Yemen

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 hosts

33,206 (2012) country comparison to the world: 105

Internet users

2.349 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 71

Telephone system

general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have been made to create a national telecommunications network domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, tropospheric scatter, GSM and CDMA mobile-cellular telephone systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity remains low by regional standards 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

Telephones - main lines in use

1.075 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 74

Telephones - mobile cellular

11.668 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 68

Agriculture - products

grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish

Budget

revenues: $7.63 billion expenditures: $12.01 billion (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-12% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Central bank discount rate

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate

25% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 25% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

-$2.19 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 -$1.663 billion (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$6.726 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $6.314 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37.7 (2005) country comparison to the world: 72 33.4 (1998)

Economy - overview

Yemen is a low income country that is highly dependent on declining oil resources for revenue. Petroleum accounts for roughly 25% of GDP and 70% of government revenue. Yemen has tried to counter the effects of its declining oil resources by diversifying its economy through an economic reform program initiated in 2006 that is designed to bolster non-oil sectors of the economy and foreign investment. In October 2009, Yemen exported its first liquefied natural gas as part of this diversification effort. In January 2010, the international community established the Friends of Yemen group that aims to support Yemen's efforts toward economic and political reform. The Arab revolution that began in early 2011 caused GDP to plunge more than 10% in 2011, and GDP in 2012 began a modest recovery but has not reached pre-2011 levels. Yemen continues to face difficult long term challenges, including declining water resources, high unemployment, and a high population growth rate.

Exchange rates

Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar - 215.6 (2012 est.) 213.8 (2011 est.) 219.59 (2010 est.) 202.85 (2009) 199.76 (2008)

Exports

$7.958 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $8.662 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

China 29.5%, Thailand 13.4%, South Korea 10.6%, India 7.5%, Japan 6%, US 5.8%, UAE 4.7% (2011)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$36.37 billion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$57.76 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $58.91 billion (2011 est.) $65.8 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 7.9% industry: 40.6% services: 51.5% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,200 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 189 $2,300 (2011 est.) $2,700 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

-1.9% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 -10.5% (2011 est.) 7.7% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 30.8% (2005)

Imports

$8.893 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $8.248 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners

UAE 18.8%, China 11.8%, Saudi Arabia 8.9%, Kuwait 6.6%, India 6.5%, France 4.7%, US 4.2% (2011)

Industrial production growth rate

9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.4% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 202 19.5% (2011 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

17.8% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Labor force

7.158 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Labor force - by occupation

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

45.2% (2003)

Public debt

42.5% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 36.9% of GDP (2011 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$4.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $4.531 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$10.59 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 $10.17 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$8.817 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $7.662 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$4.868 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $4.645 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Unemployment rate

35% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

26.5 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Crude oil - exports

191,100 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Crude oil - production

162,100 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Crude oil - proved reserves

2.88 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Electricity - consumption

4.7 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Electricity - installed generating capacity

1.33 million kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Electricity - production

6.339 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Natural gas - consumption

760 million cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Natural gas - exports

5.48 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Natural gas - production

6.24 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Natural gas - proved reserves

478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Refined petroleum products - consumption

177,000 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Refined petroleum products - exports

18,140 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Refined petroleum products - imports

61,950 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Refined petroleum products - production

83,130 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Area

total: 527,968 sq km country comparison to the world: 50 land: 527,968 sq km water: 0 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)

Area - comparative

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 extremes

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

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, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 6.63 cu km/yr (4%/1%/95%) per capita: 316 cu m/yr (2000)

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 (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Land use

arable land: 2.91% permanent crops: 0.25% other: 96.84% (2005)

Location

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards

sandstorms and dust storms in summer volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (elev. 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

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

Total renewable water resources

4.1 cu km (1997)

Administrative divisions

20 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) and 1 municipality*; Abyan, 'Adan (Aden), Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Amanat al 'Asimah (Sanaa City)*, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Raymah, Sa'dah, San'a' (Sanaa), Shabwah, Ta'izz

Capital

name: Sanaa geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Yemen conventional short form: Yemen local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah local short form: Al Yaman former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald M. FEIERSTEIN embassy: Sa'awan Street, Sanaa mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa telephone: [967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266 FAX: [967] (1) 303-182

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adel Ali Ahmed AL-SUNAINI chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

