Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Yemen
Yemen: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 15.47 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
15.47 million people
Change on year
up 3.6%
World rank
56th
of 236 countries
All-time high
15.47 million people
in 2025
All-time low
87,719 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Yemen, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas in Yemen is 15.47 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.6% on the previous year and up 53.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Yemen peaked at 15.47 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 87,719 people, in 1950.
That places Yemen 56th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Yemen, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 87,719 people | — |
| 1951 | 93,728 people | +6.9% |
| 1952 | 100,648 people | +7.4% |
| 1953 | 108,452 people | +7.8% |
| 1954 | 117,134 people | +8.0% |
| 1955 | 126,696 people | +8.2% |
| 1956 | 137,147 people | +8.2% |
| 1957 | 148,494 people | +8.3% |
| 1958 | 160,758 people | +8.3% |
| 1959 | 173,956 people | +8.2% |
| 1960 | 188,098 people | +8.1% |
| 1961 | 203,297 people | +8.1% |
| 1962 | 219,678 people | +8.1% |
| 1963 | 237,337 people | +8.0% |
| 1964 | 256,710 people | +8.2% |
| 1965 | 278,156 people | +8.4% |
| 1966 | 301,840 people | +8.5% |
| 1967 | 328,078 people | +8.7% |
| 1968 | 357,185 people | +8.9% |
| 1969 | 389,617 people | +9.1% |
| 1970 | 425,330 people | +9.2% |
| 1971 | 466,233 people | +9.6% |
| 1972 | 514,593 people | +10.4% |
| 1973 | 570,431 people | +10.9% |
| 1974 | 633,860 people | +11.1% |
| 1975 | 705,035 people | +11.2% |
| 1976 | 784,057 people | +11.2% |
| 1977 | 870,919 people | +11.1% |
| 1978 | 965,654 people | +10.9% |
| 1979 | 1.07 million people | +10.7% |
| 1980 | 1.18 million people | +10.5% |
| 1981 | 1.30 million people | +10.2% |
| 1982 | 1.43 million people | +9.9% |
| 1983 | 1.57 million people | +9.6% |
| 1984 | 1.71 million people | +9.3% |
| 1985 | 1.86 million people | +8.9% |
| 1986 | 2.02 million people | +8.6% |
| 1987 | 2.20 million people | +8.6% |
| 1988 | 2.39 million people | +8.6% |
| 1989 | 2.59 million people | +8.5% |
| 1990 | 2.80 million people | +8.3% |
| 1991 | 3.03 million people | +8.0% |
| 1992 | 3.26 million people | +7.7% |
| 1993 | 3.50 million people | +7.3% |
| 1994 | 3.74 million people | +6.9% |
| 1995 | 3.98 million people | +6.5% |
| 1996 | 4.22 million people | +6.0% |
| 1997 | 4.47 million people | +5.7% |
| 1998 | 4.71 million people | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 4.96 million people | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 5.22 million people | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 5.48 million people | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 5.75 million people | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 6.01 million people | +4.7% |
| 2004 | 6.29 million people | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 6.58 million people | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 6.88 million people | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 7.20 million people | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 7.52 million people | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 7.86 million people | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 8.19 million people | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 8.53 million people | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 8.87 million people | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 9.22 million people | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 9.63 million people | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 10.09 million people | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 10.58 million people | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 11.10 million people | +5.0% |
| 2018 | 11.66 million people | +5.0% |
| 2019 | 12.26 million people | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 12.90 million people | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 13.40 million people | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 13.88 million people | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 14.41 million people | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 14.94 million people | +3.7% |
| 2025 | 15.47 million people | +3.6% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 15.47 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 6.96 million people, 2.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 15.47 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9.75 million people, 1.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 125,473 people | 87,719 people | 173,956 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 276,000 people | 188,098 people | 389,617 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 700,487 people | 425,330 people | 1.07 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.82 million people | 1.18 million people | 2.59 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.87 million people | 2.80 million people | 4.96 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.48 million people | 5.22 million people | 7.86 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.01 million people | 8.19 million people | 12.26 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.17 million people | 12.90 million people | 15.47 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More population data for Yemen
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.67 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.3% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.88 million people (2100)
- Population density 208.41 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5817 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.01 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Yemen?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Yemen was 15.47 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 15.47 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 87,719 people in 1950.
- How does Yemen rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Yemen ranks 56th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Yemen data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.