Sana’a is the world’s fastest-growing capital city with an average annual growth rate of 5% since 2006, based on City Mayors Statistics.
Yemen’s capital is also home to some of the oldest buildings anywhere, including the 7th-century Great Mosque of Sana’a (Jami’ al-Kabir). Another example of Yemen’s rich heritage is Gomdan Castle which dates before year 200 AD and is recognized by Guinness World Records as the earliest known castle.
Yemen is a laggard in global trade, exporting US$663.9 million worth of goods in 2016 according to latest estimates from the International Trade Centre. Yemen’s highest-value exports are fish, cars, electricity generators, automotive parts and accessories, onions, aircraft parts and bananas.
Capital Facts for Sana’a, Yemen: Quick Reference
Geography
Capital landmarks: Al Saleh Mosque, Bab al-Yemen (Gate of Yemen) and the Bab al-Yemen palace
Famous People
Below, you will find 10 of the most famous people born in Sana’a, Yemen:
- Ahmed el Garhy, writer & director (born Feb. 10, 1984)
- Yona Atari, actress (born Dec. 4, 1933)
- Tameem Al-Kubati, Olympic Taekwondo competitor (born Jan. 1, 1989)
- Ibrahim al-Hamdi, former president (born 1943)
- Yahya Al-Mutawakel, economics professor (born Sep. 25, 1959)
- Abdulsalam Al Gadabi, Olympic swimmer (born Jan. 1, 1978)
- Yahya Al-Mutawakel, economics professor (born Sep. 25, 1959)
- Nashwan Haidar Al-Harazi, Olympic gymnast (born Nov. 29, 1986)
- Maysoon al-Eryani, poet & translator (born Nov. 24, 1987)
- Ali Khousrof, Olympic judoka (born Mar. 5, 1992)
Note: Data for our Famous People tab was sourced from Google searches mostly targeting published Wikipedia articles specific to each person’s name.
Population
Demonym for a Yemen resident: Yemeni
Population: 1,937,451 (Sana’a city)
Density: 39,702 people per square mile (15,329 per square kilometer)
Population: 3,120,000 (Sana’a built-up urban area)
Density: 36,279 people per square mile (14,007 per square kilometer)
Population: 27,392,779 (Yemen)
Density: 134 people per square mile (52 per square kilometer)
Financial
GDP: US$73.4 billion as of October 2016 (for Yemen, per WorldsRichestCountries.com)
GDP per person: $2,680
Note: The above country-level GDP metrics are on a Purchasing Power Parity basis and are in U.S. dollars. Credible city GDP statistics for Sana’a were unavailable.
Official currency used in Sana’a: Yemeni riyal (or rial)
Research
Research Sources:
Brookings Institution, Global Metro Monitor Report (includes GDP data). Accessed on November 29, 2016
Central Intelligence Agency, World Factbook, Field Listing: Major Urban Areas. Accessed on November 29, 2016
Central Intelligence Agency, World Factbook, Middle East: Yemen. Accessed on February 6, 2017
CityMetric, Where are largest cities in the world? 2015 edition. Accessed on November 29, 2016
City Mayors Statistics, The world’s fastest growing cities. Accessed on February 6, 2017
Demographia, World Urban Area, 12th Annual Edition. Accessed on November 29, 2016
Guinness World Records, First castle. Accessed on February 6, 2017
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on February 6, 2017
Official Government Website, Yemen Government Portal. Accessed on November 29, 2016
Wikimedia Commons, City Flags. Accessed on November 29, 2016
Note: Some city flags were unavailable. If so, attribution belongs to Wikimedia Commons for pertinent country flags.
Wikipedia, Sana’a. Accessed on November 29, 2016
Wikipedia, Sana’a Governorate. Accessed on November 29, 2016
Wikipedia, Yemen. Accessed on February 6, 2017
World Population Review, Yemen Population 2016. Accessed on November 29, 2016
Sana’a city limits contain a land area measuring 49 square miles (126 square kilometers) within which there are about 1.9 million inhabitants.
Sana’a is also part of a larger built-up urban area covering a total 86 square miles (223 square kilometers) that serves as home to approximately 3.1 million people.
At the country level, Yemen’s land area covers 203,850 square miles (527,968 square kilometers). The national population count was 27.4 million inhabitants as of July 2016.
Population density is higher within Yemen’s capital city with an average 39,700 people per square mile (15,300 per square kilometer) within the city proper.
Density lowers to an average 36,300 people per square mile (14,000 per square kilometer) when the surrounding built-up urban areas of Sana’a are factored in.
For Yemen overall, population density drops to an average 130 inhabitants per square mile (50 per square kilometer).