Economy
Economy—overview: Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported strong growth in the mid-1990s with the onset of oil production, but was harmed by low oil prices in 1998. Yemen has embarked on an IMF-supported structural adjustment program designed to modernize and streamline the economy, which has led to foreign debt relief and restructuring. Yemen will work in 1999 to maintain tight control over spending and implement additional components of the IMF program. The high population growth rate of 3.3%, internal political dissension, and continued low prices make the government's task especially difficult.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$12.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 1.8% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$740 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 16% industry: 46% services: 38% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 30.8% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11% (1998 est.)
Labor force: NA