Flag of Yemen
ACTIVE CONFLICT ZONE: DO NOT TRAVEL Asia 41.8M people Capital: Sana'a Currency: Yemeni rial (﷼) Language: Arabic Time: UTC+03:00

Moving to YemenShare

With a very high English proficiency score of 402, daily communication and business integration are seamless. It hosts a vibrant and diverse expat community, notably drawing a significant number of residents from Somalia.

Lifestyle & Vibe

Yemen is an active war zone and one of the world's worst humanitarian crises - over 21.6 million people require humanitarian assistance (approximately 80% of the population), 17 million face emergency food insecurity, and 50% of hospitals are damaged or non-functional following years of multi-party armed conflict. Houthi forces continue active military operations, including strikes on international shipping in the Red Sea. This country is completely and utterly unsafe for any form of relocation or remote work. Do not consider Yemen as a destination under any circumstances.

Unbiased Relocation & Lifestyle Assessment

Digital Freedom & Remote Work

Censorship and network interference data is currently being collected for Yemen.

Society & Demographics

In Yemen, the population is predominantly male, with 50.66% of the populace being males and 49.34% females, indicating a slight gender imbalance. The country's urbanization rate stands at 36.81%, reflecting a significant portion of the population living in cities. Despite an educated populace as evidenced by the Education Spending amounting to 12.49% of GDP, English proficiency scores are relatively low at 402.00, suggesting limited global language capabilities. The GINI Index of 36.70 highlights a moderate level of income inequality, while the low women in parliament figure at 0% and net migration rate of -16,291 indicate challenges in gender representation and population movement.

Gender Distribution

Male 50.7%
Female 49.3%

Connectivity

17.5 %

Internet Users

🏆 Top: 100.0% (Bahrain)

Language

402 / 800

EF English Proficiency

🏆 Top: 624 (Netherlands)

Inequality

36.7 / 100

GINI Index (Lower = more equal)

🏆 Top: 23.8 (Slovakia)

Equality

0.0 %

Women in Parliament

🏆 Top: 63.8% (Rwanda)

Aging Society

2.5 %

Population over 65 years old

Urbanization

37.0 %

People living in cities

🏆 Top: 100.0% (Bahrain)

Migration

-16,291

Net Migration (5-yr total)

🏆 Top: +1,702,358 (Ukraine)

Education Spending

12.5% of GDP

UNESCO Data. Indicates focus on public schooling.

🏆 Top: 31.9% (Mauritania)
Insights based on World Bank and UNESCO Data

Quality of Life

In Yemen, the quality of life is significantly challenged by various factors, including a high mortality rate with a life expectancy of 65.76 years. The healthcare system faces severe shortcomings, as indicated by only 1.65 medical doctors per 10,000 people and an Universal Health Coverage Index of just 43.00, reflecting limited access to adequate care. Additionally, the country's well-being is further compromised by issues such as a high average working week (40.35 hours), air quality problems with PM2.5 levels at 34.83 µg/m³, and relatively low happiness scores of 3.53 on a scale of 0 to 10. Despite these challenges, it's worth noting that the obesity rate stands at 13.32%, indicating a mix of nutritional issues amid broader socio-economic difficulties.

Life Expectancy
65.8 yrs
🏆 Top: 84.5 yrs (Japan)
Care Access
1.6 / 10k
🏆 Top: 86.1 (Monaco)
Health Coverage
43.0 / 100

Universal Health Coverage Index

🏆 Top: 92.0 (Canada)
Obesity Rate
13.3 %
🏆 Top: 2.4% (Vietnam)
Happiness Score
3.53 / 10
🏆 Top: 7.76 (Finland)
Working Hours
40.4 hrs/wk
🏆 Top: 24.4 hrs (Vanuatu)
Paid Annual Leave
22 days
🏆 Top: 31 days (Andorra)
Public Holidays
15 days
🏆 Top: 27 days (Cambodia)
Air Quality
46.8 µg/m³
🏆 Top: 1.6 µg/m³ (Greenland)

Safety - Homicides

5.8per 100k

World Bank Crime Data. Lower is safer.

🏆 Top: 0.1 (Qatar)
Insights based on World Happiness Report, ILOSTAT, Wikipedia, and World Bank Data.

