Country profile · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

🇾🇪 Yemen, Rep.

Low income. Capital Sana'a. Full World Bank, WHO, ILO & OECD indicator profile across 38 measures, with regional peers and rankings.

40.6 million
Population
$21.6 billion
GDP
$634
GDP / capita
69.4 years
Life expectancy

The verdict

Yemen, Rep. ranks 128th of 217 by total GDP and 156th for life expectancy - a low income economy in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan.

#128
World GDP rank (of 217)
$634
GDP per capita
#156
Life-expectancy rank
#38
Population rank

Ranks are computed across the 217 countries with data for each indicator; see the full tables and sources below.

Yemen, Rep. on the global income map

Yemen, Rep. (YEM) plotted alongside its largest economic peers on GDP per capita and the Human Development Index. Bubble area scales with population; color encodes income tier; gold rings mark OECD members.

Yemen, Rep. on the global income map Yemen, Rep. positioned on the GDP-per-capita / HDI plane against its largest economic peers. 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 $200 $1K $10K $100K GDP per capita (USD, log scale) Human Development Index (0–1) India - GDP/cap $2,695 · lower-middle income IND China - GDP/cap $13,303 · upper-middle income CHN United States - GDP/cap $84,534 · high income · OECD USA Indonesia - GDP/cap $4,925 · upper-middle income IDN Pakistan - GDP/cap $1,479 · lower-middle income Nigeria - GDP/cap $1,084 · low income Brazil - GDP/cap $10,311 · upper-middle income Bangladesh - GDP/cap $2,593 · lower-middle income Russian Federation - GDP/cap $14,889 · high income Ethiopia - GDP/cap $1,134 · low income Mexico - GDP/cap $14,186 · high income · OECD Japan - GDP/cap $32,487 · high income · OECD Egypt, Arab Rep. - GDP/cap $3,338 · lower-middle income Philippines - GDP/cap $3,985 · lower-middle income Congo, Dem. Rep. - GDP/cap $693 · low income Viet Nam - GDP/cap $4,717 · upper-middle income Iran, Islamic Rep. - GDP/cap $5,190 · upper-middle income Turkiye - GDP/cap $15,893 · high income · OECD Germany - GDP/cap $56,104 · high income · OECD Thailand - GDP/cap $7,387 · upper-middle income United Kingdom - GDP/cap $53,246 · high income · OECD Tanzania - GDP/cap $1,193 · lower-middle income France - GDP/cap $46,103 · high income · OECD South Africa - GDP/cap $6,267 · upper-middle income Italy - GDP/cap $40,385 · high income · OECD Kenya - GDP/cap $2,133 · lower-middle income Myanmar - GDP/cap $1,359 · lower-middle income Colombia - GDP/cap $7,951 · upper-middle income · OECD Korea, Rep. - GDP/cap $36,239 · high income · OECD Sudan - GDP/cap $985 · low income Yemen, Rep. - GDP/cap $634 · low income Income tier Low Lower-middle Upper-middle High OECD member

Indicators tracked

38

Across 8 topic areas

GDP per capita

$634

Latest WB report

Population

40.6 million

UN estimate

OECD member

No

Outside OECD harmonized stats

Population
40.6 million
GDP
$21.6 billion
GDP per Capita
$634
Life Expectancy
69.4 years

Overview

Yemen, Rep. has a population of 40.6 million, making it the 38th-most populous country out of 217 tracked in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan.

Its economy totals $21.6 billion - ranked 128th globally by total GDP. GDP per capita stands at $634, placing it in the Low income category.

Life expectancy at birth is 69.4 years (ranked 156th globally), reflecting overall health outcomes as measured by the World Bank.

The capital is Sana'a.

👥 Demographics

Population
40.6 million
2024
Population Ages 0-14
41.1%
2024
Population Ages 65+
2.5%
2024
Population Density
74.6/km²
2023
Urban Population
36.8%
2024

💰 Economy

Foreign Direct Investment
$-370,982,780
2019
GDP (Current USD)
$21.6 billion
2018
GDP Growth Rate
0.8%
2018
GDP Per Capita (Current USD)
$633.887
2018
Inflation (Consumer Prices)
8.1%
2014
Trade (% of GDP)
56.1%
2018
Unemployment Rate
17.0%
2024

🏥 Health

Health Expenditure (% of GDP)
9.7%
2023
Infant Mortality Rate
33.8 per 1,000
2024
Life Expectancy at Birth
69.4 years
2024
Maternal Mortality Ratio
118
2023
Physicians (per 1,000 people)
0.1 per 1,000
2023
Stunting Prevalence (under 5)
48.5
2022
Under-5 Mortality Rate
38.1 per 1,000
2024

📚 Education

Education Expenditure (% of GDP)
5.2%
2008
School Enrollment (Primary)
77.0
2016
School Enrollment (Secondary)
43.7
2016
School Enrollment (Tertiary)
8.8
2011

🌍 Environment

CO2 Emissions Per Capita
0.3
2024
Electric Power Consumption
90 kWh
2023
Forest Area
1.0
2023
Freshwater Withdrawal
169.8
2022
Renewable Energy Consumption
3.7%
2021

🏗️ Infrastructure

Access to Electricity
83.6%
2023
Access to Sanitation
43.1%
2024
Internet Users
17.5%
2019
Mobile Subscriptions
50.9
2023

⚖️ Social

Female Labor Participation
4.7
2024
GINI Index
36.7
2014
Intentional Homicides
5.8
2013
Male Labor Participation
61.4
2024
Net Migration
-10,482
2024
Poverty (< $2.15/day)
33.3%
2014

🫀 Disease Burden

Key causes of death and disease risk in Yemen, Rep.. Source: WHO Global Health Observatory.

