Parts of this article (those related to the estimates) need to be updated . Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (August 2023 )
Demographics of Yemen Population 40,583,113 (2024 est.) Growth rate 2.17% (2022 est.) Birth rate 24.64 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) Death rate 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) Life expectancy 69.21 years • male 65.19 years • female 69.94 years Fertility rate 3.01 children born/woman (2022 est.) Infant mortality rate 46.54 deaths/1,000 live births Net migration rate -0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) 0–14 years 39.16% 65 and over 2.8% Total 1.02 male(s)/female (2022 est.) At birth 1.05 male(s)/female Under 15 1.04 male(s)/female 65 and over 0.69 male(s)/female Nationality Yemeni Major ethnic Arabs Minor ethnic Official Arabic
Yemen's tribal areas and Shia/Sunni regions. Shia Muslims predominant in the green area of Yemen's West, with the rest of Yemen being Sunni Muslims .
Demographic features of the population of Yemen (Arabic : سكان اليمن ) include population density , ethnicity , education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Population
Historical population Year 0 1,001,000 — 500 2,150,000 +114.8% 1000 2,250,000 +4.7% 1500 2,250,000 +0.0% 1700 2,250,000 +0.0% 1900 2,490,000 +10.7% 1950 4,316,000 +73.3% 1960 5,116,000 +18.5% 1970 6,145,000 +20.1% 1980 7,945,000 +29.3% 1990 11,948,000 +50.4% 2000 17,723,000 +48.3% 2010 24,053,000 +35.7% 2020 30,932,546 +28.6% Source:[ 1] [ 2] 2020[ 3]
The population of Yemen was about 33 million according to 2021 estimates,[ 4] [ 5] with 46% of the population being under 15 years old and 2.7% above 65 years. In 1950, it was 4.3 million.[ 6] [ 7] By 2050, the population is estimated to increase to about 60 million.[ 8]
Yemenis are mainly of Arab ethnicity.[ 9] When the former states of North and South Yemen were established, most resident minority groups departed.[ 10] Yemen is still a largely tribal society.[ 11] In the northern, mountainous parts of the country, there are some 400 Zaidi tribes.[ 12] There are also hereditary caste groups in urban areas such as Al-Akhdam .[ 13]
According to the USCRI , Yemen hosted a population of refugees and asylum seekers numbering approximately 69 in 2017. Refugees and asylum seekers living in Yemen were predominantly from Iraq , Somalia , Ethiopia ,[ 14] and Syria .[ 15]
Ethnic groups
The ethnic makeup of Yemen consists predominantly of Arabs; but also includes minorities from the Horn of Africa , South Asia , and Europe . Yemen was formerly also home to a Jewish diaspora community.[ 16]
Languages
Arabic is the official language; English is also used in official and business circles.[ 17] In the Mahra area (the extreme east), several others
Arabic languages (including Mehri ) are spoken.[ 18] When the former states of North and South Yemen were established, most resident minority groups departed.[ 18]
Religions
Religion in Yemen (2022 estimate)[ 20]
Religion in Yemen consists primarily of two principal Islamic religious groups: by various sources, 53-65% of the Muslim population is Sunni and 30-44.5% is Shia.[ 21] [ 22] [ 17] [ 23] [ 24] [ 25] Sunnis primarily adhere to the Shafi'i school, and there are also significant followers of the Maliki and Hanbali schools. Shias are primarily Zaidi and also have significant minorities of Twelver [ 21] [ 26] and Ismaili Shias.[ 21]
Zaidis are generally found in the north and northwest and Shafi'is in the south and southeast.[ 18] There is also a small minority of Christians and Jews .[ 17]
Literacy
According to composite data compiled by the World Bank, the adult literacy rate for Yemen in 2005 was 35 percent for females and 73 percent for males. The overall literacy rate for the population age 15 and older was 54 percent. By comparison, low-income countries in the aggregate average an adult literacy rate of almost 62 percent.[ 17]
In 2006 only 75 percent of Yemen's school-age population was enrolled in primary school; enrollment was even lower for the female population—only 65 percent. In that same year, only 37 percent of the school-age population was enrolled in secondary school, including only 26 percent of eligible females.[ 17]
Diaspora
The Yemeni diaspora is largely concentrated in the United Kingdom, where between 70,000 and 80,000 Yemenis live. Over 20,000 Yemenis reside in the United States, and an additional 2,812 live in Italy. Other Yemenis also reside in Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates , Qatar and Bahrain , as well as Indonesia , Malaysia , Brunei , and the former USSR . A smaller number of modern-day Pakistanis are of Yemeni descent, their original ancestors having left Yemen for the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia over four centuries ago.[ 27] 350,000 Yemenite Jews live in Israel. In 2015, due to the conflict in Yemen, many have migrated to the northern coasts of Djibouti and Somalia.
