y 1990 Republic of Yemen was established on 22 May
1990 with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic {Yemen (Sanaa) or
North Yemen} and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of
Yemen {Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen}; previously North Yemen had become
independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South
Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic, 22 May (1990)

Constitution: 16 May 1991

Legal system: based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law,
and local tribal customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the
former president of North Yemen); Vice President Abd al-Rab Mansur
al-HADI (since NA October 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Aziz ABD AL-GHANI (since NA
October 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch: unicameral
House of Representatives: elections last held 27 April 1993 (next to
be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (301
total) GPC 124, Islaah 61, YSP 55, others 13, independents 47,
election nullified 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: over 40 political parties are active in
Yemen, but only three project significant influence; since the
May-July 1994 civil war, President SALIH's General People's Congress
(GPC) and Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR's Yemeni Grouping for
Reform, or Islaah, have joined to form a coalition government; the
Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP), headed by Ali Salih UBAYD, has regrouped
as a loyal opposition

Other political or pressure groups: NA

Member of: ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Muhsin Ahmad al-AYNI
chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760, 4761
FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador David NEWTON
embassy: Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa
mailing address: P. O. Box 22347 Sanaa; Sanaa, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-6330
telephone: [