NCD Death Rate
662
per 100K · 2021
Premature NCD Risk
25.8%
dying 30–70 from NCD
Road Traffic Deaths
29.8
per 100K
Suicide Rate
4.6
per 100K
TB Deaths
5.30
per 100K
Maternal Mortality
118
per 100K births

Sources: WHO Global Health Observatory. NCD mortality rate: 2021. Rates are age-standardized per 100,000 population. Premature NCD risk covers cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease.

Compare Yemen, Rep. with Another Country

What the data says about Yemen, Rep.

Statistical infrastructure in low-income economies like Yemen, Rep. typically relies more heavily on household surveys and modeled estimates than on continuous administrative registration, so several figures on this profile carry a wider margin of uncertainty and a longer lag between the reference year and today than a high-income country's data would. With a small population, a single survey round or a change in methodology can shift Yemen, Rep.'s reported figures noticeably from one release to the next, independent of any real change on the ground. Where a field on this page reads "N/A," it usually means the relevant international agency has not yet published a recent estimate for Yemen, Rep., not that the underlying condition doesn't exist.

Yemen, Rep. sits in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan with a population of 40.6 million, placing it 38th out of 217 countries by headcount. Its capital, Sana'a, anchors a Low income economy with total GDP of $21.6 billion - ranked 128th globally, and GDP per capita of $634. This combination of demographic scale and economic output shapes everything from household purchasing power and domestic market depth to the country's weight in regional trade flows and international development programmes.

Life expectancy at birth in Yemen, Rep. is 69.4 years, ranking 156th worldwide and offering a summary read on healthcare access, nutrition, sanitation, and long-run living standards. The World Bank's World Development Indicators, combined with the WHO Global Health Observatory and ILO ILOSTAT wage statistics, expose 38 data points across 7 thematic areas, from fertility and urbanisation to CO₂ emissions, school enrolment, and labour-force participation. Reading these indicators together, rather than in isolation, is what turns headline numbers into a grounded portrait of how people actually live.

Use the indicator tables below to track trajectories over time, jump to Yemen, Rep.'s placement on specific rankings such as GDP, population density, or life expectancy, and open the side-by-side Compare view to benchmark against peers inside Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan or across income groups. Because all figures come from official, CC BY 4.0-licensed datasets with clear vintages, you can cite them directly in research or journalism. Where a field reads "N/A", the upstream agency has not yet released that value for Yemen, Rep. - we never fabricate estimates or carry forward stale values, so missing points stay visible rather than quietly filled in.

Using the Yemen, Rep. profile

A single rank only means something in context, read Yemen, Rep.'s numbers against its peers and over time.

  • Put Yemen, Rep. side-by-side with another country to see exactly where the gaps are. Compare countries
  • See the full GDP table to find every country above and below Yemen, Rep.'s #128 position. GDP rankings
  • Browse Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan to benchmark Yemen, Rep. against its regional peers. Regional peers

Figures come from official World Bank, WHO, ILO and OECD releases; observation years differ by indicator (shown in the “Year” column) and unavailable values appear as “N/A” rather than estimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the data for Yemen, Rep. come from?

Data for Yemen, Rep. is sourced from the World Bank Open Data catalog, WHO Global Health Observatory, and ILO ILOSTAT (for average wages and working hours). These are official, publicly available datasets.

How current is the data for Yemen, Rep.?

It varies by indicator - most points are 2020-2024. See our methodology page for the update cadence per source.

Can I compare Yemen, Rep. with other countries?

Yes - use the compare tool above, or the rankings catalog to see where Yemen, Rep. stands on any single indicator.

What does GDP per capita tell us about Yemen, Rep.?

Yemen, Rep.'s total output divided by its population, in current US dollars - an approximate read on average economic productivity per person. See our methodology page for the PPP-adjustment caveats.

How does Yemen, Rep.'s life expectancy compare to the global average?

69.4 years, ranking 156th of 217 countries tracked - against a global average near 73 years.

Does PlainCountries cover visa or travel information for Yemen, Rep.?

No - PlainCountries is development and health data only. PlainVisa (plainvisa.com) covers immigration policy; PlainFlights (plainflights.com) covers flight routes.

Source: World Bank Open Data, Source: WHO Global Health Observatory, Source: ILO ILOSTAT. World Bank and ILO data licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, financial, or policy advice. Data is sourced from the World Bank, WHO, ILO, and OECD. See our full disclaimer and editorial policy.