 Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Yemen conventional short form:Yemen local long form:Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah local short form:Al Yaman former:Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name:Sanaageographic coordinates:15 21 N, 44 12 E time difference:UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
20 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) and 1 municipality*; Abyan, 'Adan (Aden), Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Amanat al 'Asimah (Sanaa City)*, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Raymah, Sa'dah, San'a' (Sanaa), Shabwah, Ta'izz
Independence:
22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen was established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]); note - previously North Yemen became independent in November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and became a republic with the overthrow of the theocratic Imamate in 1962; South Yemen became independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Unification Day, 22 May (1990)
Constitution:
adopted by referendum 16 May 1991 (following unification); amended several times, last in 2009; note - in early 2013, the Yemeni Government launched a National Dialogue to seek reforms and recommendations for a new constitution (2013)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of Islamic law, Napoleonic law, English common law, and customary law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI (Field Marshal) (since 25 February 2012)head of government:Prime Minister Muhammad Salim BA SINDWAH (since 27 November 2011); Deputy Prime Ministers Abdallah Muhsin al-AKWA and Ahmad Ubayd BIN DAGHIR cabinet:on 27 November 2011, Vice President HADI requested Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Salim BA SINDWAH to form a new government following the resignation of President SALIH on 24 November 2011 elections:president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term based on constitution; however a special election was held on 21 February 2012 to remove Ali Abdallah SALIH based on a GCC-mediated deal during the political crisis of 2011 (next election expected in 2014); vice president appointed by the president but position is vacant; prime minister appointed by the president election results:Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI elected as a consensus president with about 50% popular participation; no other candidates
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats; members appointed by the president) and House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies to serve six-year terms)elections:last held on 27 April 2003 (scheduled April 2009 election postponed) election results:House of Representatives percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GPC 238, Islah 47, YSP 6, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 5
| | Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court (consists of the president of the Court, 2 deputies, and nearly 50 judges; court organized into constitutional, civil, commercial, family, administrative, criminal, military, and appeals scrutiny divisions)judge selection and term of office:judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council, chaired by the president of the republic and consisting of 10 high-ranking judicial officers; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts:appeal courts; district or first instance courts; commercial courts
Political parties and leaders:
General People's Congress or GPC [Ali Abdallah SALIH, Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI]Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Muhammed Abdallah al-YADUMI, Abdul Wahab al-ANSI] Nasserite Unionist Party [Sultan al-ATWANI] Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Yasin Said NU'MAN] note:there are at least seven more active political parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Muslim Brotherhood
International organization participation:
AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adel Ali Ahmed AL-SUNAINIchancery:2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:[1] (202) 965-4760 FAX:[1] (202) 337-2017
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Karen H. SASAHARA (since July 2013)embassy:Sa'awan Street, Sanaa mailing address:P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa telephone:[967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266 FAX:[967] (1) 303-182
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white)
National symbol(s):
golden eagle
National anthem:
name:'al-qumhuriyatu l-muttahida' (United Republic)
lyrics/music:Abdullah Abdulwahab NOA'MAN/Ayyoab Tarish ABSI note:adopted 1990; the music first served as the anthem for South Yemen before unification with North Yemen in 1990 |