GeographyYemen
Location: Middle East, insouthArabia, borderingArabian Sea, GulfAden,Red Sea, westOmansouthSaudi Arabia. Consideredbe one offifteen states that compriseso-called "CradleHumanity."
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 48 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total:
527,970 kmē
land:
527,970 kmē
water:
0 kmē
note:
includes Perim, Socotra,former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR or North Yemen), andformer People's Democratic RepublicYemen (PDRY or South Yemen)
Land boundaries:
total:
1,746 km
border countries:
Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
Coastline: 1,906 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
18 nautical miles inNorth; 24 nautical miles inSouth
continental shelf:
200 nautical miles or toedge ofcontinental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nautical miles
territorial sea:
12 nautical miles
Climate: mostly desert; hothumid along west coast; temperatewestern mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh deserteast
Terrain: narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hillsrugged mountains; dissected upland desert plainscenter slope intodesert interior ofArabian Peninsula
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point:
Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small depositscoal, gold, lead, nickel,copper, fertile soilwest
Land use:
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
30%
forestswoodland:
4%
other:
63% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 3,600 kmē (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: sandstormsdust stormssummer
Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate suppliespotable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law ofSea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
none ofselected agreements
Geography - note: strategic location on Bab el Mandeb,strait linkingRed Sea andGulfAden, oneworld's most active shipping lanes
- See also : Yemen
