Yemen
Asia · Western Asia
Severe humanitarian crisis and ongoing conflict; not recommended for travel.
At a Glance
📈Yemen's Human Development Index
0.424
Low human development#184 of 191 countries worldwide, #43 of 43 in Asia.
Higher than 4% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Yemen
Yemen is one of the oldest civilisations in the Arab world, with the ancient walled city of Sana'a, the extraordinary mud skyscrapers of Shibam, the spice markets of the interior, and the island of Socotra with its uniquely strange Dragon Blood trees. The culture is Arab and tribal, with a tradition of poetry, architecture, and coffee culture that predates almost everything familiar in the region. The country is currently inaccessible for most travellers, but its heritage is extraordinary and worth knowing.
- Home to ancient multi-storey mud-brick skyscrapers built before concrete was invented.
- The world's worst humanitarian crisis for several consecutive years.
- Coffee was first cultivated here — 'mocha' is a Yemeni port city, not a Starbucks invention.
Quick Facts
Capital
Sana'a
Language
Arabic
Currency
﷼ YER
Area
527,970 km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
16Mbps
Unemployment
17.3%
Cost of Living
53.1
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.357 → 0.424 (+0.067)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
Thinking about Yemen for real?
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💬Quick answers
What is Yemen's Human Development Index?
Yemen's Human Development Index is 0.424 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #184 of 191 countries.
Is Yemen safe?
Yemen scores 3.08 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #153 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
How expensive is Yemen?
Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Yemen at 53.1 (New York = 100); that is #108 cheapest of 143 countries with data.
What is life expectancy in Yemen?
Life expectancy at birth in Yemen is 69.4 yrs (World Bank), ranked #136 of 195 countries.