| Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen المملكة المتوكلية اليمنية (Arabic) al-Mamlakah al-Mutawakkilīyah al-Yamanīyah | ||||||
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Yemen, officially theMutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Yemen is located in southern Arabia; bordering Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the northeast, the south-eastern part of the Arabian Sea to the east, the Egyptian realm of Yemen and Gulf of Aden to the south, and the Red Sea to the west. Covering roughly 430,954 square kilometres (166,392 square miles), with a coastline of approximately 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles), Yemen is the second largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. Sanaa is its constitutional capital and largest city. Yemen's estimated population is 21.2 million, mostly Arab Muslims. It is a member of the Arab League, the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Owing to its geographic location, Yemen has been at the crossroads of many civilisations for over 7,000 years. The Sabaeans formed a thriving commercial kingdom that influenced parts of modern Ethiopia and Eritrea. In 275 CE, it was succeeded by the Himyarite Kingdom, which spanned much of Yemen's present-day territory and was heavily influenced by Judaism. Christianity arrived in the fourth century, followed by the rapid spread of Islam in the seventh century. From its conversion to Islam, Yemen became a center of Islamic learning, and Yemenite troops played a crucial role in early Islamic conquests. Much of Yemen's architecture survived until modern times. For centuries, it was a primary producer of coffee, exported through the port of Mocha. Various dynasties emerged between the 9th and 16th centuries. During the 19th century, the country was divided between the Ottoman and British empires. After World War I, the Kingdom of Yemen was established, which in 1962 briefly overthrown to form the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) following a coup, after a ten year civil war the Kingdom of Yemen was able to cement it's authority. In 1967, the British Hadhramaut Protectorate became the independent People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen), the first and only officially socialist state in the Arab world. In 1990, the two Yemeni states united to form the modern Kinggdom of Yemen, with Muhammad al-Badr serving as the first king until his death in 1996.
Since the 1990s, Yemen has enjoyed relative political stability under its union, avoiding the protracted conflicts that plagued much of its modern history. The kingdom successfully overcame earlier internal strife and gradually consolidated its governance, focusing on modernization and long-term development rather than prolonged conflict.
While Yemen remains one of the less industrialized nations in the Middle East, it has made considerable progress in improving living standards and infrastructure. As of the early 2020s, the country achieved a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.740, reflecting notable improvements in health, education, and life expectancy. Its GDP (PPP) per capita stands at approximately $14,500, placing it in the ranks of upper-middle-income countries.
Despite these achievements, Yemen continues to face challenges. The nation’s geography and climate make it one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, particularly regarding water scarcity, desertification, and food security. Although significant progress has been made in preparing for these challenges, Yemen remains among the least equipped in the region to handle the long-term environmental consequences.
