

183 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

22.2 years

male

21.9 years

total

22 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.8 years (2013 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Yemeni

noun

Yemeni(s)

Net migration rate

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

17.1% (2016)

Physician density

0.53 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

female

15,919,304 (2024 est.)

male

16,221,139

total

32,140,443

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

1.78% (2024 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) (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 44.2% of population

improved: total

total: 59.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 83.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 55.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 40.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 16.5% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

8.1% (2020 est.)

male

32.5% (2020 est.)

total

20.3% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.82 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

39.8% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

the name is reputed to mean "well-fortified" in Sabaean, the South Arabian language that went extinct in Yemen in the 6th century A.D.

geographic coordinates

15 21 N, 44 12 E

name

Sanaa

time difference

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

Citizenship

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

amendments

amended several times, last in 2009

history

adopted by referendum 16 May 1991 (following unification); note - after the National Dialogue ended in January 2015, a Constitutional Drafting Committee appointed by the president worked to prepare a new draft constitution that was expected to be put to a national referendum before being adopted; however, the start of the current conflict in early 2015 interrupted the process

Country name

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Steven H. FAGIN (since 1 June 2022); note - the embassy closed in March 2015; Yemen Affairs Unit currently operates out of US Embassy Riyadh

email address and website

YemenEmergencyUSC@state.govhttps://ye.usembassy.gov/

embassy

previously - Sa'awan Street, Sanaa

FAX

US Embassy Riyadh [966] 11-488-7360

mailing address

6330 Sanaa Place, Washington DC  20521-6330

telephone

US Embassy Riyadh [966] 11-488-3800previously - [967] 1 755-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed AL-HADHRAMI (since 7 June 2022)

email address and website

Information@yemenembassy.orghttps://www.yemenembassy.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 337-2017

telephone

[1] (202) 965-4760

Executive branch

cabinet

24 members from northern and southern Yemen, with representatives from Yemen's major political parties

chief of state

Chairperson, Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Muhammad al-ALIMI, Dr. (since 19 April 2022)

election results

Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (GPC) elected consensus president

elections/appointments

formerly, the president was 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 Awad Bin MUBAREK (since 5 February 2024)

note

note: on 7 April 2022, President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI announced his abdication, the dismissal of Vice President ALI MUHSIN al-Ahmar and the formation of a Presidential Leadership Council, an eight-member body chaired by former minister Rashad AL-ALIMI; on 19 April 2022, the Council was sworn in before Parliament and began assuming the responsibilities of the president and vice president and carrying out the political, security, and military duties of the government

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)

note

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)

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, UNMHA, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNVIM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the court president, 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, which is chaired by the president of the republic and includes 10 high-ranking judicial officers; judges serve 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 (sharia) law, Napoleonic law, English common law, and customary law

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament or Majlis consists of:Shura Council or Majlis Alshoora (111 seats; members appointed by the president; member term is continuous)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

percent of vote by party - GPC 58%, 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; composition - men 245, women 0, percent of women 0%

elections

Shura Council - last appointments NA (next appointments NA)House of Representatives - last held in April 2019 (next to be held in NA)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Abdullah Abdulwahab NOA'MAN/Ayyoab Tarish ABSI

name

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

note

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

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Old Walled City of Shibam (c); Old City of Sana'a (c); Historic Town of Zabid (c); Socotra Archipelago (n); Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib (c)

total World Heritage Sites

5 (4 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

National symbol(s)

golden eagle; national colors: red, white, black

Political parties

General People’s Congress or GPC (3 factions: pro-Hadi, pro-Houthi, pro-Salih)Nasserist Unionist People's OrganizationNational Arab Socialist Ba'ath PartySouthern Transitional Council or STCYemeni Reform Grouping or IslahYemeni Socialist Party or YSP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

mangoes/guavas, potatoes, onions, milk, sorghum, spices, watermelons, chicken, tomatoes, grapes (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$3.585 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$2.207 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2014

-$1.488 billion (2014 est.)

Current account balance 2015

-$3.026 billion (2015 est.)

Current account balance 2016

-$2.419 billion (2016 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$5.687 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

low-income Middle Eastern economy; infrastructure, trade, and economic institutions devastated by civil war; oil/gas-dependent but decreasing reserves; massive poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment; high inflation

Exchange rates

Currency

Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2018

214.89 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

486.731 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

743.006 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1,035.467 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1,114.293 (2022 est.)