Demographic statistics from the CIA World Factbook
Yemen's historical population
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook , unless otherwise indicated.[ 16]
Population
Year
Population (July est.)
Growth rate (est.)
2004
20,024,867
2005
20,727,063
2006
21,456,188
2007
22,230,531
2008
23,013,376
2009
23,822,783
2010
23,495,361
2011
24,133,492
Source: CIA Factbooks 2000–2010.
Year
Birth rate (est.): births/1000 pop.
Death rate (est.): deaths/1000 pop.
Net migration rate (est.): migrants/1000 pop.
2004
43.16
8.78
0
2005
43.07
8.53
0
2006
42.89
8.30
0
2007
42.67
8.05
0
2008
42.42
7.83
2009
42.14
7.61
N/A
2010
34.37
7.24
N/A
Age structure
Population pyramid 2016
estimates for 2010:
0–14 years: 43.5% (male 5,199,954/female 5,013,165)
15–64 years: 53.9% (male 6,438,569/female 6,233,708)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 291,319/female 318,646)
Population growth rate
3.213% (2010 est.)
Sex ratio
(2010 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female
Population density of Yemen (2022)
Urbanization
Urban population: 31% of total population (2008)
Rate of urbanization : 4.9% annual rate of change (2005–2010 est.)
AIDS adult prevalence rate
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS
12,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS – deaths
N/A
Life expectancy at birth
(2010 est.)
total population: 63.36 years
male: 61.35 years
female: 65.47 years
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea , hepatitis A , and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)
Nationality
noun : Yemeni(s)
adjective : Yemeni
Vital statistics
In 2007 the birthrate and death rate were estimated to be 42.7 per 1,000 and 8.1 per 1,000, respectively (CIA est.). The infant mortality rate was almost 58 deaths per 1,000 live births. The rate was estimated to be higher for males than for females—more than 62 male deaths per 1,000 live births, as compared with about 53 female deaths per 1,000 live births. Despite an increase of 14 years in the last decade, life expectancy at birth in Yemen has remained low compared with other developing countries—60.6 years for males and 64.5 years for females, or 62.5 years overall. The country's fertility rate was almost 6.5 children per woman in 2007 free.[ 17]
UN estimates
Year[ 28]
Population
Live births per year
Deaths per year
Natural change per year
CBR1
CDR1
NC1
TFR1
IMR1
Life expectancy (years)
1950
4 713 000
248 000
166 000
82 000
52.6
35.1
17.4
7.92
318.3
31.66
1951
4 783 000
252 000
166 000
86 000
52.7
34.7
17.9
7.90
317.6
31.68
1952
4 856 000
257 000
168 000
89 000
52.8
34.5
18.3
7.88
316.2
31.80
1953
4 932 000
262 000
170 000
92 000
53.1
34.3
18.7
7.90
314.8
31.93
1954
5 011 000
267 000
172 000
95 000
53.2
34.3
18.9
7.90
313.4
32.04
1955
5 092 000
272 000
175 000
98 000
53.4
34.2
19.2
7.89
312.0
32.17
1956
5 175 000
278 000
177 000
101 000
53.6
34.2
19.4
7.90
310.6
32.27
1957
5 261 000
283 000
180 000
103 000
53.7
34.2
19.5
7.89
309.2
32.36
1958
5 350 000
289 000
181 000
108 000
