Middle East :: Yemen

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## Introduction ::Yemen

Background:
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 and brief civil war in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border. Fighting in the northwest between the government and Huthi rebels, a group seeking a return to traditional Zaydi Islam, began in 2004 and has since resulted in six rounds of fighting - the last ended in early 2010 with a cease-fire that continues to hold. The southern secessionist movement was revitalized in 2008 when a popular socioeconomic protest movement initiated the prior year took on political goals including secession. 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. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in late April 2011, in an attempt to mediate the crisis in Yemen, proposed an agreement in which the president would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution. SALIH's refusal to sign an agreement led to heavy street fighting and his injury in an explosion in June 2011. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2014 in October 2011 calling on both sides to end the violence and complete a power transfer deal. In late November 2011, SALIH signed the GCC-brokered agreement to step down and to transfer some of his powers to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. Following elections in February 2012, won by HADI, SALIH formally transferred his powers. In accordance with the GCC initiative, Yemen launched a National Dialogue to discuss key constitutional, political, and social issues in mid-March 2013.

## Geography ::Yemen

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 48 00 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 527,968 sq km country comparison to the world: 50 land: 527,968 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)
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Land boundaries:
total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
Coastline:
1,906 km
Maritime claims:
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
Climate:
mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east
Terrain:
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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west
Land use:
arable land: 2.2% permanent crops: 0.55% other: 97.25% (2011)
Irrigated land:
6,801 sq km (2004)
Total renewable water resources:
2.1 cu km (2011)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3.57 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%) per capita: 162.4 cu m/yr (2005)
Natural hazards:
sandstorms and dust storms in summer volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (elev. 244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, erupted in 2007 after awakening from dormancy; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century
Environment - current issues:
limited natural freshwater resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
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
Geography - note:
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

## People and Society ::Yemen

Nationality:
noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni
Ethnic groups:
predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans
Languages:
Arabic (official)
Religions:
Muslim (Islam - official) including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shia), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
Population:
25,408,288 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 47
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 5,433,121/female 5,235,891) 15-24 years: 21.1% (male 2,720,793/female 2,640,652) 25-54 years: 30.6% (male 3,974,091/female 3,797,543) 55-64 years: 3.7% (male 446,293/female 490,628) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 315,141/female 354,135) (2013 est.) population pyramid:
Median age:
total: 18.5 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.6 years (2013 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.5% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Birth rate:
31.63 births/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Death rate:
6.64 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Urbanization:
urban population: 32.3% of total population (2011) rate of urbanization: 4.78% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
SANAA (capital) 2.229 million (2009)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
19.2 note: Median age at first birth among women 25-29 (1997 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:
200 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 56
Infant mortality rate:
total: 51.93 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 38 male: 56.33 deaths/1,000 live births female: 47.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.47 years country comparison to the world: 175 male: 62.39 years female: 66.65 years (2013 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.27 children born/woman (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
27.7% (2006)
Health expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2010) country comparison to the world: 132
Physicians density:
0.3 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
Hospital bed density:
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2010)
Drinking water source:
improved: urban: 72% of population rural: 47% of population total: 55% of population unimproved: urban: 28% of population rural: 53% of population total: 45% of population (2010 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved: urban: 93% of population rural: 34% of population total: 53% of population unimproved: urban: 7% of population rural: 66% of population total: 47% of population (2010 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2013)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
14.5% (2008) country comparison to the world: 121
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
43.1% (2003) country comparison to the world: 3
Education expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 65
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.9% male: 81.2% female: 46.8% (2010 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 11 years female: 7 years (2005)
Child labor - children ages 5-14:
total number: 1,334,288 percentage: 23 % (2006 est.)

## Government ::Yemen

Country name:
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]
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Sanaa geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
20 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, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Raymah, Sa'dah, San'a' (Sanaa), Shabwah, Ta'izz
Independence:
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)
National holiday:
Unification Day, 22 May (1990)
Constitution:
16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001
Legal system:
mixed legal system of Islamic law, Napoleonic law, English common law, and customary law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (Field Marshal) (since 25 February 2012) head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Salim BA SINDWAH (since 27 November 2011) cabinet: on 27 November 2011, Vice President HADI requested Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Salim BA SINDWAH to form a new government following the resignation of President SALIH on 24 November 2011 (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term based on constitution; however a special election was held on 21 February 2012 to remove Ali Abdallah SALIH based on a GCC-mediated deal during the political crisis of 2011 (next election to be held in 2014); vice president appointed by the president but position is vacant; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI elected as a consensus president with about 50% popular participation; no other candidates
Legislative branch:
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 in single-member constituencies to serve six-year terms) elections: last held on 27 April 2003 (scheduled April 2009 election postponed) election results: House of Representatives percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GPC 238, Islah 47, YSP 6, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 5
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the president of the Court, 2 deputies, and nearly 50 judges; court organized into constitutional, civil, commercial, family, administrative, criminal, military, and appeals scrutiny divisions) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council, chaired by the president of the republic and consisting of 10 high-ranking judicial officers; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: appeal courts; district or first instance courts; commercial courts
Political parties and leaders:
General People's Congress or GPC [Ali Abdallah SALIH, Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI] Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Muhammed Abdallah al-YADUMI, Abdul Wahab al-ANSI] Nasserite Unionist Party [Sultan al-ATWANI] Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Yasin Said NU'MAN] note: there are at least seven more active political parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Muslim Brotherhood Women National Committee other: conservative tribal groups; Huthis, southern secessionist groups; al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
International organization participation:
AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, EITI (compliant country), 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, 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 (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adel Ali Ahmed AL-SUNAINI chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald M. FEIERSTEIN 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
Flag description:
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) note: similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white band, and of Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band
National symbol(s):
golden eagle
National anthem:
name: "al-qumhuriyatu l-muttahida" (United Republic) lyrics/music: Abdullah Abdulwahab NOA'MAN/Ayyoab Tarish ABSI note: adopted 1990; the music first served as the anthem for South Yemen before unification with North Yemen in 1990

