Development Case Studies: Yemen
Geography: KS3, topic 19.1.8
Development in Yemen
Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the Middle East. It is at continual risk of famine and relies heavily on humanitarian aid.
Disease
- The United Nations most recent figures estimate that on average a child dies every 10 minutes from preventable diseases.
- Humanitarian aid is vital for an estimated 8.4 million people.
Civil war
- The consequences of famine are made worse by the political unrest.
- For example, the civil war creates huge difficulties in the distribution of humanitarian aid.
- The Houthi rebels in the north are in conflict with the government in the south.
Infrastructure
- The civil war has resulted in the destruction of key infrastructure.
- Most of the sea ports are also closed, making it difficult to import humanitarian aid into the country. This creates further food shortages.
Housing
- Since 2014, an estimated 3 million people have been forced to evacuate their homes.
- An estimated 190,000 people have migrated to neighbouring countries to escape the unrest and lack of food, whilst others have been forced to live in temporary shelters.
Water and sanitation
- The conflict has also affected access to water and caused issues with sanitation.
- Many of the country's important water treatment plants have been damaged or destroyed.
- This has increased the risk of water-borne diseases like Cholera.
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How many people in Yemen rely on humanitarian aid?