53.9
33.8
20.1
7.90
303.4
32.79
1959
5 444 000
295 000
182 000
113 000
54.1
33.4
20.7
7.92
298.1
33.19
1960
5 542 000
302 000
183 000
119 000
54.4
33.0
21.4
7.94
293.0
33.68
1961
5 647 000
309 000
185 000
124 000
54.7
32.7
22.0
7.96
287.8
34.10
1962
5 753 000
316 000
191 000
124 000
54.8
33.2
21.6
7.96
283.8
33.62
1963
5 860 000
323 000
197 000
125 000
54.9
33.6
21.4
7.98
280.0
33.25
1964
5 974 000
331 000
192 000
139 000
55.3
32.1
23.2
8.04
272.0
34.74
1965
6 097 000
339 000
193 000
146 000
55.4
31.5
23.9
8.07
265.0
35.37
1966
6 228 000
347 000
192 000
155 000
55.6
30.8
24.8
8.13
257.1
36.10
1967
6 368 000
355 000
192 000
164 000
55.7
30.1
25.6
8.17
248.9
36.87
1968
6 516 000
362 000
190 000
172 000
55.5
29.2
26.4
8.20
240.3
37.80
1969
6 674 000
369 000
184 000
185 000
55.2
27.5
27.6
8.22
230.3
39.47
1970
6 844 000
378 000
182 000
196 000
55.1
26.5
28.6
8.24
221.3
40.50
1971
7 024 000
387 000
180 000
207 000
55.1
25.6
29.5
8.26
212.9
41.54
1972
7 216 000
398 000
179 000
219 000
55.0
24.7
30.3
8.30
204.8
42.46
1973
7 418 000
406 000
177 000
229 000
54.7
23.9
30.8
8.30
197.1
43.35
1974
7 630 000
416 000
175 000
241 000
54.5
23.0
31.5
8.34
189.5
44.33
1975
7 856 000
430 000
174 000
256 000
54.6
22.1
32.5
8.40
181.5
45.25
1976
8 095 000
442 000
172 000
270 000
54.5
21.2
33.3
8.44
173.2
46.24
1977
8 348 000
456 000
170 000
286 000
54.5
20.3
34.2
8.50
164.8
47.29
1978
8 615 000
468 000
167 000
300 000
54.2
19.4
34.8
8.52
156.4
48.39
1979
8 900 000
488 000
166 000
322 000
54.7
18.6
36.2
8.67
147.9
49.39
1980
9 205 000
504 000
162 000
341 000
54.6
17.6
37.0
8.71
139.8
50.65
1981
9 529 000
519 000
160 000
359 000
54.4
16.7
37.6
8.75
132.0
51.71
1982
9 872 000
536 000
159 000
377 000
54.2
16.1
38.1
8.79
125.5
52.41
1983
10 237 000
554 000
154 000
400 000
54.0
15.0
39.0
8.83
118.1
53.92
1984
10 626 000
570 000
151 000
418 000
53.5
14.2
39.3
8.85
112.0
54.93
1985
11 037 000
588 000
150 000
438 000
53.2
13.6
39.7
8.86
106.5
55.69
1986
11 465 000
606 000
161 000
445 000
52.8
14.1
38.8
8.86
102.0
53.82
1987
11 916 000
625 000
149 000
476 000
52.4
12.5
39.9
8.83
97.9
57.10
1988
12 387 000
643 000
149 000
495 000
51.9
12.0
39.9
8.79
94.3
57.76
1989
12 872 000
660 000
149 000
510 000
51.2
11.6
39.6
8.71
91.4
58.22
1990
13 375 000
678 000
150 000
528 000
50.6
11.2
39.4
8.61
88.8
58.70
1991
13 896 000
696 000
151 000
544 000
50.0
10.9
39.1
8.46
86.4
59.05
1992
14 434 000
713 000
153 000
561 000
49.4
10.6
38.8
8.27
84.3
59.43
1993
14 988 000
730 000
154 000
576 000
48.7
10.2
38.4
8.05
82.5
59.86
1994
15 553 000
738 000
157 000
581 000
47.5
10.1
37.3
7.80
80.9
59.71
1995
16 103 000
743 000
156 000
588 000
46.1
9.6
36.4
7.53
79.5
60.45
1996
16 614 000
720 000
156 000
565 000
43.3
9.3
33.9
7.02
78.2
60.57
1997
17 109 000
729 000
153 000
576 000
42.5
8.9
33.6
6.83
76.4
61.12
1998
17 608 000
732 000
153 000
579 000
41.5
8.7
32.8
6.64
74.1
61.38
1999
18 115 000
746 000
151 000
596 000
41.1
8.3
32.8
6.51
71.5
61.98
2000
18 629 000
751 000
148 000
603 000
40.2
7.9
32.3
6.32
68.7
62.59
2001
