Yemen

Yemen meaning Happy Arabia is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the East. The rest of its border is surrounded by water in the form of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.

As well as the mainland Yemen’s territory also extends to over 200 islands, including Socotra which is the largest and located off the coast of Somalia.

North Yemen and South Yemen unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. Previously North Yemen was part of the Ottoman Empire, until 1918 when it became independent.

The British withdrew from South Yemen in 1967 after occupying the area since 1839 when it established a protectorate around Aden.

The capital is Sanaa and more than 20% of Yemen’s GDP comes from its agricultural industry, which employs more than half of the working population.

About Yemen

Country flag
Short Name
YEM
Capital
Sanaa
Language
Arabic
Population
23,013,376
Area
527,968 km²
Calling Code
+967

National Olympic Committee

Country flag
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
Yemen Olympic Committee
NOC President
Recognition Year
1981
Address
P.O. Box 2701, Baghdad Street, Sub Road No. 19, Near Vocational Health & Safety Headquarters, Sana’a
Web Address

Sports

The Ministry of Youth and Sports oversees organized sports in Yemen.

Before unification North Yemen had sent competitors to the Summer Olympic Games since 1984 and South Yemen since 1988.

Since 1992 the country entered the games as a unified force.

Climate

Due to the vast ranges in altitude in Yemen the climate varies depending on location. In Aden as well as at Al-Hudaydah in the north temperatures can often pass the 38 °C (100 °F), with high humidity.

However those at Sanaa will experience temperatures of 21 °C (70 °F) and low humidity due to an altitude of 7220ft above sea level and the surrounding mountains.

The country of Yemen lies between two main weather patterns. Northerly winds from the Mediterranean basin being dominant in the winter and South Western monsoon winds bring the rains in the summer.

Religion

Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Culture

Yemeni culture is dominated by its architecture, with design dating back over 2000 years of culture and heritage.

The buildings are constructed of stone blocks and built up to six stories high, often featuring highly decorative designs to emphasise their height.

The capital, Sanaa dates back to the Sabaean dynasty of 6BC and is even mentioned in inscriptions dating back to 1AD.

This ancient city was declared a World Heritage City by the UN in 1986 and features one of the oldest mosques in the Muslim world, al-Jami’ al-Kabir.