Economy - overview:
Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported average annual growth in the range of 3-4% from 2000 through 2007. In 2008, growth dropped below 3% as the price of oil declined and the slowing global economy reduced demand for oil. Yemen's economic fortunes depend mostly on declining oil resources, but the country is trying to diversify its earnings. In 2006 Yemen began an economic reform program designed to bolster non-oil sectors of the economy and foreign investment. As a result of the program, international donors pledged about $5 billion for development projects. A liquefied natural gas facility is scheduled to open in 2009. Yemen has limited exposure to the international financial system and no capital markets, however, the global financial crisis probably will reduce international aid in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$55.29 billion (2008 est.)
$53.58 billion (2007)
$51.77 billion (2006)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):
$27.56 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2008 est.)
3.5% (2007 est.)
3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita:
$2,400 (2008 est.)
$2,400 (2007 est.)
$2,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.4%
industry: 52.4%
services: 38.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:
6.494 million (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
note: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force

Unemployment rate:
35% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25.9% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.7 (2005)

Investment (gross fixed):
26.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $9.097 billion
expenditures: $10.55 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:
31.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
18% (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate:
NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
18% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:
$3.076 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:
$4.526 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:
$2.224 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA

Agriculture - products:
grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish

Industries:
crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement; commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
2.5% (2008 est.)

Electricity - production:
5.017 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:
3.804 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:
320,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:
135,400 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:
336,600 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:
62,850 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:
3 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:
-$2.175 billion (2008 est.)

Exports:
$9.234 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Exports - partners:
China 23.3%, India 20.4%, Thailand 19.1%, Japan 7.2%, UAE 5%, US 4.2% (2007)

Imports:
$9.215 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
UAE 15.1%, China 11.6%, US 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 7.1%, Kuwait 5.3%, Germany 4.8% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$8.306 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Debt - external:
$6.472 billion (31 December 2008 est.)