Exports

Exports 2015

$1.867 billion (2015 est.)

Exports 2016

$938.469 million (2016 est.)

Exports 2017

$384.5 million (2017 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, scrap iron, gold, fish, shellfish (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

China 32%, Thailand 20%, India 12%, UAE 7%, Oman 5% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

8.8% (2018 est.)

government consumption

9.1% (2018 est.)

household consumption

126.4% (2018 est.)

imports of goods and services

-50.1% (2018 est.)

investment in fixed capital

5.8% (2018 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

28.7% (2018 est.)

industry

25.4% (2018 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

41.8% (2018 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$21.606 billion (2018 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014

36.7 (2014 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.4% (2014 est.)

lowest 10%

3% (2014 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2015

$7.697 billion (2015 est.)

Imports 2016

$8.256 billion (2016 est.)

Imports 2017

$4.079 billion (2017 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

wheat, raw iron bars, rice, garments, milk (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 26%, UAE 14%, Turkey 10%, India 10%, Oman 4% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-1.12% (2018 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2014

8.1% (2014 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

-12.6% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

24.7% (2017 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

6.883 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

48.6% (2014 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

Public debt 2017

74.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015

$90.63 billion (2015 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016

$78.28 billion (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017

$73.63 billion (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2016

-9.38% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

-5.07% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

0.75% (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2015

$3,200 (2015 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2016

$2,700 (2016 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2017

$2,500 (2017 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

19.58% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

16.01% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

20.52% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020

$969.613 million (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$1.688 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$1.251 billion (2022 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

18.25% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

17.52% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

17.22% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

38.4% (2023 est.)

male

32.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

32.7% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

373,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

385,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

8.26 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

9.017 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

165,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

165,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

2.367 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.776 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

589.902 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

65%

electrification - total population

76% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

96.1%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

79.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

20.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

3.939 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

189.432 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

189.432 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

478.555 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

3 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

60,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2020 est.)

total

391,000 (2020 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

Internet country code

.ye

Internet users

percent of population

26.6% (2022 est.)

total

8,229,624 (2022 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity is 4 per 100 but mobile cellular is 46 per 100 (2021)

general assessment

Yemen continues to provide an exceptionally challenging market for telcos; civil unrest has caused havoc and devastation across most parts of the country, while the threat of sanctions has also made it a challenging environment in which to operate; a large proportion of the population requires humanitarian assistance, and there is little disposable income for services upon which telcos can generate revenue; essential telecom infrastructure, such as mobile towers and fiber cabling, has often been targeted, destroyed, or damaged by the opposing sides in the ongoing conflict; these difficulties have proved to be a disincentive to telcos investing in infrastructure, with the result that the country lacks basic fixed-line infrastructure, and mobile services are based on outdated GSM; this has prevented the development of a mobile broadband sector, or the evolution of mobile data services; the ownership of telecommunication services, and the scrutiny of associated revenues and taxes, have become a political issue in Yemen; until telecom infrastructure can be improved across Yemen, and until civil unrest eases, there will be little progress for the sector (2022)

international

country code - 967; landing points for the FALCON, SeaMeWe-5, Aden-Djibouti, and the AAE-1 international submarine cable connecting Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Southeast Asia; 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 (2020)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1.24 million (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

46 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

15.178 million (2021 est.)

Airports

36 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

7O

Heliports

6 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 27

total

30 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

3.27 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

336,310 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

8

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Pipelines

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

Ports

key ports

Aden, Al Ahmadi, Al Mukalla, Al Mukha, Ras Isa Marine Terminal

large

1

medium

2

ports with oil terminals

6

small

2

total ports

10 (2024)

very small

5

Roadways

paved

6,200 km

total

71,300 km

unpaved

65,100 km (2005)