Executive branch

chief of state: President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (Field Marshal) (since 25 February 2012) head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Salim BA SINDWAH (since 27 November 2011) cabinet: on 27 November 2011, Vice President HADI requested Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Salim BA SINDWAH to form a new government following the resignation of President SALIH on 24 November (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term based on constitution; however a special election was held on 21 February 2012 to remove Ali Abdallah SALIH based on a GCC-mediated deal during the political crisis of 2011 (next election to be held in 2014); vice president appointed by the president but position is vacant; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI elected as a consensus president with about 50% popular participation; no other candidates

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: 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

republic

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]); note - previously North Yemen became independent in November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and became a republic with the overthrow of the theocratic Imamate in 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 (compliant country), 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, 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 (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats; members appointed by the president) and House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies to serve six-year terms) elections: last held on 27 April 2003 (scheduled April 2009 election postponed for two years) election results: House of Representatives percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GPC 238, Islah 47, YSP 6, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 5

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 unification with North Yemen in 1990

National holiday

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

National symbol(s)

golden eagle

Political parties and leaders

General People's Congress or GPC [Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Muhammed Abdallah AL-YADUMI]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Sultan al-ATWANI]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Yasin Said NU'MAN]; note - there are at least seven more active political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

North Yemen became independent of 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 a delimitation of their border. Fighting in the northwest between the government and Huthi rebels, a group seeking a return to traditional Zaydi Islam, began in 2004 and has since resulted in six rounds of fighting - the last ended in early 2010 with a ceasefire that continues to hold. The southern secessionist movement was revitalized in 2008 when a popular socioeconomic protest movement initiated the prior year took on political goals including secession. Public rallies in Sana'a against 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. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in late April 2011, in an attempt to mediate the crisis in Yemen, proposed an agreement in which the president would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution. SALIH's refusal to sign an agreement led to heavy street fighting and his injury in an explosion in June 2011. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2014 in October 2011 calling on both sides to end the violence and complete a power transfer deal. In late November 2011, President SALIH signed the GCC-brokered agreement to step down and to transfer some of his powers to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. Following elections in February 2012, won by HADI, SALIH formally transferred his powers.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 5,652,256 females age 16-49: 5,387,160 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 4,056,944 females age 16-49: 4,116,895 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 287,141 female: 277,612 (2010 est.)

Military - note

a Coast Guard was established in 2002

Military branches

Land Forces, Naval Forces (includes Marines), Air Force (includes Air Defense Force), Border Guards (2012)

Military expenditures

6.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 7

Military service age and obligation

voluntary military service program authorized in 2001; 2-year service obligation (2006)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.5% (male 5,363,542/ female 5,169,554) 15-64 years: 54.9% (male 6,900,477/ female 6,690,816) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 306,186/ female 341,234) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

32.57 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

43.1% (2003) country comparison to the world: 2

Death rate

6.82 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Education expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 54

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

12,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Health expenditures

5.6% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 125

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

total: 53.5 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 38 male: 57.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.11 years country comparison to the world: 172 male: 62.05 years female: 66.27 years (2012 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.9% male: 81.2% female: 46.8% (2010 est.)

Major cities - population

SANAA (capital) 2.229 million (2009)

Major infectious diseases

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 (2009)

Maternal mortality rate

200 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 56

Median age

total: 18.3 years male: 18.3 years female: 18.4 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Physicians density

0.3 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

24,771,809 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Population growth rate

2.575% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Religions

Muslim (Islam - official) including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shia), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 94% of population rural: 33% of population total: 52% of population unimproved: urban: 6% of population rural: 67% of population total: 48% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 9 years male: 11 years female: 7 years (2005)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.45 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Urbanization

urban population: 32% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 4.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

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

refugees (country of origin): 4,686 (Ethiopia) (2011); 226,909 (Somalia) (2013) IDPs: at least 431,000 (conflict in Sa'ada governorate; clashes between AQAP and government forces) (2012)

Airports

57 (2012) country comparison to the world: 84

Airports - with paved runways

total: 17 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 40 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (2012)

Merchant marine

total: 5 country comparison to the world: 126 by type: chemical tanker 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 14 (Moldova 4, Panama 4, Sierra Leone 2, Togo 1, unknown 3) (2010)

Pipelines

gas 423 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,367 km (2010)

Ports and terminals

Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla

Roadways

total: 71,300 km country comparison to the world: 65 paved: 6,200 km unpaved: 65,100 km (2005)

Transportation - note

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 by more than half in 2010