Country Details
Yemen
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
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Geography
Detailed information and insights
Location
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates
15 00 N, 48 00 E
Map references
Middle East
Area
Total
527,968 sq km
Land
527,968 sq km
Water
0 sq km
Area - comparative
almost four times the size of Alabama; slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Land boundaries
Total
1,601 km
Border countries
Oman 294 km; Saudi Arabia 1,307 km
Coastline
1,906 km
Maritime claims
Territorial sea
12 nm
Contiguous zone
24 nm
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Continental shelf
200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate
mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east
Terrain
narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Elevation
Highest point
Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,666 m
Lowest point
Arabian Sea 0 m
Mean elevation
999 m
Natural resources
petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west
Land use
Agricultural land
44.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 2.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 41.7% (2023 est.)
Forest
1% (2023 est.)
Other
54.5% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land
6,800 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
the vast majority of the population is found in the Asir Mountains (part of the larger Sarawat Mountain system), located in the far western region of the country
Natural hazards
sandstorms and dust storms in summer
volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, became active in 2007; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century
volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, became active in 2007; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century
Geography - note
strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and one of world's most active shipping lanes