Yemen - Tourism and Travel

The Republic of Yemen is a country in Asia on the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula. It has coasts on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Yemen has an area of 203,850 square miles (572,968 square kilometers).

There is a mountain range beyond the Red Sea coastal plain.

Jabal an-Nabi Shu'ayb is the highest mountain in Yemen and the highest mountain in the Arabian Peninsula. It is 12,336 feet (3,760 meters) high.

Beyond the mountain range, the land descends to desert plateaus.

Most of Yemen is airy and hot. The west has more rainfall, and most of the people live there.

The capital of Yemen is Sana.

Yemen has a population of 23,580,000.

99% of the people of Yemen are Arab.

55% are Sunni Muslim and 42% are Shi'a Muslim. There are also Christians, Hindus and Jews.

The official language of Yemen is Arabic.

Yemen is one of the poorest of the Arab countries.

A large percentage of the people live in rural areas.

Most of the workforce is involved in fishing and farming.

The soil is very fertile and almost all of the land has been cultivated. Terraces have been constructed in the highest reaches of the mountains to allow crops to be grown there.

Cotton is the main cash crop.

Main exports are crude oil, fish, dried fruit and coffee.

Yemen has a presidential system of government.

The official currency is the Yemeni rial, which is equal to 100 fils.