2025 Edition Primary

Background

<p>The Kingdom of Yemen (colloquially known as North Yemen) became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1918 and in 1962 became the Yemen Arab Republic. 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 the People's Republic of Southern Yemen (colloquially known as South Yemen). Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist orientation and changed the country's name to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. The exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states, which 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 delineate their border. Fighting in the northwest between the government and the Houthis, a Zaydi Shia Muslim minority, continued intermittently from 2004 to 2010, and then again from 2014 to the present. The southern secessionist movement was revitalized in 2007.</p> <p>Public rallies in Sana'a against then President Ali Abdallah SALIH -- inspired by similar Arab Spring demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt -- slowly gained momentum in 2011, fueled by complaints over high unemployment, poor economic conditions, and corruption. Some protests resulted in violence, and the demonstrations spread to other major cities. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) mediated the crisis with the GCC Initiative, an agreement in which the president would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution. SALIH eventually agreed to step down and transfer some powers to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. After HADI's uncontested election victory in 2012, SALIH formally transferred all presidential powers. In accordance with the GCC Initiative, Yemen launched a National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in 2013 to discuss key constitutional, political, and social issues. HADI concluded the NDC in 2014 and planned to proceed with constitutional drafting, a constitutional referendum, and national elections.</p> <p>The Houthis, perceiving their grievances were not addressed in the NDC, joined forces with SALIH and expanded their influence in northwestern Yemen, which culminated in a major offensive against military units and rival tribes and enabled their forces to overrun the capital, Sana'a, in 2014. In 2015, the Houthis surrounded key government facilities, prompting HADI and the cabinet to resign. HADI fled first to Aden -- where he rescinded his resignation -- and then to Oman before moving to Saudi Arabia and asking the GCC to intervene militarily in Yemen. Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition of Arab militaries and began airstrikes, and ground fighting continued through 2016. In 2016, the UN initiated peace talks that ended without agreement. Rising tensions between the Houthis and SALIH culminated in Houthi forces killing SALIH. In 2018, the Houthis and the Yemeni Government participated in UN-brokered peace talks, agreeing to a limited cease-fire and the establishment of a UN mission. <br><br>In 2019, Yemen’s parliament convened for the first time since the conflict broke out in 2014. Violence then erupted between HADI's government and the pro-secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) in southern Yemen. HADI's government and the STC signed a power-sharing agreement to end the fighting, and in 2020, the signatories formed a new cabinet. In 2020 and 2021, fighting continued as the Houthis gained territory and also conducted regular UAV and missile attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia. In 2022, the UN brokered a temporary truce between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. HADI and his vice-president resigned and were replaced by an eight-person Presidential Leadership Council. Although the truce formally expired in 2022, the parties nonetheless refrained from large-scale conflict through the end of 2023. Saudi Arabia, after the truce expired, continued to negotiate with the Yemeni Government and Houthis on a roadmap agreement that would include a permanent ceasefire and a peace process under UN auspices.</p>

Area

Land

527,968 sq km

Note

<strong>note:</strong> 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)

Total

527,968 sq km

Water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

almost four times the size of Alabama; 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

Continent

Asia

Elevation

Highest point

Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,666 m

Lowest point

Arabian Sea 0 m

Mean elevation

999 m

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 and one of world's most active shipping lanes

Irrigated land

6,800 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

Border countries

Oman 294 km; Saudi Arabia 1,307 km

number of neighbors

2

Total

1,601 km

Land use

Agricultural land

44.4% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.2% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 41.7% (2023 est.)

arable land

2.19%

Forest

1% (2023 est.)

Other

54.5% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

0.56%

Landlocked

No

Location

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

Map links

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/WCmE76HKcLideQQw7

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/305092

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

Contiguous zone

24 nm

Continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

sandstorms and dust storms in summer <br><br><strong>volcanism:</strong> limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, became active in 2007; 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

Population distribution

the vast majority of the population is found in the Asir Mountains (part of the larger Sarawat Mountain system), located in the far western region of the country

Subregion

Western Asia

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

Time zone

UTC+03:00

number of time zones

1

Age structure

0-14 years

34.4% (male 5,622,998/female 5,430,285)

15-64 years

62.2% (male 10,112,603/female 9,865,805)

65 years and over

3.4% (2024 est.) (male 485,538/female 623,214)

Alcohol consumption per capita

Beer

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

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

Child marriage

Women married by age 15

6.5% (2023)

