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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.ye

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

167 (2008)

Internet users [time series]

320,000 (2007)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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, and GSM 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 - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

968,300 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

2.978 million (2006)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

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

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $7.576 billion expenditures: $8.391 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate [time series]

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

18% (31 December 2007)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Yemeni rial (YER)

Current account balance [time series]

-$362 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$6.044 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

33.4 (1998)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported average annual growth in the range of 3-4% from 2000 through 2007. Its 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. In addition, Yemen has made some progress on reforms over the last year that will likely encourage foreign investment. Oil revenues probably increased in 2007 as a result of higher prices.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

3.804 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

5.017 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Exchange rates [time series]

Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar - 199.14 (2007), 197.18 (2006), 192.67 (2005), 184.78 (2004), 183.45 (2003)

Exports [time series]

$7.311 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Exports - partners [time series]

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

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$21.66 billion (2007 est.)

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

$56.24 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 12.4% industry: 40.9% services: 46.7% (2007 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$2,500 (2007 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

2.8% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 25.9% (2003)

Imports [time series]

$6.735 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners [time series]

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

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3.2% (2007 est.)

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; commercial ship repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

10% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

25% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force [time series]

6.305 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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 [time series]

$NA

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

135,400 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

336,600 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports [time series]

62,850 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production [time series]

320,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

3 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Public debt [time series]

33.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$7.76 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$2.224 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]

$3.076 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]

$4.526 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate [time series]

35% (2003 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 527,970 sq km land: 527,970 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 [time series]

slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 6.63 cu km/yr (4%/1%/95%) per capita: 316 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

15 00 N, 48 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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 [time series]

5,500 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 2.91% permanent crops: 0.25% other: 96.84% (2005)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Middle East

Maritime claims [time series]

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 [time series]

sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Natural resources [time series]

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

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

Total renewable water resources [time series]

4.1 cu km (1997)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 note: for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital city of Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate

Capital [time series]

name: Sanaa geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Country name [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

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 (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

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 (next to be held in April 2009) 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 [time series]

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

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

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

Muslim Brotherhood; Women National Committee other: conservative tribal groups

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

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

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 3,585,947 females age 16-49: 3,619,195 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 268,468 female: 258,196 (2008 est.)

Military - note [time series]

a Coast Guard was established in 2002

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Army (includes Republican Guard), Navy (includes Marines), Yemen Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Yemeniya; includes Air Defense Force) (2008)

Military expenditures [time series]

6.6% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

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

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 46.2% (male 5,415,385/female 5,218,237) 15-64 years: 51.2% (male 5,996,202/female 5,795,779) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 284,195/female 303,578) (2008 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

42.42 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.83 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

9.6% of GDP (2001)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

12,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 56.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 60.78 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages [time series]

Arabic

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 62.9 years male: 60.96 years female: 64.94 years (2008 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)

Median age [time series]

total: 16.7 years male: 16.7 years female: 16.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Net migration rate [time series]

NA (2008 est.)

Population [time series]

23,013,376 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.46% (2008 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 9 years male: 11 years female: 7 years (2005)

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.41 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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 [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 91,587 (Somalia) (2007)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

50 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 17 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 33 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 4 (2007)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 4 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 [time series]

gas 71 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,309 km (2007)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Aden, Hudaydah, Mukalla

Roadways [time series]

total: 71,300 km paved: 6,200 km unpaved: 65,100 km (2005)

Transportation - note [time series]

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