Yemen

Background

The Kingdom of Yemen, informally referred to as North Yemen, achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1918 and subsequently became the Yemen Arab Republic in 1962. The British established a protectorate around the southern port of Aden during the 19th century and withdrew in 1967, leading to the formation of the People's Republic of Southern Yemen, commonly known as South Yemen. Three years later, the southern administration adopted a Marxist framework and renamed the nation as the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. The migration of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north fueled two decades of animosity between the two regions, which were officially unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A secessionist movement from the south and a brief civil conflict in 1994 were swiftly suppressed. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen reached an agreement to define their border. Armed confrontations in the northwest between the government and the Houthis, a Zaydi Shia Muslim minority, persisted intermittently from 2004 to 2010, and resumed from 2014 to the present. The southern secessionist movement experienced a resurgence in 2007.

In 2011, public demonstrations in Sana'a against then-President Ali Abdallah SALIH, inspired by similar protests during the Arab Spring in Tunisia and Egypt, gradually gathered strength, driven by grievances related to high unemployment, economic hardship, and corruption. Some protests turned violent, leading to the spread of demonstrations to other significant urban areas. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) acted as a mediator during the crisis through the GCC Initiative, which stipulated that the president would resign in exchange for immunity from legal consequences. SALIH ultimately consented to resign and delegated some authority to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. Following HADI's uncontested electoral victory in 2012, SALIH formally transferred all presidential responsibilities. In line with the GCC Initiative, Yemen initiated a National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in 2013 to deliberate on essential constitutional, political, and social matters. HADI concluded the NDC in 2014 and aimed to advance with the drafting of a constitution, a constitutional referendum, and national elections.

The Houthis, feeling their concerns were overlooked in the NDC, allied with SALIH and amplified their power in northwestern Yemen, culminating in a significant offensive against military forces and rival tribes, which allowed them to seize the capital, Sana'a, in 2014. In 2015, the Houthis encircled vital government buildings, prompting HADI and his cabinet to resign. HADI initially sought refuge in Aden, where he withdrew his resignation, later moving to Oman before relocating to Saudi Arabia and requesting military intervention from the GCC in Yemen. Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition of Arab forces and initiated airstrikes, while ground clashes persisted into 2016. In that year, the UN initiated peace negotiations that ultimately did not yield an agreement. Escalating tensions between the Houthis and SALIH led to the Houthis executing SALIH. In 2018, both the Houthis and the Yemeni Government engaged in UN-facilitated peace discussions, resulting in an agreement for a limited ceasefire and the establishment of a UN mission.

In 2019, Yemen’s parliament convened for the first time since the onset of conflict in 2014. Violence erupted subsequently between HADI's administration and the pro-secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) in southern Yemen. A power-sharing agreement was reached between HADI's government and the STC to halt the fighting, and in 2020, a new cabinet was formed by the signatories. Throughout 2020 and 2021, hostilities continued as the Houthis expanded their territory and executed regular UAV and missile strikes against locations in Saudi Arabia. In 2022, the UN facilitated a temporary ceasefire between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. HADI and his vice-president resigned, leading to the establishment of an eight-member Presidential Leadership Council. Although the ceasefire officially lapsed in 2022, the involved parties largely avoided large-scale conflict up until the conclusion of 2023. Following the expiration of the ceasefire, Saudi Arabia continued discussions with the Yemeni Government and the Houthis regarding a roadmap agreement intended to establish a permanent ceasefire and a peace process under UN oversight.

Area

Climate

predominantly arid; warm and humid along the western coastline; temperate conditions prevail in the western mountains influenced by seasonal monsoons; extremely hot, dry, and severe desert conditions exist in the east

Terrain

a narrow coastal strip bordered by flat-topped hills and steep mountains; dissected desert upland plains in the center gradually descend into the desert heart of the Arabian Peninsula

Land use

Location

located in the Middle East, adjacent to the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, situated between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Coastline

1,906 km

Elevation

Irrigated land

6,800 sq km (2012)

Map references

Middle East

Land boundaries

Maritime claims

Natural hazards

occurrence of sandstorms and dust storms during summer

volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (also known as Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), an island in the Red Sea, became active in 2007; other historically active volcanoes comprise Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century

Geography - note

strategically positioned at Bab el Mandeb, the strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and serves as one of the world's busiest shipping routes

Natural resources

resources include petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; minor deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile land exists in the west

Area - comparative

nearly four times larger than Alabama; slightly more than double the size of Wyoming

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 48 00 E

Population distribution

the overwhelming majority of the population resides in the Asir Mountains (part of the expansive Sarawat Mountain range), situated in the far western portion of the nation

Literacy

Languages

Religions

Muslim 99.1% (official; nearly all are citizens, with approximately 65% identified as Sunni and 35% as Shia), other 0.9% (comprises Jewish, Baha'i, Hindu, and Christian communities; a significant number are refugees or temporary foreign residents) (2020 estimate).

Sex ratio

Birth rate

29.07 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median age

Population

Nationality

Tobacco use

Urbanization

Age structure

Ethnic groups

primarily Arab; however, there are also Afro-Arab, South Asian, and European populations.

Child marriage

Dependency ratios

Physician density

0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Health expenditure

Net migration rate

-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.65 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

Infant mortality rate

Population growth rate

2.22% (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.78 (2025 est.)