19 143 000
753 000
145 000
608 000
39.2
7.6
31.7
6.11
65.9
63.22
2002
19 661 000
762 000
142 000
620 000
38.7
7.2
31.5
5.94
62.8
63.91
2003
20 189 000
780 000
140 000
641 000
38.5
6.9
31.6
5.82
59.9
64.54
2004
20 733 000
794 000
139 000
656 000
38.2
6.7
31.6
5.71
57.2
65.01
2005
21 321 000
810 000
137 000
673 000
37.9
6.4
31.5
5.58
54.8
65.54
2006
21 966 000
831 000
136 000
694 000
37.8
6.2
31.6
5.43
52.3
65.99
2007
22 642 000
842 000
135 000
707 000
37.2
6.0
31.2
5.27
50.0
66.57
2008
23 329 000
857 000
135 000
723 000
36.7
5.8
31.0
5.13
47.9
66.96
2009
24 030 000
871 000
136 000
735 000
36.2
5.7
30.5
4.99
46.4
67.20
2010
24 744 000
886 000
139 000
748 000
35.8
5.6
30.2
4.86
45.7
67.28
2011
25 476 000
905 000
142 000
763 000
35.5
5.6
29.9
4.74
45.4
67.42
2012
26 223 000
922 000
146 000
775 000
35.1
5.6
29.5
4.63
45.5
67.34
2013
26 984 000
939 000
149 000
791 000
34.8
5.5
29.3
4.53
45.4
67.55
2014
27 753 000
956 000
155 000
802 000
34.4
5.6
28.9
4.43
45.5
67.38
2015
28 517 000
968 000
175 000
793 000
33.9
6.1
27.8
4.32
46.3
65.87
2016
29 274 000
977 000
177 000
800 000
33.3
6.1
27.3
4.21
46.2
66.06
2017
30 034 000
983 000
183 000
800 000
32.7
6.1
26.6
4.11
46.1
65.96
2018
30 791 000
995 000
204 000
791 000
32.3
6.6
25.7
4.04
46.6
64.58
2019
31 547 000
1 003 000
203 000
801 000
31.8
6.4
25.4
3.96
46.5
65.09
2020
32 284 000
1 010 000
210 000
800 000
31.3
6.5
24.7
3.89
45.9
64.65
2021
32 982 000
1 009 000
226 000
783 000
30.5
6.8
23.7
3.80
46.8
63.75
1 CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births
Fertility and births
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):[ 29]
Year
Total
Urban
Rural
CBR
TFR
CBR
TFR
CBR
TFR
1997
39.2
6.48
35.2
5.01
40.6
7.03
2013
33.4
4.4 (3,1)
27.4
3.2 (2,4)
36.2
5.1 (3,5)
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2013) (Data refer to national projections.): [ 30]
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
%
Total
12 844 169
12 390 910
25 235 079
100
0–4
2 069 855
1 981 763
4 051 618
16.06
5–9
1 723 755
1 653 391
3 377 146
13.38
10–14
1 539 447
1 467 798
3 007 245
11.92
15–19
1 530 854
1 423 803
2 954 657
11.71
20–24
1 426 490
1 312 083
2 738 574
10.85
25–29
1 146 775
1 080 140
2 226 915
8.82
30–34
851 154
837 094
1 688 248
6.69
35–39
635 492
641 256
1 276 748
5.06
40–44
448 186
468 200
916 385
3.63
45–49
366 733
392 010
758 743
3.01
50–54
310 025
334 665
644 689
2.55
55–59
238 877
249 982
488 859
1.94
60–64
178 041
174 631
352 671
1.40
65-69
135 090
131 812
266 902
1.06
70-74
98 257
97 029
195 287
0.77
75-79
66 656
66 691
133 347
0.53
80+
78 482
78 565
157 047
0.62
Age group
Male
Female
Total
Percent
0–14
5 333 057
5 102 952
10 436 009
41.36
15–64
7 132 627
6 913 861
14 046 488
55.66
65+
378 485
374 097
752 582
2.98
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2017) (Data refer to national projections.): [ 31]
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
%
Total
14 334 126
13 836 282
28 170 408
100
0–4
2 213 674
2 118 177
4 331 851
15.38
5–9
1 992 122
1 901 034
3 893 155
13.82
10–14
