The Republic of Yemen is one of the least developed countries, according to the 2009 Human Development Index. It is ranked 153 out of 177 countries in 2009.
With more than 45% of the 22.4 million people living on less than 2 dollars a day, this country is considered the poorest in the Arab region. An estimated 48% of households in Yemen are food-insecure, and half of all children are chronically malnourished.
It is likely that these already alarming levels of chronic food insecurity and malnutrition have only further deteriorated as a result of the complex situation. Yemen has a high fertility rate at 3% with a low life expectancy at 62.5. Yemen relies heavily on foreign aid and remittances. Its population is also young with a current average age of 16.
The security situation in Yemen is tense and fighting between tribes and government forces is escalating. Tribal forces stormed state buildings in the capital and fighting raged in most of the parts of Yemen and death tolls continued to rise. Street battles are being reported across Sana'a between the government forces and his one-time ally Sheikh Sadeq al Ahmar, leader of the Hashed tribal bloc. Hundred of tribesmen and forces were killed in the last few weeks fighting and the home of Sheikh al Ahmar in the capital's Hasaba district was partially destroyed by a government missile.
Yemeni forces have opened fire on a protest camp. An example of this took place on Monday 30th May in which more than 20 demonstrators were killed in the southern city of Taiz while government warplanes launched airstrikes on another southern town seized by militants. On Tuesday 31st May multiple explosions were heard in several parts of Sanaa from heavy weapons and shells.
The government is now engaged on three fronts: block-to-block fighting with tribal forces in the capital, crackdowns on protest sites in the southern city of Taiz, and a standoff with militants who continue to control the town of Zinjibar on the coast. United Nations human-rights chief Navi Pillay said her office had received reports that more than 50 people had been killed by Yemeni government forces since Sunday.