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Yemen Arab Republic (YAR)
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State in the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula.
Territory - 195 thousand sq. km.
Population - 6.9 million (estimate at the beginning of 1980), mostly Arabs.
Over 1.5 million Yemenis live in other countries.
The capital is Sana'a (140 thousand inhabitants.).
The state language is Arabic.
Religion - Islam of two flavors: Zeidis - in the northern regions, Shafiites - in the southern regions.
Yemen became an independent state in 1919 after the collapse of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire. Until 1962 - a theocratic monarchy. The revolution of September 26, 1962 overthrew the monarchy and proclaimed Yemen a republic. In 1962-69. in the country there was a civil war between republicans and supporters of the monarchy, who were supported by Saudi Arabia. Only in 1970 was an agreement reached between representatives of the IAR and Saudi Arabia to end the war, return monarchists from Saudi Arabia to the IAR, and normalize relations between the two countries. Following this, the IAR was recognized by a number of Western states, including Britain, France, the United States, etc.
In June 1974, a military coup took place in the country, and the Command Council took full power into its own hands. In 1978, the Command Council was abolished and the post of President was established in its place. In July 1978, the Constituent People's Assembly elected Ali Abdullah Saleh as President. The President also heads the Advisory Council, an advisory body.
According to the 1970 constitution, the activities of political parties and organizations are prohibited. Political parties and groups of patriotic forces are operating illegally, advocating the strengthening of the nat. sovereignty and independence, elimination of feudal-tribal relations, democratization of social and political life.
In February 1976, the progressive parties formed the National Democratic Front. The YAR is actively developing relations with oil-producing Arab countries and developed capitalist states (USA, West Germany, Japan, France, etc.). A special place in the IAR's system of external relations is occupied by relations with Saudi Arabia, which annually provides the IAR with significant gratuitous financial and economic assistance. YAR supported the decisions of the Baghdad meetings of Arab countries on sanctions against Egypt, which concluded a separate "peace" treaty with Israel, and broke off diplomatic relations with Egypt.
In recent years, the process of normalizing relations between the IAR and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) has developed. However, the imperialist forces and the Arab reaction in February 1979 managed to provoke an armed conflict between the two Yemeni states. Thanks to the mediation of the League of Arab States, border clashes were ended. The heads of the YAR and NDRY agreed on measures to normalize relations and implement the 1972 agreements providing for the unification of the two Yemeni states.
Relations between the USSR and the YAR are traditionally friendly. In 1928, a Treaty of Friendship and Trade was signed between the USSR and the YAR, which was renewed in 1955. In March 1964, the USSRand the YAR signed a new Treaty of Friendship, which developed the provisions of the previous treaties in relation to the conditions of the republican regime. There is fruitful cooperation between the two countries in various fields. YAR is an economically underdeveloped country. It is characterized by the presence of the initial forms of capitalist production in industry, the preservation of feudal and tribal survivals in agriculture. The development of the economy is carried out mainly by attracting foreign investment. In accordance with the law adopted in 1975, foreign capital is given equal rights with the national one.
Agriculture employs about 80% of the working-age population, its share in the GNP is 40% - Almost 75% of the cultivated land. Is concentrated in the hands of large landowners. The main crops are cereals (harvest - about 1 million tons per year), cotton (over 2 thousand g of cotton), coffee, tobacco, vegetables, citrus fruits. The cultivation of the narcotic kata plant has become widespread. Livestock raising is unproductive. Part of the population is engaged in fishing (the annual fish catch is about 7 thousand g).
In 1978, the share of industry in GNP was 6% - Small industries prevail. enterprises (cement plant, textile mill, factories for the production of soft drinks, cigarette and cotton ginning factories, etc.) and semi-handicraft workshops. Rock salt is being developed in Salif (about 100 thousand tons per year). The government has entered into concession agreements with Western companies for oil and gas exploration in the Red Sea region.
The USSR provides significant assistance to the IAR in economic and social development . With the assistance of the USSR , a deep-water seaport in Hodeidah, the Hodey da Taiz highway (about 200 km), a cement plant, the Sardud agricultural facility in the Tihama valley, a metal container factory and other facilities were built in the country.
Three comprehensive schools and a hospital were built as a gift. The USSR is assisting the YAR in expanding a cement plant, a port in Hodeidah and preparing a national. frames.
The main means of transportation is motor transport. The length of highways is 3.7 thousand km, including those with hard surface - 1.4 thousand km (1978). There are no railways. There is a nat. airline. The main seaports are Hodeida, Moha, Salif.
The monetary unit is the Yemeni rial. 100 Yemen, rials = 14.27 rubles. (February 1980).
Foreign trade is characterized by a constant growth of the trade deficit. YAR imports food, oil products, industrial. equipment, etc. Exports include cotton, coffee, hides, rock salt, dried fish.
Major trading partners: Japan, Saudi Arabia, Australia, England, FRG, USSR , NDRY, PRC, France.
In 1979, the average annual per capita income was approximately US $ 300. Doll.
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