Map:

Flag of Yemen: This Yemen flag was created on May 22nd 1990, which was the same day when north and south Yemen united together. The red, white and black were present on both the southern and northern flags. Stands for bloodshed, martyrs and unity. Stands for the bright future Stands for the dark past that Yemen had.

Capital City: Sana‘a is the capital city and largest city in Yemen.Sana‘a is the capital city and largest city in Yemen.

Government: Yemen is a democratic republic country. They elect people in power.Yemen is a democratic republic country. They elect people in power. Important people in power: –President: Ali Abdullah Salih (from 1990) –Vice President: Khaled Al-Asad –Prime Minister: Ali Muhammad Mujawar (from 2007)

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior: Rashad al-Alimi Minister of Defense: Mohammed Nasser Ahmed Minister of Finance--Numan Salih al-Suhaybi Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs: Abu Bakr al-Qirbi Minister of Industry and Trade: Yahya al-Mutawakil Minister of Justice: Ghazi al-Aghbari Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources: Khalid Mahfouz Bahah Ambassador to the United States: Abdul Wahab Abdullah Al-Hajri Ambassador to the United Nations: Abdullah al-Said

System of Power: President (Head of State) Prime Minister appointed by the President (Head of Government) An elected 301-seat House of Representatives An appointed 111-member Shura Council Share Power People vote

Independence: 22 May 1990 is when Yemen, Sana’a (north Yemen) and Yemen, Aden (south Yemen) became independent although previously South Yemen had become independent (from UK): 30 November 1967 and North Yemen became independent (from Ottoman Empire): November 1918.

Constitution: Political parties and leaders: There are over 12 parties active in Yemen, however though it is said that Yemen encourages a multi-party system, actually it is controlled by a single party. The country of Yemen is currently dominated by the General People's Congress. The most prominent parties are listed: 1. General People's Congress (GPC) [President Ali Abdallah Salih]; 2. Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn Al-ahmar]; 3. National Arab Socialist Baath Party [Dr. Qassim Salaam]; 4. Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdel Malik al-Makhlafi]; 5. Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih Muqbil] 16th May 1991; amended 29th Sep 1994 and Feb 2001.

Currency: The unit of currency is known as the Yemen Riyal (YER) of 100 fills. The bank notes are available in values of 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10 YR, while 10 and 5 fills are in groups of Yemen coins. Despite that with the Australian currency it is called the dollar. Also Australia’s notes only go up to $5 dollar to $100 dollar notes. The key advantage of this local currency is that it can be easily converted. In Yemen, there are few ATMs from where Yemen currency can be drawn.

Literacy rates: Literacy rate adult total: 1994: 37% 1995: 39% 1996: 40% 1997: 42% 1998: 44% 1999: 46% 2000: 47% 2001: 49% 2002: 51% 2003: 52% 2004: 54% Literacy: According to the United Nations, the adult literacy rate for Yemen in 2007 is 70.5 percent for females and 77 percent for males. The overall literacy rate for the population of ages 15 and older was 49 percent. There has been improvement in literacy rate from 39% percent in 1994 to 70% percent in 2007.By judgment; low-income countries on average have an adult literacy rate of approximately 60 percent. Basically the literacy rate of Yemen is currently improving.

Life Expectancy: male, female (2001 estimate) Life expectancy rates in Yemen for male and females Gapminder’s graph (life expectancy): $is;shi=t;ly=2003;lb=f;il=t;fs=11;al=30;stl=t;st=t;nsl=t;se =t$wst;tts=C$ts;sp=6;ti=2007$zpv;v=0$inc_x;mmid=XC OORDS;iid=ti;by=ind$inc_y;mmid=YCOORDS;iid=phAw cNAVuyj2tPLxKvvnNPA;by=ind$inc_s;uniValue=8.21;ii d=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL%5Fn5tAQ;by=ind$inc_c;uniV alue=255;gid=CATID0;by=grp$map_x;scale=lin;dataMin =1800;dataMax=2007$map_y;scale=lin;dataMin=23;dat aMax=86$map_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=i253 _t001800,,,,

Life expectancy at birth for men in Yemen.

Population: July 2007 census 22,230,531, 2009 estimate 23,580,000 Nationality: noun: Yemeni(s), adjective: Yemeni Religions: Sunni and Shiite Muslim.

