Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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.
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Location:
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Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
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Geographic coordinates:
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15 00 N, 48 00 E
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Map references:
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Middle East
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Area:
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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)
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,746 km
border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
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Coastline:
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1,906 km
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Maritime claims:
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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
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Climate:
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mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east
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Terrain:
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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
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.91%
permanent crops: 0.25%
other: 96.84% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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5,500 sq km (2003)
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Natural hazards:
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sandstorms and dust storms in summer
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Environment - current issues:
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very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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21,456,188 (July 2006 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 46.4% (male 5,067,762/female 4,881,333)
15-64 years: 51% (male 5,568,078/female 5,375,263)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 275,878/female 287,874) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 16.6 years
male: 16.6 years
female: 16.6 years (2006 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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3.46% (2006 est.)
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Birth rate:
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42.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Death rate:
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8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 59.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 64.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 54.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 62.12 years
male: 60.23 years
female: 64.11 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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6.58 children born/woman (2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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12,000 (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Yemeni(s)
adjective: Yemeni
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Ethnic groups:
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predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans
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Religions:
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Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
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Languages:
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Arabic
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50.2%
male: 70.5%
female: 30% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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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]
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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name: Sanaa
geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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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
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Independence:
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22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen 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 had become independent in November of 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
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National holiday:
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Unification Day, 22 May (1990)
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Constitution:
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16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001
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Legal system:
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based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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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 Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL; Deputy Prime Ministers Rashid Muhammad al-ALIMI, Alawi Salah al-SALAMI, Ahmad Muhammad Abdallah al-SUFAN
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 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%
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Legislative branch:
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a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 created 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 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
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court
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Political parties and leaders:
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there are more than 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of the more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC [President Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdal Malik al-MAKHLAFI]; National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr. Qasim SALAM]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA
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International organization participation:
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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), ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKI
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
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Flag description:
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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 heraldic eagle centered in the white band
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Economy - overview:
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Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported average annual growth of 3.5% from 2000 through 2006. Its economic fortunes depend mostly on oil. Oil revenues probably increased in 2006 as a result of higher prices. Yemen was on an IMF-supported structural adjustment program designed to modernize and streamline the economy, which led to substantial foreign debt relief and restructuring. However, government dedication to the program waned in 2001 for political reasons. Yemen is struggling to control excessive spending and rampant corruption. Yemen is dependent on foreign aid to finance its budget deficits and development projects. In November, Yemen secured $4.7 billion in assistance from Arabian Gulf and Western donors.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$20.38 billion (2006 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$15.16 billion (2006 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.2% (2006 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$900 (2006 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 12.5%
industry: 43.8%
services: 43.7% (2006 est.)
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Labor force:
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5.759 million (2006 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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note: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force
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Unemployment rate:
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35% (2003 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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45.2% (2003)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25.9% (2003)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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33.4 (1998)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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14.8% (2006 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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15.7% of GDP (2006 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $7.314 billion
expenditures: $6.984 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
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Public debt:
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30% of GDP (2006 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish
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Industries:
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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
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Industrial production growth rate:
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3% (2003 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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4.077 billion kWh (2004 est.)
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Electricity - consumption:
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3.792 billion kWh (2004 est.)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2004)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2004)
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Oil - production:
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387,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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85,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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370,300 bbl/day (2003)
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day (2001)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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3.72 billion bbl (2006 est.)
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2004 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2004 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2004 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2004 est.)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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478.6 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
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Current account balance:
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$1.69 billion (2006 est.)
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Exports:
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$8.214 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish
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Exports - partners:
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China 35.3%, India 16.2%, Thailand 11.9%, Japan 6.3%, South Korea 6.3%, Switzerland 5.5% (2005)
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Imports:
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$5.042 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals
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Imports - partners:
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UAE 18.9%, Saudi Arabia 8.9%, Switzerland 8.6%, Kuwait 6.7%, China 6.1%, US 4.5% (2005)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$6.735 billion (2006 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$5.469 billion (2006 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements)
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Currency (code):
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Yemeni rial (YER)
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Exchange rates:
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Yemeni rials per US dollar - 197.467 (2006), 192.67 (2005), 184.78 (2004), 183.45 (2003), 175.63 (2002)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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798,100 (2004)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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2 million (2005)
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Telephone system:
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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 cellular mobile telephone systems
international: country code - 967; 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
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)
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Television broadcast stations:
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7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)
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Internet country code:
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.ye
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Internet hosts:
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171 (2006)
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Internet users:
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220,000 (2005)
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Airports:
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46 (2006)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 16
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 30
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 4 (2006)
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Pipelines:
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gas 71 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,284 km (2006)
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Roadways:
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total: 71,300 km
paved: 6,200 km
unpaved: 65,100 km (2005)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,400 GRT/18,072 DWT
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 9 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 3, North Korea 2, Panama 3) (2006)
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Ports and terminals:
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Aden, Nishtun
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Military branches:
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Army (includes Special Forces), Navy (includes Marines), Unified Yemen Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2006)
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Military service age and obligation:
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in May 2001, Yemen's National Defense Council abolished compulsory military service and authorized a voluntary program for military service (2004)
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 18-49: 4,058,223
females age 18-49: 3,868,112 (2005 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 18-49: 2,790,705
females age 18-49: 2,792,406 (2005 est.)
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males age 18-49: 236,517
females age 18-49: 230,641 (2005 est.)
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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6.4% (2005 est.)
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Military - note:
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a Coast Guard was established in 2002
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This page was last updated on 18 January, 2007
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