Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections:
Consultative Assembly--last held 5 July 1988 (next to be held NA);
results--percent of vote NA;
seats--(159 total, 128 elected)

Communists: small number

Other political or pressure groups: conservative tribal groups,
Muslim Brotherhood, leftist factions--pro-Iraqi Bathists,
Nasirists, National Democratic Front (NDF) supported by the PDRY

Member of: ACC, Arab League, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Mohsin A. al-AINI; Chancery at
Suite 840, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037;
telephone (202) 965-4760 or 4761; there is a Yemeni Consulate General in
Detroit and a Consulate in San Francisco;
US--Ambassador Charles F. DUNBAR; Embassy at address NA, Sanaa (mailing
address is P. O. Box 1088, Sanaa); telephone p967o (2) 271950 through 271958

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a
large green five-pointed star centered in the white band; similar to the flags
of Iraq, which has three stars, and Syria, which has two stars--all green and
five-pointed in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to
the flag of Egypt, which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

- Economy
Overview: The low level of domestic industry and agriculture make North
Yemen dependent on imports for virtually all of its essential needs. Large trade
deficits are made up for by remittances from Yemenis working abroad and foreign
aid. Once self-sufficient in food production, the YAR is now a major importer.
Land once used for export crops--cotton, fruit, and vegetables--has been turned
over to growing qat, a mildly narcotic shrub chewed by Yemenis that has no
significant export market. Oil export revenues started flowing in late 1987
and boosted 1988 earnings by about $800 million.

GDP: $5.5 billion, per capita $820; real growth rate 19.7% (1988
est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16.9% (1988)

Unemployment rate: 13% (1986)

Budget: revenues $1.32 billion; expenditures $2.18 billion,
including capital expenditures of $588 million (1988 est.)

Exports: $853 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--crude oil,
cotton, coffee, hides, vegetables; partners--US 41%, PDRY 14%, Japan 12%

Imports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--textiles and
other manufactured