Economic Freedom & Business Climate

The Yemeni economy is facing significant challenges, with a lack of reliable GDP per capita data reflecting the severe impact of conflict and instability. The inflation rate stands at 8.1000%, while unemployment rates hover around 17.3200%. Despite some areas showing potential, such as a fiscal health score of 71.2000 and a judicial effectiveness score of 9.9000, the overall economic freedom score is only 53.7000, indicating considerable limitations in business environment freedoms, particularly in property rights (3.5000) and business freedom (31.3000). These figures underscore the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to enhance economic stability and growth.

GDP per Capita (PPP)

3,164.3USD

Adjusts for purchasing power parity.

🏆 Top: $163,354 (Singapore)

Inflation Rate

8.1%

Annual CPI. Indicates recent price stability.

🏆 Optimal (2%): 2.0% (Saint Lucia)

Unemployment

17.3%

ILO Estimate. Indicates job market health.

🏆 Top: 0.1% (Qatar)
Overall Economic Freedom
53.7 / 100
🏆 Top: 89.1 (Hong Kong)
Property Rights
3.5 / 100
🏆 Top: 99.9 (Denmark)
Judicial Effectiveness
9.9 / 100
🏆 Top: 99.1 (Luxembourg)
Government Integrity
6.2 / 100
🏆 Top: 98.0 (Denmark)
Tax Burden Score
93.7 / 100
🏆 Top: 99.9 (Bahrain)
Government Spending
0.0 / 100
🏆 Top: 98.7 (Haiti)
Fiscal Health
71.2 / 100
🏆 Top: 99.9 (Kuwait)
Business Freedom
31.3 / 100
🏆 Top: 92.3 (Australia)
Labor Freedom
31.2 / 100
🏆 Top: 81.6 (Austria)
Monetary Freedom
48.1 / 100
🏆 Top: 88.8 (Bahrain)

Evaluated across 12 quantitative factors. Scores span 0-100, where higher scores indicate greater economic liberty, lighter tax burdens, and stronger property rights.

Insights based on Heritage Foundation, World Bank, & ILO Data

Climate Profile (Sana'a)

Yemen's climate is characterized as a scorching hot desert climate, with temperatures often soaring to sweltering highs, particularly during the summer months of June and July, which also coincide with the rainiest period of the year, with August being the wettest month. The country experiences its most unforgiving weather conditions from June to August, with temperatures reaching as high as 28.83°C and an average of 11 rainy days, making it essential for expats and digital nomads to plan their relocation or visit during the milder winter months. For a more comfortable and pleasant experience, the best time to relocate to or visit Yemen is from October to May, when the temperatures are relatively mild, ranging from 22.85°C to 27.02°C, and the rainfall is scarce, making it an ideal season to explore the country's rich cultural heritage and impressive landscapes.

Jan
23 °C
min 8°1 rain days336h sun
Feb
25 °C
min 10°1 rain days313h sun
Mar
25 °C
min 11°3 rain days352h sun
Apr
26 °C
min 13°4 rain days342h sun
May
27 °C
min 15°4 rain days347h sun
Jun
29 °C
min 16°1 rain days331h sun
Jul
28 °C
min 17°5 rain days294h sun
Aug
27 °C
min 16°11 rain days315h sun
Sep
27 °C
min 15°2 rain days329h sun
Oct
24 °C
min 12°1 rain days345h sun
Nov
23 °C
min 9°0 rain days323h sun
Dec
22 °C
min 8°0 rain days335h sun
Powered by Open-Meteo Data

Political Stability & Governance

Navigating the political landscape of Yemen as an expat or digital nomad requires a keen eye on safety and governance. The country's political stability remains a significant challenge, with scores consistently below average, indicating frequent violence and insecurity that could disrupt your plans. However, the strong rule of law and control over corruption, albeit weak, suggest a framework that, while flawed, offers some level of predictability and protection for business operations. Despite these risks, careful planning and staying informed can help ensure a relatively safe and productive stay in Yemen's dynamic environment.
Stability & Violence
-2.75
🏆 Top: +1.58 (Liechtenstein)
Rule of Law
-1.90
🏆 Top: +2.02 (Finland)
Control of Corruption
-1.64
🏆 Top: +2.29 (Denmark)

Evaluated across Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI). Scores span approximately -2.5 to 2.5, where higher scores indicate stronger governance, better stability, and lower corruption.

Insights based on World Bank Data

Relocation Guides & Articles

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yemen safe?

The homicide rate in Yemen is 5.8 per 100,000 people (World Bank).

Are people happy in Yemen?

The World Happiness Report scores Yemen at 3.5 out of 10.