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.

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

15 00 N, 48 00 E

Middle East

slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

1,906 km

mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east

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

petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west

5,500 sq km (2003)

4.1 cu km (1997)

sandstorms and dust storms in summer

limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

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

23,822,783 (July 2009 est.)

3.453% (2009 est.)

42.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

7.61 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

NA (2009 est.)

6.32 children born/woman (2009 est.)

0.1% (2001 est.)

12,000 (2001 est.)

NA

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

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

Arabic

9.6% of GDP (2001)

republic

19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz

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)

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

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

18 years of age; universal

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)

Supreme Court

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

Muslim Brotherhood; Women National Committee

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)

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

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.

$55.29 billion (2008 est.)

$53.58 billion (2007)

$51.77 billion (2006)

$27.56 billion (2008 est.)

3.2% (2008 est.)

3.5% (2007 est.)

3.2% (2006 est.)

$2,400 (2008 est.)

$2,400 (2007 est.)

$2,400 (2006 est.)

6.494 million (2008 est.)

35% (2003 est.)

45.2% (2003)

37.7 (2005)

26.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

31.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

18% (2008 est.)

10% (2007 est.)

NA% (31 December 2008)

18% (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$3.076 billion (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$4.526 billion (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.224 billion (31 December 2007)

$NA

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

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

2.5% (2008 est.)

5.017 billion kWh (2006 est.)

3.804 billion kWh (2006 est.)

0 kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2007 est.)

320,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

135,400 bbl/day (2006 est.)

336,600 bbl/day (2005)

62,850 bbl/day (2005)

3 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

0 cu m (2007 est.)

0 cu m (2007 est.)

0 cu m (2007 est.)

0 cu m (2007 est.)

478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

$-2.175 billion (2008 est.)

$9.234 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

China 23.3%, India 20.4%, Thailand 19.1%, Japan 7.2%, UAE 5%, US 4.2% (2007)

$9.215 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

UAE 15.1%, China 11.6%, US 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 7.1%, Kuwait 5.3%, Germany 4.8% (2007)

$8.306 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$6.472 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

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

968,300 (2006)

2.978 million (2006)

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

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

.ye

167 (2008)

320,000 (2007)

54 (2008)

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

Aden, Hudaydah, Mukalla

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

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

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

6.6% of GDP (2006)

a Coast Guard was established in 2002

Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities