North Yemen became independent from 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 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 Huthis, a Zaydi Shia minority, began in 2004 and has since resulted in six rounds of fighting that ended in early 2010 with a cease-fire. The southern secessionist movement was revitalized in 2008. Public rallies in Sana'a against then President SALIH - inspired by similar demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt - slowly built momentum starting in late January 2011 fueled by complaints over high unemployment, poor economic conditions, and corruption. By the following month, some protests had resulted in violence, and the demonstrations had spread to other major cities. By March the opposition had hardened its demands and was unifying behind calls for SALIH's immediate ouster. In in late April 2011. the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in an attempt to mediate the crisis in Yemen, proposed the GGC Initiative, an agreement in which the president would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution. SALIH's refusal to sign an agreement led to further violence. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2014 in October 2011 calling for an end to the violence and completing a power transfer deal. In late November 2011, SALIH signed the GCC Initiative to step down and to transfer some of his powers to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. Following HADI's election victory in February 2012, SALIH formally transferred his powers. In accordance with the GCC initiative, Yemen launched a National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in March 2013 to discuss key constitutional, political, and social issues. HADI concluded the NDC in January 2014. Subsequent steps in the transition process include constitutional drafting, a constitutional referendum, and national elections. Since the Arab Awakening in 2011, the Huthis have expanded their influence, culminating in a major offensive against military units and tribes affiliated with their Yemeni rivals and enabling their forces to overrun the capital, Sana'a, in September 2014. In January 2015, the Huthis attacked the presidential palace and President HADI's residence and surrounded key government facilities, prompting HADI and the cabinet to submit their resignations. HADI fled to Aden, and in late February he rescinded his resignation. He subsequently escaped to Saudi Arabia and asked the GCC to intervene militarily in Yemen to protect the legitimate government from the Huthis. In late March, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched Operation Decisive Storm, a series of airstrikes against Huthi and Huthi-affiliated forces. In late April, the Saudi Government announced completion of the operation and initiated Operation Restoring Hope, which focuses on humanitarian aid and a return to political dialogue. As of late April 2015, the Huthis controlled much of western Yemen.

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

15 00 N, 48 00 E

Middle East

almost four times the size of Alabama; slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

1,906 km

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

arable land 2.2%; permanent crops 0.6%; permanent pasture 41.7%

6,801 sq km (2004)

2.1 cu km (2011)

sandstorms and dust storms in summer

limited natural freshwater 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

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

Arabic (official)

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) (2010 est.)

26,737,317 (July 2015 est.)

2.47% (2015 est.)

29.98 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

6.28 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

SANAA (capital) 2.962 million; Aden 882,000 (2015)

3.91 children born/woman (2015 est.)

27.7% (2006)

5.4% of GDP (2013)

0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2012)

urban: 72% of population

rural: 46.5% of population

total: 54.9% of population

urban: 28% of population

rural: 53.5% of population

total: 45.1% of population (2012 est.)

urban: 92.5% of population

rural: 34.1% of population

total: 53.3% of population

urban: 7.5% of population

rural: 65.9% of population

total: 46.7% of population (2012 est.)

0.05% (2014 est.)

7,200 (2014 est.)

300 (2014 est.)

14.2% (2014)

35.5% (2011)

4.6% of GDP (2008)

republic

21 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) and 1 municipality*; 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

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)

adopted by referendum 16 May 1991 (following unification); amended several times, last in 2009; note - between March 2014 and January 2015, a presidentially formed Constitutional Drafting Committee drafted a new constitution and President Hadi reviewed it; the draft was slated for final revision by the National Authority, followed by a national referendum; however, with the resignation of the government in late January 2015, constitutional formation has been stalled (2015)

mixed legal system of Islamic law, Napoleonic law, English common law, and customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

18 years of age; universal

General People's Congress or GPC [Ali Abdallah SALIH]

Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Muhammed Abdallah al-YADUMI, Abdul Wahab al-ANSI]

Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdallah NU'MAN]

Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Dr. Abd al-Rahman Umar al-SAQQAF]

