of Aden, and
Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 48 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 527,970 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)

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: contiguous zone: 24 NM

continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

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: 3%

permanent crops: 13%

permanent pastures: 33.5%

forests and woodland: 4%

other: 46.5% (1999)

Irrigated land: 5,674 sq km (1999)

Natural hazards: sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water
resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil
erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection

signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

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

Yemen People

Population: 18,078,035 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.21% (male 4,340,436; female 4,195,076)

15-64 years: 49.79% (male 4,598,301; female 4,402,402)

65 years and over: 3% (male 274,202; female 267,618) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.38% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 43.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)