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.5% (male 4,905,831/female 4,727,177) years: 50.8% (male 5,364,711/female 5,172,811) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 274,166/female 282,367) (2005 EST.)

Language: Arabic is the main language spoken in Yemen. Other languages that are spoken in Yemen are Somali, Soqotri and Mehri. Here is the alphabet in Arabic.

Yemen – current issues/histor y Economy – North Yemen and South Yemen united as Yemen in 1990.Both parts of Yemen were undeveloped economies. The south of Yemen relied on small deposits of oil and the north relied on coffee and agriculture. The USS Cole was bombed in 2000 while refuelling stop off the port of Aden. In 2006, Yemen received $10.7 million from American for military and anti- terrorism aid. History - Islamic armies conquered Yemen in Against 19 th century and Britain. Where they conquered it was called South Yemen from the north and south clashed in 1972, as did south Yemen and Saudi Arabia in 1969 ad Yemen survived a civil was united as one country in however Yemenis relationship with Saudi Arabia was still uneasy. In 2006, a World Bank-sponsored international donor raised $4.7 billion for Yemen development. Oil exports in making $3.1 billion still over half the population lives in poverty. Human right n Yemen is really poor. The security forces have been responsible for torture and inhuman treatment. According to the embassy of Yemen there has been some improvement to human rights in Yemen.

Geographical Features: Location: Middle East or South west Asia, bordering the Arabic Sea Between, Gulf of Aden and Red sea. Between Oman and Saudi Arabia. Area: km2 Highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu’ayb: 3666m above sea level. Lowest Point: Arabian Sea

Desert: There is a Desert in the east of Yemen. The Coast: Yemen has 1096km coast line along the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea

Tihama is on the Red Sea near Khaukha. The Tihama is nearly 419km long. It is a semidesert coastal plain that runs along the red sea. Wadi Dhar is about 15km north of Sana'a

Agricultural terraces (farms on a hill) near At Tawilah Between Kawkaban and At Tawilah

Dar al-Hajar is also know as the rock palace. In Wadi Dhar about 15km north of Sana'a is this 5 story palace. The Dar al-hajar was built on rocks in by Imam Yahya.

Natural resources: Petroleum, Fish, Rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, copper Fertile soil in the west of Yemen

Climate: The Climate in Yemen is mostly hot and humid along the west coast, temperate in the western mountains but is occasionally affected by monsoons. It is extremely hot, dry, harsh dessert in the east. Current Environmental Issues: very limited natural fresh water resources, overgrazing, soil erosion, desertification (when land becomes very dry). Natural hazards: sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Access to clean water There is currently a water crisis in Yemen. This water crisis has caused many to worry, and even the children are worried about the water because they are mostly the ones who are responsible for bringing water form the wells and springs. Less than half the population has access to safe water. Only half of Yemenis water sources are considered safe. They have water tanks that are supposed to bring clean water to houses, but they are dirty which is bad for families because they have to either drink the dirty contaminated water or buy water which costs too much for most Yemen people. Toxins that are going into the water supplies.

GDP: GDP (purchasi ng power parity): $16.25 billion (2004 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 1.9% (2004 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.) Year GDP - real growth rate RankPercent ChangeDate of Information % est % %2003 est % %2004 est % %2005 est % %2006 est % %2007 est.

GDP statistics

Essential Question: By comparing Australia with Yemen, we have realised that there are many aspects of the culture, government and statistics that either differ from each other or are similar. Australia and Yemen both have a democracy in their government system which enables the people of both countries to vote. However, Australia has one Prime Minister and Yemen has a Prime Minister and a President. The Prime Minister in Yemen is appointed by the President who is voted in by the people. This is very different from our Australian system which has a lot to do with the fact that Yemen is a republic and Australia is not.

Yemen and Australian culture are very different. Australian culture is very diverse and multicultural; Yemen is not that multicultural and their main ethnic groups that are found in Yemen are Arab, South Asian and some Europeans. Geographically Yemen and Australian have some similarities. They are both dry countries that have desert conditions in some places. They both have a coastal line and coastal areas. Although there are some obvious geographical differences, for example; Australia is an island Yemen is not and Australia is also bigger than Yemen. Other Similarities: Australia and Yemen have around the same amount of people populating them. Other Differences: Yemen is still a developing country and Australia is fully developed.

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