Yemen
Country Guide

Explore Yemen

Yemen with its capital Sanaa is located in Asia (Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea). It covers some 527,969 square kilometers (almost four times the size of Alabama) with a population of 28,036,800. Arabic is the official language spoken by people in Yemen. As an interesting fact, is sharing borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Travel to Yemen is strongly discouraged due to a state of severe political crisis, as well as a very high threat of terrorist attacks, abductions, tribal violence and general lawlessness. Terrorist groups actively target tourist groups, with targeted suicide bombings and armed ambushes occurring yearly since 2007.

Popular Destinations in Yemen

Administrative regions of Yemen

• Al Bayda Governorate
• Al Hudaydah Governorate
• Al Mahrah
• Al Mahwit
• Amanat Al Asimah
• Ibb
• Muhafazat 'Adan
• Muhafazat Abyan
• Muhafazat Dhamar
• Muhafazat Hadramawt
• Muhafazat Hajjah
• Muhafazat Lahij
• Muhafazat Ma'rib
• Muhafazat Raymah
• Muhafazat Sa'dah
• Muhafazat Ta`izz
• Muhafazat `Amran
• Muhafazat ad Dali'
• Muhafazat al Jawf
• Sanaa
• Shabwah
• Socotra

About the country

The topography is narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains with dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula. The average density of population is about 53 per km². The climate in Yemen can be described as mostly deserthot and humid along west coast, temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon, extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east. Potential natural disasters are 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, sandstorms and dust storms in summer

To reach someone Yemen dial +967 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 3G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".ye". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: A, D, G). The sign for the locally used currency Rial is YER.

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).

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. The UN brokered a cessation of hostilities (COH) that reduced airstrikes and fighting across the country for several months in mid-2016. Meanwhile, UN-backed peace talks in Kuwait broke down in August 2016 without agreement. The conflict escalated, and subsequent attempts to declare a COH or resume peace talks have failed. 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.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 51)	527,968	sq km
Land (World Rank: 49)	527,968	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 34)	41.70	%
Comparative	almost four times the size of Alabama; slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
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)
Coastline
1906
Landborder
1601
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 52)	3,666	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 84)	44.50	%
Arable (World Rank: 179)	2.20	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 145)	0.60	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 34)	41.70	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 52)	6,800	sq km
Map reference
Middle East
Environment
Issues	- desertification - inadequate supplies of potable water - limited natural freshwater resources - overgrazing - soil erosion
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Environmental Modification - Hazardous Wastes - Law of the Sea - Ozone Layer Protection
Hazzards	- 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, - sandstorms and dust storms in summer
Location
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Climate
mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east
Terrain
narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 48)	28,036,800
Deathrate (World Rank: 166)	0.60	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 42)	2.84	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 32)	2.28	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 64)	0.04	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 40)	3.63	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 196)	19.30
Female (World Rank: 201)	19.60
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 34)	5,681,080
0 14 female (World Rank: 34)	5,485,960
15 24 male (World Rank: 36)	3,015,230
15 24 female (World Rank: 37)	2,930,330
25 54 male (World Rank: 51)	4,625,970
25 54 female (World Rank: 53)	4,422,420
55 64 male (World Rank: 69)	506,759
55 64 female (World Rank: 64)	598,973
65 x male (World Rank: 78)	353,953
65 x female (World Rank: 85)	416,155
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 38)	4.60	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 173)	66	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 172)	68	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 173)	64	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 139)	0.31
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 159)	0.70
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 157)	53.30	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 120)	17.10	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 197)	54.90	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 121)	5,006,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 131)	3,634,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 35)	99.00	%
Source renew (World Rank: 116)	2.00	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 66)	21,670	bbl / day
Exports (World Rank: 42)	49,590	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 30)	3,000,000,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 80)	56,840	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 72)	140,000	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 62)	27,290	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 62)	84,340	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 55)	2,850,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 94)	1,190,000,000	m³
Export (World Rank: 22)	8,800,000,000	m³
Carbon footprint
22000000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 87)	5	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 17)	4	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 123)	6	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 196)	-12	% of GDP
National symbol
golden eagle
National colours
white
Adjective
Yemeni
Noun
Yemeni(s)
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. The UN brokered a cessation of hostilities (COH) that reduced airstrikes and fighting across the country for several months in mid-2016. Meanwhile, UN-backed peace talks in Kuwait broke down in August 2016 without agreement. The conflict escalated, and subsequent attempts to declare a COH or resume peace talks have failed. 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.
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)

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 96)	69,170,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 214)	-9.80	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 196)	2,400	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 42)	21.80	%
Source industry (World Rank: 205)	9.80	%
Source service (World Rank: 76)	68.40	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 65)	7,418,000
In poverty (World Rank: 18)	54.00	%
Products
Industries	- aluminum products - cement - commercial ship repair - crude oil production - food processing - handicrafts - leather goods - natural gas production - petroleum refining - small-scale production of cotton textiles
Agriculture	- camels - cattle - coffee - cotton - dairy products - fish - fruits - goats - grain - livestock - poultry - pulses - qat - sheep - vegetables
Exports	- coffee - crude oil - dried - liquefied natural gas - salted fish
Imports	- chemicals - equipment - food - live animals - machinery

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 70)	1,213,000
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 165)	4.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 192)	64.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 63)	6,732,930
Population (World Rank: 175)	24.60	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 88)	17.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 70)	40.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 67)	71,300
Paved length (World Rank: 93)	6,200
Unpaved length (World Rank: 30)	65,100

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