Houthis

Muslim Brotherhood

Women National Committee

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, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white)

golden eagle; national colors: red, white, black

Yemen is a low-income country that is highly dependent on declining oil resources for revenue. Oil and gas revenues account for roughly 25% of GDP and 65% of government revenue. Yemen has tried to counter the effects of its declining oil resources and continuing attacks on its oil pipelines by diversifying its economy through a 2006 reform program that was 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. In January 2010, the international community established the Friends of Yemen group that aimed to support Yemen's efforts toward economic and political reform. In 2012, the Friends of Yemen pledged nearly $7 billion in assistance to Yemen. The Yemeni Government also endorsed a Mutual Accountability Framework to facilitate the efficient implementation of donor aid. The unrest that began in early 2011 caused GDP to plunge almost 11% in that year. Progress toward achieving stability has been slow and uneven. Yemen continues to face difficult long-term challenges, including declining water resources, high unemployment, severe food scarcity, and a high population growth rate. The Yemeni Government regularly faces annual budget shortfalls. In July 2014, the government eliminated some fuel subsidies that accounted for approximately 25% of government spending in 2013; and in August 2014, the IMF approved a three-year, $570 million Extended Credit Facility for Yemen. Deteriorating security restricts economic growth and the provision of government services.

$103.6 billion (2014 est.)

$103.8 billion (2013 est.)

$99.05 billion (2012 est.)

$43.23 billion (2014 est.)

-0.2% (2014 est.)

4.8% (2013 est.)

2.4% (2012 est.)

$3,800 (2014 est.)

$3,800 (2013 est.)

$3,600 (2012 est.)

6.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

5% of GDP (2013 est.)

7% of GDP (2012 est.)

(2014 est.)

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, leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; aluminum products; cement; commercial ship repair; natural gas production

-1.5% (2014 est.)

7.262 million (2014 est.)

27% (2014 est.)

35% (2003 est.)

54% (2014 est.)

37.7 (2005)

33.4 (1998)

22.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

-9% of GDP (2014 est.)

51% of GDP (2014 est.)

49.7% of GDP (2013 est.)

calendar year

8.2% (2014 est.)

11% (2013 est.)

NA%

20% (31 December 2014 est.)

22% (31 December 2013 est.)

$5.845 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$5.196 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$16.02 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$14.04 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$14.61 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$12.17 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$NA

-$681 million (2014 est.)

-$1.422 billion (2013 est.)

$7.041 billion (2014 est.)

$8.136 billion (2013 est.)

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

China 28.3%, South Korea 23%, Thailand 11.2%, Japan 8.1%, UAE 5.3% (2014)

$10.39 billion (2014 est.)

$11 billion (2013 est.)

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

China 15.9%, UAE 14%, India 9.6%, Saudi Arabia 6.6%, Kuwait 5%, Turkey 4.6% (2014)

$4.688 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$5.349 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$8.002 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$7.708 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$NA

Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar -

214.9 (2014 est.)

214.89 (2013 est.)

214.35 (2012 est.)

213.8 (2011 est.)

219.59 (2010 est.)

5.834 billion kWh (2011 est.)

4.137 billion kWh (2011 est.)

0 kWh (2013 est.)

0 kWh (2013 est.)

1.533 million kW (2011 est.)

100% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

130,700 bbl/day (2013 est.)

43,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

3 billion bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

86,330 bbl/day (2010 est.)

144,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)

14,330 bbl/day (2010 est.)

59,050 bbl/day (2010 est.)

7.652 billion cu m (2012 est.)

968.5 million cu m (2012 est.)

6.684 billion cu m (2012 est.)

0 cu m (2012 est.)

478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

21.28 million Mt (2012 est.)

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)

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

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

.ye

57 (2013)

9 (2013)

gas 641 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,370 km (2013)

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; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators reduced the incidence of piracy in that body of water by more than half in 2010

Land Forces, Naval and Coastal Defense Forces (includes Marines), Air and Air Defense Force (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Yemeniya), Border Guards, Strategic Reserve Forces (2013)

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 2-year service obligation (2012)

4.02% of GDP (2012)

3.48% of GDP (2011)

4.02% of GDP (2010)

Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities