Yemen

Yemen, historically known as Arabia Felix (“Happy Land”), was home to ancient kingdoms such as Saba and Himyar and thrived in the spice and incense trade

Insights

Capital
Sana’a
Total Pop
41,200,000
Male %
50.70%
Female %
49.30%
Age 18–34 %
~28.3%

Insights

Capital
Sana’a
Total Pop
41,200,000
Male %
50.70%
Female %
49.30%
Age 18–34 %
~28.3%

Insights

Primary Religion
Islam (Sunni & Shia)
Religion Division %
Muslim 99.9 %, Christian 0.1 %
Primary Language
Arabic
Social Media Users
4,400,000
Persecution Ranking
3
Overall Literacy %
70%

Historical Overview

Yemen, historically known as Arabia Felix (“Happy Land”), was home to ancient kingdoms such as Saba and Himyar and thrived in the spice and incense trade, as well as the famous coffee trade in Mocha. Christianity once flourished before Islam arrived in the 7th century. Later foreign influence shaped modern Yemen, culminating in the Republic of Yemen in 1990. Despite its fertile mountains and rich heritage in poetry, music, and strong family traditions, Yemen’s history has been marked by conflict, foreign intervention, and tribal tensions that continue to shape its society.

Insights

Primary Religion
Islam (Sunni & Shia)
Religion Division %
Muslim 99.9 %, Christian 0.1 %
Primary Language
Arabic
Social Media Users
4,400,000
Persecution Ranking
3
Overall Literacy %
70%

Historical Overview

Yemen, historically known as Arabia Felix (“Happy Land”), was home to ancient kingdoms such as Saba and Himyar and thrived in the spice and incense trade, as well as the famous coffee trade in Mocha. Christianity once flourished before Islam arrived in the 7th century. Later foreign influence shaped modern Yemen, culminating in the Republic of Yemen in 1990. Despite its fertile mountains and rich heritage in poetry, music, and strong family traditions, Yemen’s history has been marked by conflict, foreign intervention, and tribal tensions that continue to shape its society.

Current Status

Since 2014, Yemen has endured a brutal civil war, leaving hundreds of thousands of dead, millions displaced, and creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Most hospitals are nonfunctional, famine and disease are widespread, and extremist groups exploit the chaos. Yemen’s tiny Christian community is almost entirely hidden. Converts from Islam face extreme persecution, including arrest, torture, or death. Churches cannot exist openly, and believers worship in secret homes or small gatherings, often relying on radio, social media, and other discreet means to access Scripture. Despite immense danger and hardship, the Yemeni Church continues to endure and grow. Believers show remarkable courage and unity, raising their children in the faith, practicing sacrificial love, and sharing the Gospel creatively. Even amid war, famine, and oppression, God is at work—bringing hope, drawing people to Christ, and sustaining a small but faithful witness in this highly restricted nation.

2025

20,908 Unique seekers
720 Gospel Presented
103 Professions of Faith
131 New Disciples

2026

9,443 Unique seekers
212 Gospel Presented
18 Professions of Faith
25 New Disciples

Testimonials

God is working through us to reach seekers’ hearts and transform their lives. All the names of the shared testimonies have been changed, concealing their identity to protect them.

Prayer

“When you pray, you join a global movement that strengthens underground churches, encourages new believers, and opens doors in unreached nations”.

Resources

Population Source, Age Source and Social Media Source Digital 2025: Yemen — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights

Religion/Language Source Yemen - Operation World

Persecution Ranking Source (Rank #1 indicates the most severe level, while Rank #50 represents the lowest within the Top 50.) https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/yemen/

Historical overview and Current status Yemen - Window International Network (WIN) , Yemen - Prayercast , Voice of the Martyrs – Praying for Persecuted Christians in Yemen

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