Population distribution

The vast majority of inhabitants reside in the Asir Mountains, which are part of the more extensive Sarawat Mountain range situated in the extreme western area of the nation.

Life expectancy at birth

Maternal mortality ratio

118 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation facility access

Alcohol consumption per capita

Major urban areas - population

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

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

17.1% (2016)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.8 years (2013 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

63.9% (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

40.7% (2022 est.)

Climate

predominantly arid; characterized by high heat and humidity along the western coastline; mild conditions in the western mountainous regions influenced by the seasonal monsoon; extremely high temperatures, dry conditions, and severe aridity in the eastern desert

Land use

Urbanization

Methane emissions

Waste and recycling

Environmental issues

scarce natural freshwater sources; insufficient access to drinkable water; overexploitation of grazing lands; loss of soil integrity; land degradation into desert

Total water withdrawal

Carbon dioxide emissions

Particulate matter emissions

43.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

International environmental agreements

Flag

description: consists of three horizontal stripes of equal size in red (top), white, and black

meaning: the colors of the bands are derived from the Arab Liberation flag and symbolize the struggle against oppression (black) through a violent fight (red), paving the way for a hopeful future (white)

Capital

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Constitution

Country name

Independence

22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]); notable earlier dates: 1 November 1918 (North Yemen independent from the Ottoman Empire), 27 September 1962 (North Yemen becomes republic), 30 November 1967 (South Yemen independent from the UK)

Legal system

a mixed legal system incorporating Islamic (sharia) law, Napoleonic law, English common law, and customary law

Government type

currently undergoing transition

Judicial branch

Executive branch

National holiday

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

National color(s)

red, white, black

National heritage

Political parties

General People’s Congress or GPC (comprising 3 factions: pro-Hadi, pro-Houthi, pro-Salih)
Nasserist Unionist People's Organization
National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party
Southern Transitional Council or STC
Yemeni Reform Grouping or Islah
Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP

Legislative branch

National anthem(s)

National symbol(s)

golden eagle

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

Legislative branch - lower chamber

Legislative branch - upper chamber

Diplomatic representation in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

International law organization participation

has not issued a declaration of ICJ jurisdiction; not a party state to the ICCt

Budget

Exports

Imports

Industries

extraction of crude oil and refining of petroleum; limited production of cotton textiles and leather items; processing of food; artisanal crafts; aluminum manufacturing; cement production; repair of commercial ships; extraction of natural gas

Labor force

7.848 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Remittances

Exchange rates

Debt - external

Economic overview

economically disadvantaged Middle Eastern country; civil war has severely damaged infrastructure, trade, and economic systems; reliant on oil and gas with diminishing reserves; widespread poverty, food scarcity, and unemployment; significant inflation

Unemployment rate

Exports - partners

UAE 28%, India 21%, Saudi Arabia 17%, Oman 7%, Malaysia 5% (2023)

Imports - partners

China 23%, UAE 15%, Saudi Arabia 11%, Turkey 8%, India 7% (2023)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP growth rate

Agricultural products

mangoes/guavas, potatoes, milk, onions, spices, chicken, sorghum, watermelons, tomatoes, grapes (2023)

Exports - commodities

gold, fish, scrap iron, shellfish, industrial acids/oils/alcohols (2023)

Imports - commodities

wheat, raw sugar, rice, iron bars, plastic products (2023)

Current account balance

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.278 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Industrial production growth rate

-1.1% (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Coal

Petroleum

Electricity

Natural gas

Electricity access

Energy consumption per capita

Electricity generation sources

Internet users

Broadcast media

television is governed by the state with 2 channels; radio is also state-operated, comprising 2 national radio channels and 5 local ones; broadcasts from Oman and Saudi Arabia are available.

Internet country code

.ye

Telephones - fixed lines

Telephones - mobile cellular

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Ports

Airports

37 (2025)

Heliports

6 (2025)

Merchant marine

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

7O

Military - note

The Yemeni Ministry of Defense oversees the nation's military forces, tasked with both external and internal defense. Their main concerns include the Houthi separatists (also known as Ansarallah), the terrorist organizations al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in Yemen (ISIS-Yemen), in addition to maintaining maritime security against arms trafficking. A truce was established in 2022 between the Yemeni Government and the Houthis, ceasing most hostilities and implementing humanitarian measures. The previous conflict lines, in certain regions reflecting Yemen's borders prior to unification, remain unchanged. AQAP and ISIS-Yemen persist in their activities in isolated areas (2025).

Military and security forces

Yemeni Armed Forces: Comprising the Yemeni National Army, Air Force and Air Defense, Navy and Coastal Defense Forces, Border Guard, Strategic Reserve Forces (which include Special Forces and Presidential Protection Brigades, operating under the Ministry of Defense but accountable to the president), and Popular Committee Forces (also known as Popular Resistance Forces; these are government-supported tribal militias).

Ministry of Interior: Encompassing Security Forces, Emergency Forces, and Counterterrorism Units (2025).

Military service age and obligation

Limited information is available; the legal minimum age for military service as stipulated by the Yemeni Government is 18 years (2025).

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The inventory of Yemeni Government forces is predominantly composed of older weapon systems supplied from foreign sources, primarily of Russian or Soviet origin (2025).

Military and security service personnel strengths

not available

Terrorist group(s)

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

Trafficking in persons

Refugees and internally displaced persons