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

slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

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

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

22,858,238 (July 2010 est.)

35.32 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

7.46 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

4.81 children born/woman (2010 est.)

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

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

21 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan (Aden), 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' (Sanaa), 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

bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats; members appointed by the president) and House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve eight-year terms)

General People's Congress or GPC [Abdul-Kader BAJAMMAL]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Muhammed Abdallah AL-YADUMI]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abd al-Malik al-MAKHLAFI]; National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr. Qasim SALAM]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Yasin Said NUMAN]; 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, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the flag retains the colors of the Arab Liberation banner

Yemen is a low income country that is highly dependent on declining oil resources for revenue. Petroleum accounts for roughly 25% of GDP and 70% of government revenue. Annual real GDP growth has averaged 3-4% since 2000. Yemen has been largely unaffected by and insulated from the effects of the global economic crisis because its financial system is underdeveloped and not well integrated into the international community, but the drop in oil prices since mid-2008 slashed government oil revenues in 2009 by more than 50%, as compared to 2008. Yemen has tried to counter the effects of its declining oil resources by diversifying its economy through an economic reform program initiated in 2006 that is designed to bolster non-oil sectors of the economy and foreign investment. In October 2009, Yemen exported its first liquefied natural gas as part of this diversification effort. The Yemen government in August reaffirmed its commitment to reforms in a plan detailing the country's top ten development priorities. Despite these ambitious plans, Yemen faces difficult long term challenges, including declining water resources and a high population growth rate.

$58.04 billion (2009 est.)

$55.91 billion (2008 est.)

$54.18 billion (2007 est.)

$25.13 billion (2009 est.)

6.641 million (2009 est.)

19.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

39.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

29.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

18% (31 December 2008)

18% (31 December 2007)

$3.489 billion (31 October 2009)

$3.399 billion (31 December 2008)

$6.077 billion (31 October 2009)

$5.985 billion (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.224 billion (31 December 2007)

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; natural gas production

5.665 billion kWh (2007 est.)

4.133 billion kWh (2007 est.)

288,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)

155,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

274,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

65,860 bbl/day (2007 est.)

3.3 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

454,700 cu m (2009 est.)

478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

-$2.332 billion (2009 est.)

-$1.251 billion (2008 est.)

$5.812 billion (2009 est.)

$8.977 billion (2008)

crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish, liquefied natural gas

China 36%, Thailand 17.63%, India 13.54%, South Africa 6.16%, Japan 5.49%, UAE 4.99% (2009)

$7.521 billion (2009 est.)

$9.334 billion (2008)

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

China 13.98%, UAE 12.3%, India 8.63%, Saudi Arabia 5.8%, US 4.52%, Brazil 4.51%, Turkey 4.51%, Kuwait 4.33%, France 4.24% (2009)

$6.993 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$8.157 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$6.245 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$5.977 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar - 203.05 (2009), 199.76 (2008), 199.14 (2007), 197.18 (2006), 192.67 (2005)

1.117 million (2008)

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 (2007)

gas 423 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,367 km (2009)

Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al 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, Navy (includes Marines), Yemen Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Yemeniya; includes Air Defense Force), Republican Guard (2010)

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