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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 45 usable: 39 with permanent-surface runways: 10 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 18 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 11

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

15,500 km total; 4,000 km paved, 11,500 km natural surface (est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,309 GRT/6,568 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 oil tanker

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 644 km, petroleum products 32 km

Ports [time series]

Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Khalf, Al Mukalla, Mocha, Nishtun, Ra's Kathib, Salif

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

since unification in 1990, efforts are still being made to create a national domestic civil telecommunications network; the network consists of microwave radio relay, cable and troposcatter; 65,000 telephones (est.); broadcast stations - 4 AM, 1 FM, 10 TV; satellite earth stations - 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Intersputnik, 2 ARABSAT; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia, and Djibouti

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $762 million, 10% of GDP (1992)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 2,060,124; fit for military service 1,172,633; reach military age (14) annually 133,727 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounted for 26% of GDP; products - grain, fruits, vegetables, qat (mildly narcotic shrub), coffee, cotton, dairy, poultry, meat, fish; not self-sufficient in grain

Budget [time series]

revenues $NA, expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Yemeni rial (new currency); 1 North Yemeni riyal (YR) = 100 fils; 1 South Yemeni dinar (YD) = 1,000 fils note: following the establishment of the Republic of Yemen on 22 May 1990, the North Yemeni riyal and the South Yemeni dinar are to be replaced with a new Yemeni rial

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $389 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.0 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $3.2 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.4 billion

Electricity [time series]

714,000 kW capacity; 1,224 million kWh produced, 120 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Yemeni rials per US$1 - 12.0 (official); 30-40 (unofficial) (est.); North Yemeni riyals (YR) per US$1 - 12.1000 (June 1992), 12.0000 (1991), 9.7600 (1990), 9.7600 (January 1989), 9.7717 (1988), 10.3417 (1987); South Yemeni dinars (YD) per US$1 - 0.3454 (fixed rate) note: following the establishment of the Republic of Yemen on 22 May 1990, the North Yemeni riyal and the South Yemeni dinar are to be replaced with a new Yemeni rial

Exports [time series]

$908 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: crude oil, cotton, coffee, hides, vegetables, dried and salted fish partners: US, EC countries, South Korea, Saudi Arabia

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$5.75 billion (December 1989 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: textiles and other manufactured consumer goods, petroleum products, sugar, grain, flour, other foodstuffs, cement, machinery, chemicals partners: Japan, Saudi Arabia, Australia, EC countries, China, Russia, US

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%, accounts for 18% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

100% (December 1992)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $8 billion (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$775 (1992 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Whereas the northern city Sanaa is the political capital of a united Yemen, the southern city Aden, with its refinery and port facilities, is the economic and commercial capital. Future economic development depends heavily on Western-assisted development of promising oil resources. Former South Yemen's willingness to merge stemmed partly from the steady decline in Soviet economic support. The low level of domestic industry and agriculture have made northern Yemen dependent on imports for virtually all of its essential needs. Large trade deficits have been compensated for by remittances from Yemenis working abroad and by foreign aid. Once self-sufficient in food production, northern Yemen has become a major importer. Land once used for export crops - cotton, fruit, and vegetables - has been turned over to growing qat, a mildly narcotic shrub chewed by Yemenis which has no significant export market. Oil export revenues started flowing in late 1987 and boosted 1988 earnings by about $800 million. Economic growth in former South Yemen has been constrained by a lack of incentives, partly stemming from centralized control over production decisions, investment allocation, and import choices.

Unemployment rate [time series]

30% (December 1992)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 527,970 km2 land area: 527,970 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming 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)

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

1,906 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to sand and dust storms in summer; scarcity of natural freshwater resources; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

undefined section of boundary with Saudi Arabia; Administrative Line with Oman; a treaty with Oman to settle the Yemeni-Omani boundary was ratified in December 1992

Irrigated land [time series]

3,100 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 1,746 km, Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 30% forest and woodland: 7% other: 57%

Location [time series]

Middle East, along the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, south of Saudi Arabia

Map references [time series]

Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 18 nm in the North 24 nm in the South continental shelf: 200 m depth in the North 200 nm in the South or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

controls Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

17 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz note: there may be a new capital district of San'a'

Capital [time series]

Sanaa

Constitution [time series]

16 April 1991

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Muhsin Ahmad al-AYNI chancery: Suite 840, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: (202) 965-4760 or 4761 consulate general: Detroit consulate: San Francisco

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

House of Representatives: last held NA (next to be held 27 April 1993); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (301); number of seats by party NA; note - the 301 members of the new House of Representatives come from North Yemen's Consultative Assembly (159 members), South Yemen's Supreme People's Council (111 members), and appointments by the New Presidential Council (31 members)

Executive branch [time series]

five-member Presidential Council (president, vice president, two members from northern Yemen and one member from southern Yemen), prime minister

Flag [time series]

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Independence [time series]

22 May 1990 Republic of Yemen was established on 22 May 1990 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}; previously North Yemen had become independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President 'Ali 'Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen); Vice President Ali Salim al-BIDH (since 22 May 1990); Presidential Council Member Salim Salih MUHAMMED; Presidential Council Member Kadi Abdul-Karim al-ARASHI; Presidential Council Member Abdul-Aziz ABDUL-GHANI; Prime Minister Haydar Abu Bakr al-'ATTAS (since 22 May 1990, the former president of South Yemen)

Legal system [time series]

based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral House of Representatives

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Yemen conventional short form: Yemen local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah local short form: Al Yaman

National holiday [time series]

Proclamation of the Republic, 22 May (1990)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

conservative tribal groups; Muslim Brotherhood; Islamist parties; pro-Iraqi Ba'thists; Nasirists

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

General People's Congress, 'Ali 'Abdallah SALIH; Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP; formerly South Yemen's ruling party - a coalition of National Front, Ba'th, and Communist Parties), Ali Salim al-BIDH; Yemen Grouping for Reform or Islaah, Abdallah Husayn AHMAR

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Arthur H. HUGHES embassy: Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa mailing address: P. O. Box 22347 Sanaa or Sanaa, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6330 telephone: [967] (2) 238-842 through 238-852 FAX: [967] (2) 251-563

People

Birth rate [time series]

51 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

15.37 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

predominantly Arab; Afro-Arab concentrations in coastal locations; South Asians in southern regions; small European communities in major metropolitan areas; 60,000 (est.) Somali refugees encamped near Aden

Infant mortality rate [time series]

115.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

North: NA by occupation: agriculture and herding 70%, expatriate laborers 30% (est.) South: 477,000 by occupation: agriculture 45.2%, services 21.2%, construction 13.4%, industry 10.6%, commerce and other 9.6% (1983)

Languages [time series]

Arabic

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 50.94 years male: 49.83 years female: 52.11 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 38% male: 53% female: 26%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

10,742,395 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.31% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim (including Sha'fi, Sunni, and Zaydi Shi'a), Jewish, Christian, Hindu

Total fertility rate [time series]

7.27 children born/woman (1993 est.)