Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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People & Society
The National Psyche
The notion of nationality is almost completely lost on a Yemeni. First and foremost is
clan, and men with city jobs may still hurry homewards if their tribe or tribal land comes
under threat. Second comes the family. Finally, at the bottom of the chain, comes national-
ity. Pervading all is Islam, a firm fixture and focus in most Yemenis' lives.
Lifestyle
According to UN figures, the average Yemeni is poor (47% of the population lives below
the poverty line of US$2 per day and 17.5% on less than US$1.25 per day), illiterate (just
63.9% are literate; divided into 81.2% of men and 46.8% of women) and hard-pressed to
find a job.
Yemeni society is very traditional, conservative and steeped in superstition. With 3 doc-
tors per 10,000 people, many Yemenis still rely on traditional medicine for medical treat-
ment and healing. Keep an eye out for people bearing scars on their head or neck, where
bad spirits have been expunged by 'cupping'.
Women are more 'liberated' than they look. Many work and drive, but on average still
have more than four babies each.
Population
With 24 million inhabitants Yemen has one of the largest populations on the Arabian Pen-
insula, and one of the highest growth rates (2.57% annually) in the world. The country's
population has increased tenfold in 30 years and Sanaʻa is the fastest growing capital in
the world. It is a very young country, with nearly half its population (42.5%) under 15
years old. Yemen is also still a firmly rural society, with 68% of its population living in
the countryside.
Along the Tihama, the population is more closely linked to the African mainland. In the
interior, the lighter skin of the Semitic 'Arabs' is visible. Bedouin tribes inhabit parts of
the desert region to the east.
