World Factbook
Yemen
Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Budget
revenues
$2.207 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures
$3.585 billion (2019 est.)
Exports
note
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2015
$1.867 billion (2015 est.)
Exports 2016
$938.469 million (2016 est.)
Exports 2017
$384.5 million (2017 est.)
Imports
note
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2015
$7.697 billion (2015 est.)
Imports 2016
$8.256 billion (2016 est.)
Imports 2017
$4.079 billion (2017 est.)
Industries
crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles, leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; aluminum products; cement; commercial ship repair; natural gas production
Labor force
7.848 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt
Public debt 2016
68.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
note
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2021
19.44% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022
16.02% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
20.05% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2019
486.731 (2019 est.)
Exchange rates 2020
743.006 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
1,028.108 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
1,115.002 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
1,355.116 (2023 est.)
Debt - external
note
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt - external 2023
$6.492 billion (2023 est.)
Economic overview
low-income Middle Eastern economy; infrastructure, trade, and economic institutions devastated by civil war; oil/gas-dependent but decreasing reserves; massive poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment; high inflation
Unemployment rate
note
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022
17.4% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
17.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
17.1% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
UAE 28%, India 21%, Saudi Arabia 17%, Oman 7%, Malaysia 5% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
China 23%, UAE 15%, Saudi Arabia 11%, Turkey 8%, India 7% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Real GDP per capita
note
note: data in 2015 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022
$300 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$200 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$200 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
note
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2016
-9.4% (2016 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2017
-5.1% (2017 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2018
0.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural products
mangoes/guavas, potatoes, milk, onions, spices, chicken, sorghum, watermelons, tomatoes, grapes (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Exports - commodities
gold, fish, scrap iron, shellfish, industrial acids/oils/alcohols (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - commodities
wheat, raw sugar, rice, iron bars, plastic products (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Current account balance
note
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2014
-$1.488 billion (2014 est.)
Current account balance 2015
-$3.026 billion (2015 est.)
Current account balance 2016
-$2.419 billion (2016 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$8.278 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
note
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
19.6% (2020 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
26% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
29.1% (2022 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
-1.1% (2018 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
note
note: data in 2015 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$19.294 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$18.908 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$18.719 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
31.8% (2024 est.)
note
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
total
32.4% (2024 est.)
female
38.4% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
note
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$969.613 million (2020 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$1.688 billion (2021 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$1.251 billion (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
note
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
industry
25.4% (2018 est.)
services
41.8% (2018 est.)
agriculture
28.7% (2018 est.)