Yemen

Internet country code

.ye

Internet hosts

242 (2009) country comparison to the world: 184

Internet users

370,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 115

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

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

1.117 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 72

Telephones - mobile cellular

3.7 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 96

Television broadcast stations

3 (including one Egypt-based station that broadcasts in Yemen); plus several repeaters (2007)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $9.243 billion expenditures: $10.36 billion (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate

18% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 24 18% (31 December 2007)

Current account balance

-$1.113 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 -$1.547 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$5.977 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $6.044 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37.7 (2005) country comparison to the world: 76 33.4 (1998)

Economy - overview

Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported average annual growth in the range of 3-4% from 2000 through 2007. In 2008, growth declined slightly as the price of oil dropped and the slowing global economy reduced demand for oil. Yemen's economic fortunes depend mostly on declining oil resources, but the country is trying to diversify its earnings. In 2006, Yemen began an economic reform program designed to bolster non-oil sectors of the economy and foreign investment. As a result of the program, international donors pledged about $5 billion for development projects. A liquefied natural gas facility is scheduled to open in 2009. Yemen has limited exposure to the international financial system and no capital markets, however, the global financial crisis probably will reduce international aid in 2009.

Electricity - consumption

4.133 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

5.665 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Exchange rates

Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar - 199.76 (2008 est.), 199.14 (2007), 197.18 (2006), 192.67 (2005), 184.78 (2004)

Exports

$8.977 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $7.05 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Exports - partners

China 28.4%, Thailand 23.6%, India 16.1%, South Africa 13.4%, Japan 4.7% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$26.91 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$55.41 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $53.69 billion (2007 est.) $51.87 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 10.3% industry: 56.5% services: 33.2% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 $2,500 (2007 est.) $2,500 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 3.5% (2007 est.) 3.2% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$8.829 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 $7.49 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners

UAE 14.7%, India 11.7%, China 11.3%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Kuwait 5.2% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

2.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Industries

crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement; commercial ship repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

19% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202 10% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

25.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Labor force

6.454 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

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

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Natural gas - proved reserves

478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Oil - consumption

149,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Oil - exports

274,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Oil - imports

65,860 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Oil - production

300,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Oil - proved reserves

3 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Population below poverty line

45.2% (2003)

Public debt

28.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 46.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$8.157 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $7.759 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$NA (31 December 2008) $2.224 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$NA (31 December 2008) $3.076 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$NA (31 December 2008) $4.526 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

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

Area

total: 527,968 sq km country comparison to the world: 49 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 3,667 m

Environment - current issues

limited natural fresh water 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

5,500 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

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

21 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Amanat al 'Asimah, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Raymah, Sa'dah, San'a', 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 Stephen A. SECHE 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 Abd al-Wahab Abdallah al-HAJRI chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad MUJAWWAR (since 31 March 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 20 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2013); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 77.2%, Faysal BIN SHAMLAN 21.8%

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; 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 organization participation

AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: last held on 27 April 2003 (scheduled April 2009 election postponed for two years) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

National holiday

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Political parties and leaders

General People's Congress or GPC [Abdul-Kader BAJAMMAL]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Mohammed Abdullah AL-YADOUMI (acting)]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdal Malik al-MAKHLAFI]; National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr. Qasim SALAM]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]; note - there are at least seven more active political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

Muslim Brotherhood; Women National Committee other: conservative tribal groups

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 in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 5,080,038 females age 16-49: 4,852,555 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 3,733,704 females age 16-49: 3,773,626 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 273,624 female: 263,402 (2009 est.)

Military - note

a Coast Guard was established in 2002

Military branches

Army (includes Republican Guard), Navy (includes Marines), Yemen Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Yemeniya; includes Air Defense Force) (2009)

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: 46.2% (male 5,602,590/female 5,398,103) 15-64 years: 51.3% (male 6,212,378/female 6,009,401) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 288,501/female 311,810) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

42.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Death rate

7.61 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Education expenditures

9.6% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 5

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: 157

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

12,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Infant mortality rate

total: 54.7 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 45 male: 59.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

Arabic

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 63.27 years country comparison to the world: 173 male: 61.3 years female: 65.33 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50.2% male: 70.5% female: 30% (2003 est.)

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)

Median age

total: 16.8 years male: 16.7 years female: 16.8 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Net migration rate

NA (2009 est.)

Population

23,822,783 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Population growth rate

3.453% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Religions

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

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: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.32 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Urbanization

urban population: 31% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 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): 91,587 (Somalia) (2007)

Airports

55 (2009) country comparison to the world: 85

Airports - with paved runways

total: 18 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 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 37 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 4 country comparison to the world: 135 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 13 (North Korea 2, Moldova 1, Panama 6, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Sierra Leone 2, unknown 1) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 96 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,367 km (2008)

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