Yemen

Yemen is a country in Western Asia, classified by the United Nations under the M49 standard with code 887, ISO alpha-2 code YE, and ISO alpha-3 code YEM. It sits in the UN region of Asia and the subregion of Western Asia and is a UN member state. The World Bank capital field lists Sana’a. These are classification facts, not political or territorial claims.

Stable classification identifiers

Yemen’s identifiers are stable and come from the UN Statistics Division’s M49 standard:

• UN M49 code: 887
• ISO alpha-2: YE
• ISO alpha-3: YEM
• UN region: Asia
• UN subregion: Western Asia
• UN member state: Yes
• World Bank capital field: Sana’a

The M49 standard is a statistical framework, not a political statement. It groups nations and areas for data purposes only. For the authoritative overview, see the UN Statistics Division M49 page ( For country-level economic data, the World Bank API returns the country code, region, and income level fields.

How to verify current population, languages, currency, government, economy, and travel requirements

All changing figures are time-bound. Before citing them, confirm the reference year and the exact definition behind each number. The World Bank API lists basic country metadata (region, income group, capital) but does not contain every statistic. For population, use the World Bank’s Population, total indicator (SP.POP.TOTL) or the UN World Population Prospects; the reference year for any estimate must be stated. For languages, consult Ethnologue or the national census; there is no single authoritative global language list. Currency codes are maintained by ISO 4217; current exchange rates change daily and must be checked against a named exchange-rate source. Government structure and leadership change with elections; check official national sources or a current edition of the CIA World Factbook. For economy, use the World Bank API ( to pull the country code and indicators, and state the reference year for each indicator. For travel requirements, consult your own government’s foreign ministry or the IATA Travel Centre; visa rules change without notice and are nationality-specific. Do not rely on a single year’s figure for any statistic that changes frequently.

What this framework does and does not do

This framework gives you a stable method for researching Yemen as a nation. It does not attempt to freeze volatile numbers, because population estimates, exchange rates, inflation, and security conditions change frequently and depend on the source. Instead, you get the classification facts, the named primary sources, and the reference year for each figure so you can update it correctly.

If you need current travel advice, visa rules, or security information, do not rely on this framework. Go to your own government’s travel advisory or the IATA Travel Centre. For country comparisons beyond this entry, see the pillar guide on country research and comparison.

Verify the basics

Start with the UN M49 overview to confirm the regional grouping and the country code structure. The M49 standard is maintained by the UN Statistics Division and is the backbone of most international datasets.

For economic and demographic indicators, the World Bank country API returns a single JSON record per nation code. You can query by ISO code, e.g. YE for Yemen, or browse all nations at once. The API response includes the country name, ISO code, region, income level, and lending category. It does not include population or GDP directly; for those, use the World Bank Indicators API with the indicator ID (e.g., SP.POP.TOTL for population) and specify the year you want. The reference year must be explicit in any comparison you write.

Population data caveats

Yemen’s last comprehensive census was conducted in 2004, and subsequent figures are projections or estimates. UN population estimates for Yemen are modeled from partial data and may differ from national statistics. Civil registration and vital statistics are incomplete, so official numbers should be treated as approximate. For any comparative table, always cite the same source and reference year for every nation you compare.

Primary sources for changing data

Country data changes constantly. Census results, currency reforms, and government restructures all update at different times. The reliable method is to check the primary source for each type of data, note the reference year, and avoid mixing datasets from different years. For Yemen, the most useful primary sources are:

• Population: United Nations World Population Prospects or the World Bank’s population indicator. Both publish annual estimates with clear reference years. Census data for Yemen is outdated; use estimates with their reference year.
• Languages and literacy: UNESCO Institute for Statistics provides literacy and education data with clear definitions and reference years.
• Currency and exchange rates: The Central Bank of Yemen and the IMF’s International Financial Statistics report official rates, but parallel market rates can differ significantly in Yemen. Always note which rate you are citing.
• Government and legal status: UN member state status is fixed; current leadership, elections, or constitutional arrangements are volatile and must be verified against primary sources.
• Travel and entry requirements: Foreign ministries publish official travel advisories; no third-party guide should substitute for them.

Using the World Bank API for current figures

For the latest population figure, use the World Bank API directly:

This returns the most recent annual estimate with its date. For UN population projections, consult the UN World Population Prospects (WPP), which is the standard source for demographic comparisons across nations. The World Bank’s country metadata endpoint provides the same ISO codes and the capital field; note that the World Bank classifies Yemen as a low-income economy in its income groupings.

How to verify current figures for Yemen

Yemen is a volatile data environment. Population, currency, government, and economic figures change frequently, and different agencies publish different numbers for the same year. Do not treat any single figure as definitive. For each statistic, note the source and the reference year, and check the date of the underlying census or survey.