1 639 285
1 573 936
3 213 221
11.41
15–19
1 529 732
1 451 328
2 981 060
10.58
20–24
1 509 363
1 398 464
2 907 826
10.32
25–29
1 367 680
1 260 306
2 627 986
9.33
30–34
1 063 494
1 010 846
2 074 340
7.36
35–39
799 595
789 413
1 589 008
5.64
40–44
577 738
587 770
1 165 508
4.14
45–49
415 599
438 461
854 059
3.03
50–54
343 155
371 721
714 875
2.54
55–59
279 808
307 024
586 832
2.08
60–64
206 651
218 537
425 188
1.51
65-69
148 672
150 710
299 382
1.06
70-74
105 257
108 159
213 416
0.76
75-79
69 010
72 586
141 596
0.50
80+
73 292
77 812
151 104
0.54
Age group
Male
Female
Total
Percent
0–14
5 845 081
5 593 147
11 438 228
40.60
15–64
8 092 814
7 833 868
15 926 682
56.54
65+
396 231
409 267
805 498
2.86
Life expectancy
Period
Life expectancy in Years
Period
Life expectancy in Years
1950–1955
34.7
1985–1990
56.8
1955–1960
34.7
1990–1995
58.5
1960–1965
34.7
1995–2000
59.8
1965–1970
39.1
2000–2005
61.0
1970–1975
43.3
2005–2010
62.8
1975–1980
48.1
2010–2015
64.2
1980–1985
53.0
Source: UN World Population Prospects [ 32]
See also
References
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^ World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision
^ "Yemen Population (2022) - Worldometer" .
^ "World Population Prospects 2022" . United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs , Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022 .
^ "World Population Prospects 2022: Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XSLX) ("Total Population, as of 1 July (thousands)"). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs , Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022 .
^ "The General Census of Population 2004" . Sabanews. 29 December 2004 [Updated 13 December 2013]. Retrieved 13 December 2013 .
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^ "Yemen" . Central Intelligence Agency . CIA World Factbook. 6 December 2013.
^ "U.S. Relations With Yemen" . U.S. Department of State. 28 August 2013.
^ Flamand, Annasofie; Macleod, Hugh (5 December 2009). "The children of Yemen's tribal war" . The Herald Scotland . Glasgow. Retrieved 22 February 2013 .
^ Pike, John (5 July 2011). "Zaydi Islam" . Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 22 February 2013 . (Requires 3rd-party cookies)
^ Lehmann, Hermann (1954). "Distribution of the sickle cell trait" . Eugenics Review . 46 (2): 101–121. PMC 2973326 . PMID 21260667 .
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^ "Poor and desperate, Syrian refugees beg on Yemen's streets" . Reuters . 26 September 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013 .
^ a b The World Factbook - Yemen
^ a b c d e f Country profile: Yemen . Library of Congress Federal Research Division (August 2008). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
^ a b c Background note: Yemen . US Department of State (December 2007). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
^ "Middle East :: YEMEN" . CIA The World Factbook. 26 April 2023.
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