Women married by age 18

29.6% (2023)

Children under 5 years underweight

48.5%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

40.7% (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

63.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

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

adult female

132 per 1,000

adult male

193 per 1,000

Dependency ratios

Elderly dependency ratio

5.4 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

18.4 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

70.2 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

64.8 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

Improved: rural

rural: 51.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 61.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 77.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 48.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 38.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 22.8% of population (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asian, European

Gross reproduction rate

1.78 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

10 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

4.3% of GDP (2015)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

2.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1%

Infant mortality rate

Female

39 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

49.9 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

21 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

42.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Arabic (official)

Major-language sample(s)

<br>كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Note

<strong>note:</strong> a distinct Socotri language is widely used on Socotra Island and Archipelago; Mahri is still fairly widely spoken in eastern Yemen

number of languages

1

Life expectancy at birth

Female

70.6 years

Male

65.8 years

Total population

68.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

Female

54.1% (2023 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

Female

22.2 years

Male

21.9 years

Total

20.5 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.8 years (2013 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

Adjective

Yemeni

Noun

Yemeni(s)

Net migration rate

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

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

17.1% (2016)

Physician density

0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

Female

17,229,957

Male

17,275,539

Total

34,505,496 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

2.22% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim 99.1% (official; virtually all are citizens, an estimated 65% are Sunni and 35% are Shia), other 0.9% (includes Jewish, Baha'i, Hindu, and Christian; many are refugees or temporary foreign residents) (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved total

43.12%

Improved: rural

rural: 44.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 59.9% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 83.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 55.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 40.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 16.9% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

At birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

Female

7.3% (2025 est.)

Male

33.1% (2025 est.)

Total

20.2% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.65 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Rate of urbanization

3.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban population

39.8% of total population (2023)

Vaccination rate

measles

41%

Administrative divisions

22 governorates (<em>muhafazat</em>, singular - <em>muhafazah</em>); 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

Capital

Etymology

the name is reputed to mean "fortified place" in an ancient language

Geographic coordinates

15 21 N, 44 12 E

Name

Sanaa

Time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth

no

Citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Yemen; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen

Dual citizenship recognized

no

Residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Coat of arms

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/ye.svg

Constitution

History

adopted by referendum 16 May 1991 (following unification)

Country name

alternative spellings

YE, Yemeni Republic, al-Jumhūriyyah al-Yamaniyyah

Conventional long form

Republic of Yemen

Conventional short form

Yemen

Etymology

the name origin is unclear but may come from the Arabic word <em>al-yamin</em>, meaning "the right," as a reference to its geographic position in relation to Mecca

FIFA code

YEM

Former

Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

Local long form

Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah

local long form (ara)

الجمهورية اليمنية

Local short form

Al Yaman

Diplomatic representation from the US

Chief of mission

Ambassador Steven H. FAGIN (since 1 June 2022); note - the embassy closed in March 2015; Yemen Affairs Unit currently operates out of US Embassy Riyadh

Email address and website

<br>YemenEmergencyUSC@state.gov<br><br>https://ye.usembassy.gov/

FAX

US Embassy Riyadh [966] 11-488-7360

Mailing address

6330 Sanaa Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-6330

Telephone

US Embassy Riyadh [966] 11-835-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

Chancery

2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador Abdulwahab Abdullah Ahmed AL-HAJRI (since 24 July 2025)

Email address and website

<br>Information@yemenembassy.org<br><br>https://www.yemenembassy.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 337-2017

Telephone

[1] (202) 965-4760

Executive branch

Cabinet

24 members from northern and southern Yemen, with representatives from Yemen's major political parties

Chief of state

Presidential Leadership Council Chairperson Dr. Rashad Muhammad al-ALIMI (since 19 April 2022)

Election results

<em><br>2012:</em> Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (GPC) elected consensus president

Election/appointment process

formerly, the president was directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister appointed by the president

Head of government

Prime Minister Salim Salih BIN BURAYK (since 9 May 2025)

Most recent election date

21 February 2012

Note

<strong>note:</strong> on 7 April 2022, President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI announced his abdication, the dismissal of Vice President ALI MUHSIN al-Ahmar and the formation of a Presidential Leadership Council, an eight-member body chaired by former minister Rashad AL-ALIMI; on 19 April 2022, the Council was sworn in before Parliament and began assuming the responsibilities of the president and vice president and carrying out the political, security, and military duties of the government; in May 2025, Chairperson al-ALIMI made changes to his cabinet

Flag

<strong>description:</strong> three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the band colors come from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black) overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white)

note

<strong>note:</strong> similar to the flags of Iraq (Arabic inscription centered in the white band) and Egypt (heraldic eagle centered in the white band)

Flag description

The flag of Yemen is composed of three equal horizontal bands of red, white and black.

