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Yemen, Rep.
Yemen, Rep.
Population
40.6M
Rank #38Source: World Bank
Capital
Sana'a
Source: REST Countries
Region
Africa
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Source: REST Countries
GDP (Nominal)
$21.61B
Source: World Bank
Land Area
528.0K km²
Rank #50Source: REST Countries
Life Expectancy
69.295 yrs
Source: World Bank
Historical Trends
Population Trend (5-Year)
Source: World Bank
GDP Trend (5-Year, Nominal USD)
Source: World Bank
Geography
Area: 527,968 km²
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
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
Elevation: mean elevation: 999 m lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,666 m
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,...
Environmental Issues: limited natural freshwater resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Land Use: agricultural land: 44.5% (2011 est.) forest: 1% (2011 est.) other: 54.5% (2011 est.)
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
Natural Resources
petroleumfishrock saltmarblesmall deposits of coalgoldleadnickeland copperfertile soil in west
People & Society
Fertility Rate
4.59
Population
40.6M
Religions
Muslim (99.1%)an estimated 65% are Sunni and (35%)other (0.9%)
Economy
GDP per Capita
$633.887
GDP per Capita PPP
3,164.322
(2013)
(2013)
GNI per Capita
740
(2018)
(2018)
Gini Index
36.7
(2014)
(2014)
Unemployment
16.97%
(2024)
(2024)
Inflation
8.105%
(2014)
(2014)
Public Debt
Not Available
Energy
Electricity Access
83.6%
(2023)
(2023)
Renewable Energy
3.7%
(2021)
(2021)
CO₂ Emissions
10.58 Mt
(2024)
(2024)
Energy Intensity
2.07 MJ/$
(2021)
(2021)
Renewable Electricity
21.085%
(2021)
(2021)
Environment
Forest Coverage
1.04% of land
(2023)
(2023)
Communications
Internet Users
13.815%
(2020)
(2020)
Mobile Penetration
50.894%
(2023)
(2023)
Broadband Subscribers
1.271%
(2022)
(2022)
Transportation
Air Transport Freight
49.725 M ton-km
(2023)
(2023)
Container Port Traffic
418,711 TEU
(2021)
(2021)
Airports
4,979
Rail Lines
N/A
Roads Total
N/A
Military
Military Forces
Land Forces (includes seven Military Regional Commands, supported by Strategic Reserve Forces), Naval and Coastal Defense Forces (includes naval infantry/marines and Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense...
Personnel Strength
N/A; note: prior to the civil war, Yemeni Government armed forces had approximately 70,000 active personnel, including about 60,000 Army
Military Expenditure (USD)
$1.71B
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)
3.97%
Military Expenditure History
3.98% of GDP (2014) 4.08% of GDP (2013) 4.57% of GDP (2012) 4.19% of GDP (2011)
Equipment & Inventories
the inventory of the Yemeni Government forces consists primarily of Russian and Soviet-era equipment, although much of it has been lost in the current conflict; since 2010, it has received limited...
Service Age & Obligation
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 2-year service obligation
Education
Pre-Primary Enrollment
1.593%
(2016)
(2016)
Primary Enrollment
76.975%
(2016)
(2016)
Secondary Enrollment
43.691%
(2016)
(2016)
Tertiary Enrollment
8.807%
(2011)
(2011)
Education Spending
Not Available
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
26.93:1
(2016)
(2016)
Health
Physicians per 1,000
0.098
(2023)
(2023)
Safe Water Access
75.036%
(2024)
(2024)
Safe Drinking Water
Not Available
Under-5 Mortality
39.3 per 1,000
(2023)
(2023)
Maternal Mortality (World Bank)
16.596 per 100,000
(2021)
(2021)
Hospital Beds per 1,000
63.089
(2021)
(2021)
UHC Coverage Index
43
(2023)
(2023)
Measles Immunization
42%
(2024)
(2024)
Social Indicators
Extreme Poverty Rate
33.3%
(2014)
(2014)
Food Insecurity
Not Available
Youth NEET Rate
24.525%
(2014)
(2014)
Governance
Women in Government
Not Available
Voice & Accountability
-1.55
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Political Stability
-2.56
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Government Effectiveness
-2.27
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Regulatory Quality
-1.84
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Rule of Law
-1.84
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Control of Corruption
-1.65
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Government
Government Type
in transition
Legal System
mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law, Napoleonic law, English common law, and customary law
Executive Branch
chief of state: President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (since 21 February 2012); Vice President ALI MUHSIN al-Ahmar, Lt. Gen. (since 3 April 2016) head of government: Prime Minister Maeen Abd al-Malik SAEED...
Legislative Branch
description: bicameral Parliament or Majlis consists of:Shura Council or Majlis Alshoora (111 seats; members appointed by the president; member tenure NA) House of Representatives or Majlis al Nuwaab...
Judicial Branch
highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the court president, 2 deputies, and nearly 50 judges; court organized into constitutional, civil, commercial, family, administrative, criminal, military,...
National Symbols
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...
National Symbols
golden eagle; national colors: red, white, black
National Anthem
name: "al-qumhuriyatu l-muttahida" (United Republic) lyrics/music: Abdullah Abdulwahab NOA'MAN/Ayyoab Tarish ABSI note: adopted 1990; the music first served as the anthem for South Yemen before...
Safety
Homicide Rate
5.81 per 100,000
(2013)
(2013)
Travel Information
Language(s): Arabic
Currency: YER (﷼)
Timezone(s): UTC+03:00
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
Driving Side: Right
Calling Code: +967
Car Sign: YAR
Week Starts: Sunday
Photos
A thick dust cloud travels southward from Saudi Arabia's Rub al Khali sand sea towards the edge of the Arabian Peninsula. This natural-color satellite image shows the dense part of the cloud approaching Yemen (lower left) and translucent swirls of dust over the Arabian Sea.Lines of small clouds cling to the margins of the dust plumes south of Oman (lower right). These clouds may result from the same weather front that kicked up high winds and stirred the dust storm. This region is one of the world's most prolific dust-producing areas, thanks in part to the presence of the sand sea. The Rub al Khali holds about half as much sand as the Sahara Desert. Image courtesy of NASA.
A thick dust cloud travels southward from Saudi Arabia's Rub al Khali sand sea towards the edge of the Arabian Peninsula. This natural-color satellite image shows the dense part of the cloud approaching Yemen (lower left) and translucent swirls of dust over the Arabian Sea.Lines of small clouds cling to the margins of the dust plumes south of Oman (lower right). These clouds may result from the same weather front that kicked up high winds and stirred the dust storm. This region is one of the world's most prolific dust-producing areas, thanks in part to the presence of the sand sea. The Rub al Khali holds about half as much sand as the Sahara Desert. Image courtesy of NASA. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
Area comparison map
Area comparison map • CIA World Factbook • 2020
2 photos available
Data sources: World Bank, UN Data • Updated daily •Learn about our data