## Economy ::Yemen

Economy - overview:
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. 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. In January 2010, the international community established the Friends of Yemen group that aims to support Yemen's efforts toward economic and political reform. In 2012, the Friends of Yemen pledged over $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 more than 15% in 2011, and about 2%in 2012. Availability of basic services, including electricity, water, and fuel, has improved since the transition, but progress toward achieving more sustainable economic stability has been slow and uneven. Yemen continues to face difficult long term challenges, including declining water resources, high unemployment, and a high population growth rate.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$60.06 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 $59.97 billion (2011 est.) $66.99 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$35.64 billion (2012 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.1% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 -10.5% (2011 est.) 7.7% (2010 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 $2,400 (2011 est.) $2,700 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 8.5% industry: 36% services: 55.5% (2012 est.)
Labor force:
7.158 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Labor force - by occupation:
note: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force
Unemployment rate:
35% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Population below poverty line:
45.2% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 30.8% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.7 (2005) country comparison to the world: 74 33.4 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
18% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Budget:
revenues: $7.359 billion expenditures: $11.2 billion (2012 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
20.6% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-10.8% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Public debt:
43% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 36.5% of GDP (2011 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.2% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 200 19.5% (2011 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA%
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
23% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 25% (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$5.142 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $4.645 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of broad money:
$10.59 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $10.17 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$9.576 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $7.662 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish
Industries:
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
Industrial production growth rate:
0.8% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Current account balance:
-$2.19 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 -$1.663 billion (2011 est.)
Exports:
$7.604 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $8.662 billion (2011 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish, liquefied natural gas
Exports - partners:
China 37.3%, Thailand 15.8%, South Korea 11.4%, India 9.9%, UAE 5.3% (2012)
Imports:
$8.893 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $8.248 billion (2011 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:
China 15.7%, UAE 14.4%, India 9.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, Kuwait 5.1% (2012)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$6.158 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $4.531 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.395 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $6.418 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar - 214.35 (2012 est.) 213.8 (2011 est.) 219.59 (2010 est.) 202.85 (2009) 199.76 (2008)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

## Energy ::Yemen

Electricity - production:
6.339 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Electricity - consumption:
4.7 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
1.33 million kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Crude oil - production:
162,100 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 44
Crude oil - exports:
191,100 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Crude oil - proved reserves:
2.88 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Refined petroleum products - production:
83,130 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
177,000 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Refined petroleum products - exports:
18,140 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Refined petroleum products - imports:
61,950 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Natural gas - production:
6.24 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
Natural gas - consumption:
760 million cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Natural gas - exports:
5.48 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
Natural gas - proved reserves:
478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
26.5 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

## Communications ::Yemen

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.075 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 74
Telephones - mobile cellular:
11.668 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 68
Telephone system:
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, GSM and CDMA mobile-cellular telephone systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity remains low by regional standards international: country code - 967; landing point for the international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); 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 (2006)
Broadcast media:
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)
Internet country code:
.ye
Internet hosts:
33,206 (2012) country comparison to the world: 105
Internet users:
2.349 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 71

## Transportation ::Yemen

Airports:
57 (2012) country comparison to the world: 84
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 17 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2012)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 40 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (2012)
Pipelines:
gas 641 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,370 km (2013)
Roadways:
total: 71,300 km country comparison to the world: 65 paved: 6,200 km unpaved: 65,100 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 5 country comparison to the world: 126 by type: chemical tanker 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 14 (Moldova 4, Panama 4, Sierra Leone 2, Togo 1, unknown 3) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla
Transportation - note:
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

## Military ::Yemen

Military branches:
Land Forces, Naval and Coastal Defense Forces (includes Marines), Air and Air Defense Force (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Yemeniya), Border Guards, Stategic Reserve Forces (2013)
Military service age and obligation:
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 2-year service obligation (2012)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,652,256 females age 16-49: 5,387,160 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,056,944 females age 16-49: 4,116,895 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 287,141 female: 277,612 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
6.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 8
Military - note:
a Coast Guard was established in 2002

## Transnational Issues ::Yemen

Disputes - international:
Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 5,221 (Ethiopia) (2012); 229,447 (Somalia) (2013) IDPs: at least 431,000 (conflict in Sa'ada governorate; clashes between AQAP and government forces) (2012)

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