The Arabian Peninsula Partnership

The Gospel for every person and a church for every people in the Arabian Peninsula amongst indigenous peoples

map of Yemen

Information about Yemen

(source: Operation World)

GEOGRAPHY

Area: 531,869 sq.km. Mountainous south and south-western portion of the Arabian Peninsula and also the Indian Ocean island of Socotra.

Capital: Sana'a: 1,400,000. Other major city: Aden 630,000.

Urbanites: 24%

PEOPLES
Population Annual Growth Density
2000: 18,112,066 +3.81% 34 per sq. km.
2010: 25,366,187 +3.32% 48 per sq. km.
2025: 858,368 +2.66% 73 per sq. km.

Arabs: 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% (23% for women) Official language: Arabic

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. 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.

Religions Population % Adherents
Muslim 99.94 18,099,388
Christian 0.05 9,056
Jewish 0.01 1,000
Christians Denom. Affiliation ,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
Churches Congregations Members Affiliates
Catholic 4 1,100 5,500
Anglican 4 120 200
Orthodox 1000 3,000
Other denominations (4) 4 774 1,200
Total Christians 12 2,994 9,944
Links

Operation World

Yemeni Government information