Flag image

svg

https://flagcdn.com/ye.svg

Government type

in transition

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)

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 (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

Judicial branch

Highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the court president, 2 deputies, and nearly 50 judges; court organized into constitutional, civil, commercial, family, administrative, criminal, military, and appeals scrutiny divisions)

Judge selection and term of office

judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council, which is chaired by the president of the republic and includes 10 high-ranking judicial officers; judges serve for life with mandatory retirement at age 65

Subordinate courts

appeal courts; district or first instance courts; commercial courts

Legal system

mixed system of Islamic (sharia) law, Napoleonic law, English common law, and customary law

Legislative branch

Legislative structure

bicameral

Legislature name

Parliament (Majlis)

Note

note: the last legislative election occurred in 2003, and the six-year term for the House of Representatives expired in 2009. Ongoing instability, beginning in 2011, has since prevented new elections. A new Shura Council was appointed in 2021 and is currently chaired by Dr. Ahmed Obaid bin Dagher (as of Jan 2025).

Legislative branch - lower chamber

Chamber name

House of Representatives (Majlis Annowab)

Electoral system

plurality/majority

Most recent election date

4/27/2003

Number of seats

301 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

General People's Congress (GPC) (238); Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah) (46); Other (17)

Percentage of women in chamber

0%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

6 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

Chamber name

Shura Council (Majlis Alshoora)

Most recent election date

4/28/2001

Note

<strong>note:</strong> the Shura Council serves in an advisory role to the president; it has no legislative responsibilities

Number of seats

111 (all appointed)

Percentage of women in chamber

1.1%

Scope of elections

full renewal

National color(s)

red, white, black

National heritage

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Old Walled City of Shibam (c); Old City of Sana'a (c); Historic Town of Zabid (c); Socotra Archipelago (n); Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib (c)

Total World Heritage Sites

5 (4 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

National symbol(s)

golden eagle

Political parties

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

Start of week

Sunday

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

UN Member

Yes

Agricultural products

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

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

Expenditures

$3.585 billion (2019 est.)

Revenues

$2.207 billion (2019 est.)

Currency

code

YER

name

Yemeni rial (YER) [﷼]

Current account balance

Current account balance 2014

-$1.488 billion (2014 est.)

Current account balance 2015

-$3.026 billion (2015 est.)

Current account balance 2016

-$2.419 billion (2016 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$7.09 billion

Debt - external 2023

$6.492 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

low-income Middle Eastern economy; infrastructure, trade, and economic institutions devastated by civil war; oil/gas-dependent but decreasing reserves; massive poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment; high inflation

Exchange rates

Currency

Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

486.731 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

743.006 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1,028.108 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1,115.002 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1,355.116 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2015

$1.867 billion (2015 est.)

Exports 2016

$938.469 million (2016 est.)

Exports 2017

$384.5 million (2017 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Agriculture

28.7% (2018 est.)

Industry

25.4% (2018 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

41.8% (2018 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.278 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

36.7 (2014)

Imports

Imports 2015

$7.697 billion (2015 est.)

Imports 2016

$8.256 billion (2016 est.)

Imports 2017

$4.079 billion (2017 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-1.1% (2018 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

19.6% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

26% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

29.1% (2022 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

7.848 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

8.16 million persons

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

31.62%

industry

11.13%

services

57.25%

Public debt

Public debt 2016

68.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$19.294 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$18.908 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$18.719 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2016

-9.4% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

-5.1% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

0.8% (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$300 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$200 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$200 (2024 est.)

Remittances

$3.43 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

19.44% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

16.02% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

20.05% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.25 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020

$969.613 million (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$1.688 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$1.251 billion (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate

17.32%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

17.4% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

17.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

17.1% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Female

38.4% (2024 est.)

Male

31.8% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

32.4% (2024 est.)

