Yemen Facts

by countryaah · Published June 3, 2019 · Updated April 25, 2020

Yemen, state on the southwest tip of the Arabian Peninsula; 531,000 km², 28.5 million residents (2019).Yemen borders in the north to Saudi Arabia and in the east to Oman, and has a coast to the Arabian Sea in the south-east, the Gulf of Aden in the south and the Red Sea in the west. Yemen also includes the islands of Sokotra in the Arabian Sea, Perim in the strait Bab-el-mandeb and Kamaran in the Red Sea. The borders of Saudi Arabia and Oman have not been definitively established. The capital is Sana (2.1 million residents, 2012).

Country facts

al-Jumhuriyya al-Yamaniyya / Republic of Yemen
Country abbreviation: YE
Area: 531 000 km²
Population (2019): 28.5 million residents
Capital: Sana
Main language: (high) Arabic
State: Republic
Head of State: Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi
Head of Government: Muin Abd al-Malik Said
Per capita GDP (2018): US $ 944
GNI per capita (2018): US $ 960
Currency unit: 1 riyal = 100 fils
Currency code: YER
Country number (telephony): 967
Internet Domain Name: ye
Time difference compared to Sweden: +2
National Day: May 22 (Republican Unification, 1990)

Nature

Land use: forest (4%), agricultural land (3%), other (93%)
Highest mountain: Hadur Shuayb (3,760 m asl)

Population

Population density (2019): 54 residents per km²
Natural population growth (2019): 2.5%; birth number 31 ‰, death figure 6 ‰
Age structure (2019): 0-14 years (40%), 15-64 (57%), 65- (3%)
Average life expectancy (2019): men 64 years, women 68 years
Infant mortality (2019): 43 per 1,000 live births
Population forecast 2050: 48 million residents
HDI (2017): 0.452 (place 178 of 189)
Urbanization rate (2019): 37%
Most populous cities (2012): Sana (1.9 million residents), Aden (760 900)

Business

Industry’s contribution to GDP (2017): agriculture (20%), industry (12%), service (68%)
Exports (2017): US $ 384 million
Main export product: crude oil, coffee
Main exporting countries: Egypt, Thailand, Belarus
Imports (2017): US $ 4,079 million
Main import products: food, machinery, chemicals
Main Importing Countries: United Arab Emirates, China, India
Railway network: nothing in operation

To the west, the country is mountainous with several peaks over 3,000 meters above sea level. At the Red Sea, the dry coastal plain of Tihama is spreading. The coastal plain towards Adenviken passes north on the Hadramawt limestone plateau, which decreases in height from west to east. To the north, there is a desert plateau, which in eastern Yemen reaches as far as the coast. The country has a dry tropical climate, where the altitude variations have a strong influence on the temperature conditions.

According to the country’s constitution, Yemen is an Arab and Islamic republic. The head of state is the president, who is elected in direct elections for seven years. The president is also commander-in-chief and appoints himself the vice-president and the entire government (following proposals from the prime ministerial candidate). The legislative power lies primarily with the House of Representatives, whose members are elected in general elections for six years.

Yemen, formed in 1990 when North Yemen and South Yemen were united, is one of the poorest countries in the region. The country’s economy is highly dependent on oil and gas exports; the oil accounts for three-quarters of government revenue. The waters off the coast are rich in fish, and during the 1990s some investments were made in the fishing industry. The industry outside the oil and gas production is poorly developed and concentrated in the area around Aden.

Since 2011, the country has been plagued by local revolts and rising violence.