Yemen Facts:
GEOGRAPHY
Area 531,869 sq.km. Mountainous south and south-western portion of the Arabian Peninsula and also the Indian Ocean island of Socotra.
Population Ann.Gr. Density
2000 18,112,066 +3.81% 34 per sq. km.
2010 25,366,187 +3.32% 48 per sq. km.
2025 38,985,203 +2.66% 73 per sq. km.
Capital Sana'a 1,400,000. Other major city: Aden 630,000. Urbanites 24%.
PEOPLES
Arab 95%. Over 1,700 clans and tribes. Also: Sudanese 300,000; Omani 120,000; Iraqi 70,000.
Immigrant and Refugee communities 4.3%. Somali 670,000; South Asian 76,000; Ethiopian 8,000; Eritrean 8,000.
Other 0.7%. Mahri 80,000; Soqotri 40,000.
Literacy 43% (only 23% for women). Official language Arabic. All languages 7. Languages with Scriptures 2Bi 2por.
ECONOMY
Agricultural and pastoral economy — the only part of the Arabian Peninsula with a significant rainfall. Oil provides 95% of foreign earnings. The expulsion of over 1 million Yemeni workers from Saudi Arabia in the 1990 Gulf War was a major blow to the economy. The poorest state in the Middle East. HDI 0.449; 148th/174. Public debt 93% of GNP. Income/person $380 (1.2% of USA).
POLITICS
A turbulent history of wars and conquests. The North was part of the Ottoman Empire until 1918 and then an isolated feudal theocracy until the 1962 Egyptian-engineered republican revolution. Aden (the South) was ruled by Britain until independence in 1967. A Marxist coup ousted the traditional rulers and imposed a leftist regime. The two countries united in 1990 with the north as the dominant partner. A southern secessionist revolt in 1994 led to a northern victory. A strong presidential government with a measure of democracy.
RELIGION
Islam is the official religion and the legal system is based on shari’a law. Sunni Islam 62% (in centre and south), Zaidi Shi’a 37% (in north-east), Ismaili 0.9%. Only freedom of religion for non-Muslims. Persecution index 5th in the world.
Religions Population % Adherents
Muslim 99.94 18,099,388
Christian 0.05 9,056
Jewish 0.01 1,000
Christians Denom. Affil.% ,000
Protestant 1 0.00 0
Independent 2 0.00 1
Anglican 2 0.00 0
Catholic 1 0.03 6
Orthodox 2 0.02 3
Marginal 0 0.00 0
Churches Cong. Members Affiliates
Catholic 4 1,100 5,500
Orthodox [2] 1,000 3,000
Anglican 4 120 200
Other denoms [4] 4 774 1,244
Total Christians [8] 12 2,994 9,944
INTERNET LINKS
CIA World Factbook (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ym.html)
Country profile, with only very brief information on religion or society.
Brief, largely statistical information on geography, people, government, economy, and more.
World Skip - Yemen (http://www.worldskip.com/region.asp?PartnerID=&RegionID=ye)
News, information, products and services from every nation on earth.
Yemen Online (http://yol1.com)
An extensive commercial Web guide, with news.
Republic of Yemen - Ministry of Information (www.yemeninfo.gov.ye)
News, government, pictures, links, general information. In English and Arabic.
Yemen.On.Line (www.yemen-online.com)
Area 531,869 sq.km. Mountainous south and south-western portion of the Arabian Peninsula and also the Indian Ocean island of Socotra.
Population Ann.Gr. Density
2000 18,112,066 +3.81% 34 per sq. km.
2010 25,366,187 +3.32% 48 per sq. km.
2025 38,985,203 +2.66% 73 per sq. km.
Capital Sana'a 1,400,000. Other major city: Aden 630,000. Urbanites 24%.
PEOPLES
Arab 95%. Over 1,700 clans and tribes. Also: Sudanese 300,000; Omani 120,000; Iraqi 70,000.
Immigrant and Refugee communities 4.3%. Somali 670,000; South Asian 76,000; Ethiopian 8,000; Eritrean 8,000.
Other 0.7%. Mahri 80,000; Soqotri 40,000.
Literacy 43% (only 23% for women). Official language Arabic. All languages 7. Languages with Scriptures 2Bi 2por.
ECONOMY
Agricultural and pastoral economy — the only part of the Arabian Peninsula with a significant rainfall. Oil provides 95% of foreign earnings. The expulsion of over 1 million Yemeni workers from Saudi Arabia in the 1990 Gulf War was a major blow to the economy. The poorest state in the Middle East. HDI 0.449; 148th/174. Public debt 93% of GNP. Income/person $380 (1.2% of USA).
POLITICS
A turbulent history of wars and conquests. The North was part of the Ottoman Empire until 1918 and then an isolated feudal theocracy until the 1962 Egyptian-engineered republican revolution. Aden (the South) was ruled by Britain until independence in 1967. A Marxist coup ousted the traditional rulers and imposed a leftist regime. The two countries united in 1990 with the north as the dominant partner. A southern secessionist revolt in 1994 led to a northern victory. A strong presidential government with a measure of democracy.
RELIGION
Islam is the official religion and the legal system is based on shari’a law. Sunni Islam 62% (in centre and south), Zaidi Shi’a 37% (in north-east), Ismaili 0.9%. Only freedom of religion for non-Muslims. Persecution index 5th in the world.
Religions Population % Adherents
Muslim 99.94 18,099,388
Christian 0.05 9,056
Jewish 0.01 1,000
Christians Denom. Affil.% ,000
Protestant 1 0.00 0
Independent 2 0.00 1
Anglican 2 0.00 0
Catholic 1 0.03 6
Orthodox 2 0.02 3
Marginal 0 0.00 0
Churches Cong. Members Affiliates
Catholic 4 1,100 5,500
Orthodox [2] 1,000 3,000
Anglican 4 120 200
Other denoms [4] 4 774 1,244
Total Christians [8] 12 2,994 9,944
INTERNET LINKS
CIA World Factbook (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ym.html)
Country profile, with only very brief information on religion or society.
Brief, largely statistical information on geography, people, government, economy, and more.
World Skip - Yemen (http://www.worldskip.com/region.asp?PartnerID=&RegionID=ye)
News, information, products and services from every nation on earth.
Yemen Online (http://yol1.com)
An extensive commercial Web guide, with news.
Republic of Yemen - Ministry of Information (www.yemeninfo.gov.ye)
News, government, pictures, links, general information. In English and Arabic.
Yemen.On.Line (www.yemen-online.com)
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