Why Yemen is Divided: History, Sects, and the Road to Civil War

Facts About Yemen 

Size and Population

The population of Yemen is approximately 40.6 million. Yemen has more people than Saudi Arabia, even though Saudi Arabia is much wealthier and more developed.

Yemen ranks second in size and first in population among the seven countries of the Arabian Peninsula.

Yemen is generally considered one of the poorest Arab countries, and by several economic measures it is at or near the very bottom. The World Bank reported that Yemen's economy had suffered a severe decline after years of conflict.

Yemen's population is very unevenly distributed. Most Yemenis live in the western and west-central parts of the country, especially in the mountainous highlands around the capital, Sana'a. The eastern part of Yemen is much more sparsely populated because it consists largely of dry desert.

Why do people concentrate in the west?

More rainfall and farmland. The western highlands receive more seasonal rainfall than the eastern desert, making it easier to grow crops and sustain villages.

Established cities and communities. Sana'a, Taiz and Ibb are surrounded by long-established farming and residential areas that support large populations.

Harsh conditions in the east. Much of eastern Yemen is extremely dry, with limited water and farmland. People are more spread out, often living near towns, valleys and water sources.

A historical geographical analysis estimated that about 90% of Yemen's population lives in the western half of the country. That means a large portion of Yemen's territory contains relatively few people, while its western highlands contain many towns, villages and farms close together.

Language and Religion

Yemenis mainly speak Arabic, and almost the entire population follows Islam. However, Yemen has an important religious difference: its Muslims are divided between Sunni and Shia traditions, which helps explain some of the country's political and regional conflicts.

Arabic is Yemen's official language and the everyday language of the vast majority of Yemenis. People speak different Yemeni Arabic dialects depending on their region. 

Sana'a and the north: Northern Yemeni Arabic dialects. Whereas Aden and the south: Southern varieties of Yemeni Arabic. Eastern Yemen: Other regional dialects, influenced by local history and neighboring areas.

Some communities also speak Soqotri and Mehri, which are distinct languages related to Arabic through their broader Semitic language family. They are particularly associated with Socotra Island and parts of eastern Yemen.

What is the difference between Sunni and Shia in Yemen?

Yemen is overwhelmingly Muslim. The two main traditions are Sunni Islam and Shia Islam, particularly the Zaydi branch of Shia Islam.

Sunni Muslims (approximately 60–65%) are especially prominent in southern and southeastern Yemen, as well as in parts of the west and other regions.

Shia Muslims is approximately 35–40%. Most Yemeni Shia Muslims follow Zaydism, a branch with its own religious history and traditions. Zaydis are particularly associated with northern Yemen.

Both Sunnis and Shias believe in Allah, recognize the Quran as their holy book, and regard Muhammad as the final prophet. Their historical disagreement concerns leadership of the Muslim community after Muhammad's death, along with differences in religious traditions and jurisprudence.

History

Yemen has one of the oldest and most fascinating histories in the Middle East. It was once home to wealthy kingdoms that controlled important incense and trade routes, later became an important center of Islamic civilization, and eventually split into two countries before reunifying in 1990. Today, it is internationally recognized as one country, but it has suffered years of civil war.

Long before Saudi Arabia and the modern states of the Middle East existed, southern Arabia was home to several powerful kingdoms such as Kingdom of Saba (Sheba) and Kingdom of Himyar. 

Yemen was sometimes called Arabia Felix, meaning “Happy Arabia” or “Fortunate Arabia,” by the Romans because of its agricultural wealth and valuable trade.

Unlike the image of Yemen as a poor country today, parts of ancient Yemen were prosperous centers of commerce and civilization.

The arrival of Islam

Islam spread to Yemen during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad and in the decades following his death in 632 CE. Yemen gradually became part of the wider Muslim world, connecting it to trade networks and political centers across Arabia, North Africa and the Middle East.

The Ottoman Empire and British rule

Yemen's modern history was shaped by two outside powers.

The Ottoman Empire controlled parts of northern Yemen during several periods, including much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Britain captured the strategic port of Aden in 1839. Aden was valuable because it sat near the entrance to the Red Sea, along the route between Europe and Asia.

When the Ottoman Empire collapsed after World War I, northern Yemen became independent in 1918. Southern Yemen, meanwhile, remained under British control until Britain withdrew in 1967. 

This created a lasting division: the north and south developed different governments, political systems and international relationships.

Yemen became two separate countries

North Yemen

In 1962, a revolution overthrew the monarchy and established a republic. A civil war followed between republican forces and royalists, with Egypt supporting the republicans and Saudi Arabia supporting the royalists.

South Yemen

After British withdrawal in 1967, southern Yemen became independent. In 1970, it adopted a Marxist-oriented political system and developed close ties with the Soviet Union.

For decades, the two Yemens were separate states. The north had closer ties with Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries, while the south was aligned with the Soviet bloc.

They also fought a brief border war in 1972 and again in 1979. Although both governments eventually pursued unification, their political differences remained substantial.

Yemen reunified in 1990

On 22 May 1990, North Yemen and South Yemen officially united to form the Republic of Yemen.

The new country was led initially by Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had governed North Yemen, with southern leader Ali Salem al-Beidh becoming vice president.

However, unification did not immediately resolve tensions. Southern leaders felt increasingly marginalized, and in 1994 a civil war broke out after southern leaders attempted to secede. Northern government forces won, keeping the country united.

The important lesson is that Yemen's north–south division did not disappear when the border was removed. Regional identities, political rivalries and disagreements over resources continued.

The rise of the Houthis

The Houthi movement, formally known as Ansar Allah, originated in northern Yemen among communities connected to Zaydi Shia Islam.

Its rise was influenced by several factors:

Regional grievances: Supporters argued that northern communities were politically and economically marginalized.

Religious identity: The movement grew partly in response to concerns about the position of Zaydi traditions in Yemen.

Conflict with the government: Houthi forces fought several wars against Saleh's government between 2004 and 2010.

In 2011, the Arab Spring protests spread to Yemen. Demonstrators demanded political reform and an end to Saleh's long rule. Saleh eventually stepped down in 2012, transferring power to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.

But the transition struggled with corruption, economic hardship, regional grievances and disagreements over how power should be shared. The Houthis took advantage of this instability and captured the capital, Sana'a, in September 2014.