Coal

Consumption

27,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

36,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

Consumption

2.579 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

54 kWh

Installed generating capacity

1.79 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

486.24 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

Electrification - rural areas

65%

Electrification - total population

76% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas

96.1%

Electricity generation sources

Fossil fuels

83% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

0%

nuclear

0%

renewable

21.09%

Solar

17% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

69 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

2.987 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

Consumption

10.286 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Production

10.286 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

478.555 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

Crude oil estimated reserves

3 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

58,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Renewable energy consumption

3.7%

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

per 100 inhabitants

1 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2022 est.)

Total

486,000 (2022 est.)

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

Internet country code

.ye

Internet users

Percent of population

14% (2020 est.)

Telephone calling code

+967

Telephones - fixed lines

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

728,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100

51 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

51 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

20 million (2023 est.)

Air transport

passengers carried

618,613 passengers

registered carrier departures

4,979 departures

Airports

37 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

7O

Driving side

Right

Heliports

6 (2025)

Merchant marine

By type

general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 27

Total

30 (2023)

Ports

Key ports

Aden, Al Ahmadi, Al Mukalla, Al Mukha, Ras Isa Marine Terminal

Large

1

Medium

2

Ports with oil terminals

6

Small

2

Total ports

10 (2024)

Very small

5

Vehicle registration code

YAR

Land forces

armored vehicles

tanks

Military - note

government forces under the Yemeni Ministry of Defense are responsible for both external and internal defense; their priorities are the Houthi separatists (aka Ansarallah), the terrorist groups al-Qa&rsquo;ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in Yemen (ISIS-Yemen), and maritime security, particularly against arms smuggling; in 2022, the Yemeni Government and the Houthis signed a truce, halting most fighting and establishing humanitarian measures; the former front lines of conflict, in some areas mirroring Yemen&rsquo;s pre-unification borders, remain static; AQAP and ISIS-Yemen continue to be active in remote areas (2025)

Military and security forces

Yemeni Armed Forces: Yemeni National Army, Air Force and Air Defense, Navy and Coastal Defense Forces, Border Guard, Strategic Reserve Forces (includes Special Forces and Presidential Protection Brigades, which are under the Ministry of Defense but responsible to the president), Popular Committee Forces (aka Popular Resistance Forces; government-backed tribal militia)<br><br>Ministry of Interior: Security Forces, Emergency Forces, Counterterrorism Units (2025)

active duty personnel

40,000

note

<strong>note 1: </strong>both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have raised and continue to back tribal and regionally based irregular forces in Yemen<strong><br><br>note 2: </strong>Houthi (alt Huthi; aka Ansarallah) forces include land, aerospace (air, missile), naval/coastal defense, presidential protection, special operations, internal security, and militia/tribal auxiliary components; a considerable portion--up to 70 percent by some estimates--of Yemen’s military and security forces defected in whole or in part to former president SALAH and the Houthi opposition in 2011-2015

percent of total labor force

0.58 %

Military and security service personnel strengths

not available

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Yemeni Government forces have an inventory consisting primarily of older foreign-supplied weapons systems, mostly of Russian or Soviet origin (2025)

note

<strong>note:</strong> Houthi rebel forces are armed largely with weapons seized from the Yemeni Government stockpiles, smuggled in from Iran, and manufactured copies of Iranian designs and pre-war Yemeni Government weapons

Military service age and obligation

limited available information; 18 is the legal minimum age for military service under the Yemeni Government (2025)

note

<strong>note:</strong> there is widespread recruitment of fighters by numerous armed groups operating in Yemen; all parties to the civil war have been implicated in child soldier recruitment and use; in 2022, the Houthis signed a plan with the UN to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers; Houthi leaders previously pledged to end the use of child soldiers in 2012, as did the Government of Yemen in 2014; in 2019, the Saudi and UAE-led coalition committed to protect children in a memorandum of understanding signed with the UN

Military strength ranking

PowerIndex score

2.1617

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

4,795,983 (2024 est.)

Refugees

60,921 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

Tier rating

Special Case; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/yemen/

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)

note

<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Carbon dioxide emissions

From coal and metallurgical coke

93,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

21,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

8.08 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

8.193 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

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

International environmental agreements

Party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified

Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

Methane emissions

Agriculture

192.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

190.5 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

0.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

135.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

43.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Protected areas

1 % of total land area

Renewable electricity output

21 % of total

Total renewable water resources

2.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

170 % of internal resources

Agricultural

3.235 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

65 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

265 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually

4.837 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

8% (2016 est.)