Military - note

government forces under the Yemeni Ministry of Defense are responsible for territorial defense, but also have internal security functions; their main focus has been the Houthi separatists and protecting Yemen’s maritime borders, which are susceptible to smuggling of arms, fighters, and other material support for the Houthis and terrorist groups operating in Yemen, including al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in Yemen (ISIS-Yemen)in 2015, a Saudi-led coalition of Arab states (UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt) intervened militarily in Yemen in support of the Republic of Yemen Government (ROYG) against the separatist Houthis; Saudi military forces conducted operations in Yemen and raised and equipped paramilitary/militia security forces in Yemen based largely on tribal or regional affiliation to deploy along the Saudi-Yemen border; UAE's participation in 2015 included several thousand ground troops, as well as supporting air and naval forces; UAE withdrew its main military force from Yemen in 2019, but has retained a smaller military presence while working with proxies in southern Yemen, most notably the Southern Transitional Council (STC); UAE has recruited, trained, and equipped tens of thousands of Yemeni fighters and formed them into dozens of militia and paramilitary unitsin 2022, the RYOG and the Houthis signed a truce, halting military operations and establishing humanitarian measures; the former front lines of conflict, in some areas mirroring Yemen’s pre -unification borders, remain static; AQAP and ISIS-Yemen have remained active in remote areas in January 2024, the US Government designated the Houthis (aka Ansarallah) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group; the designation came after the Houthis began launching attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as military forces positioned in the area to defend the safety and security of commercial shipping (2024)

Military and security forces

Republic of Yemen Government (ROYG) forces:Ministry of Defense: Yemeni National Army, Air Force and Air Defense, Navy and Coastal Defense Forces, Border Guard, Strategic Reserve Forces (includes Special Forces and Presidential Protection Brigades, which are under the Ministry of Defense but responsible to the president), Popular Committee Forces (aka Popular Resistance Forces; government-backed tribal militia)Ministry of Interior: Special Security Forces (paramilitary; formerly known as Central Security Forces), Political Security Organization (state security), National Security Bureau (intelligence), Counterterrorism Unit Saudi-backed forces: paramilitary/militia border security brigades based largely on tribal or regional affiliation (based along the Saudi-Yemen border)United Arab Emirates-backed forces include tribal and regionally based militia and paramilitary forces (concentrated in the southern governates): Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces, including the Security Belt Forces, the Shabwani and Hadrami “Elite” Forces, the Support and Backup Forces (aka Logistics and Support Forces), Facilities Protection Forces, and Anti-Terrorism Forces; Republican Forces; Joint ForcesHouthi (aka Ansarallah) forces: land, aerospace (air, missile), naval/coastal defense, presidential protection, special operations, internal security, and militia/tribal auxiliary forces (2023)

note

note 1: under the 2019 Riyadh Agreement, the STC forces were to be incorporated into Yemen’s Ministries of Defense and Interior under the authority of the HADI government note 2: a considerable portion--up to 70 percent by some estimates--of Yemen’s military and security forces defected in whole or in part to former president SALAH and the Houthi opposition in 2011-2015

Military and security service personnel strengths

information limited and widely varied; Yemen Government: up to 300,000 estimated military, paramilitary, militia, and other security forces; UAE- and Saudi-backed forces: estimated 150-200,000 trained militia and paramilitary fighters; Houthis: up to 200,000 estimated fighters (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Yemeni Government forces have an inventory consisting primarily of Russian and Soviet-era weapons and equipment   Houthi forces are armed largely with weapons seized from the Yemeni Government stockpiles, smuggled in from Iran, and manufactured copies of Iranian designs and pre-war Yemeni Government weapons, such as Chinese and Russian missiles (2024)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2001; 2-year service obligation (note - limited information since the start of the civil war in 2014) (2022)

note

note: as late as 2022, all parties to the ongoing conflict were implicated in child soldier recruitment and use; during the beginning of the truce in April 2022, the Houthis signed a plan with the UN to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers; Houthi leaders previously pledged to end the use of child soldiers in 2012, as did the Government of Yemen in 2014 

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

4.523 million (conflict in Sa'ada Governorate; clashes between al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula and government forces) (2022)

refugees (country of origin)

45,608 (Somalia), 17,812 (Ethiopia) (2023)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Yemen; al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Hizballah

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

10.61 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

8.03 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

41.61 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

limited natural freshwater 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, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

Food insecurity

widespread lack of access

due to conflict, poverty, floods, high food and fuel prices - in 2023, a partial analysis in government‑controlled areas, where approximately 25 percent of the population in acute food insecurity resides, shows that the situation remains dire; despite some improvements in security, the economic crisis and localized conflicts continue, fueled by persistent political instability, while insufficient external revenues and elevated global commodity prices on imported food limits food security (2023)

Land use

agricultural land

44.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 41.7% (2018 est.)

forest

1% (2018 est.)

other

54.5% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.04% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

3.24 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

70 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

270 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

39.8% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4,836,820 tons (2011 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

386,946 tons (2016 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

8% (2016 est.)