Following the
collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918 after the
Great War, northern Yemen became an independent
state as the
Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen. On September 27, 1962, revolutionaries inspired by the
Arab nationalist ideology of
United Arab Republic (Egyptian) President
Gamal Abdel Nasser deposed the newly crowned King
Muhammad al-Badr, took control of Sanaʽa, and established the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR). This coup d'état marked the beginning of the
North Yemen Civil War that pitted YAR troops, assisted by the United Arab Republic (Egypt), against Badr's royalist forces, supported by
Saudi Arabia and
Jordan. Conflict continued periodically until 1967, when Egyptian troops were withdrawn to join the conflict of the
Six-Day War. By 1968, following a failed royalist siege of Sanaʽa, most of the opposing leaders reached a reconciliation. Saudi Arabia recognized the Republic in 1970. Unlike
East and
West Germany or
North and
South Korea, the YAR and its southern neighbor, the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY), also known as
South Yemen, remained relatively cordial, though relations were often strained. Following the
Yemenite War of 1972, the two nations declared that unification would eventually occur. However, these plans were put on hold due to the
Yemenite War of 1979, and war was stopped only by an
Arab League intervention. The goal of unity was reaffirmed by the northern and southern heads of state during a summit meeting in
Kuwait in March 1979.
Politics North Yemen was a republic governed nominally under a constitution adopted in 1970, suspended in 1974, and largely restored between 1978 and the late 1980s. Although a succession of bodies carried out some of the functions of a legislature, they exercised little real power until the late 1980s. During that period, policy making remained in the hands of a relatively progressive military elite that worked closely with a variety of civilians that included a large and growing group of technocrats, the major tribal leaders, and other traditional conservative notables. Although political parties were formally banned, several parties did exist and operated with varying degrees of influence during and between elections.
Unification In May 1988, the YAR and PDRY governments came to an understanding that considerably reduced tensions. They agreed to renew discussions concerning unification, to establish a joint oil exploration area along their undefined border, to demilitarize the border, and to allow Yemenis unrestricted border passage on the basis of a national identification card. Official Yemeni unification took place on May 22, 1990, with a planned, 30-month process, scheduled for completion in November 1992. The first stamp bearing the inscription "Yemen Republic" was issued in October 1990. While government ministries proceeded to merge, both currencies remained valid until June 11, 1996. A
civil war in 1994 delayed the completion of the final merger. == Administrative division ==