Languages spoken in Yemen
Asia · Capital: Sana'a · Population 32.1 million
The official language of Yemen is Arabic. An estimated 74% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 23.8 million people. The only other recorded language is English, at 9% of the population. Arabic belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family. Arabic is also spoken in all two of its neighbours. In total, two languages are recorded in Yemen, and their shares add up to 83% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 0.8 of them.
What languages are spoken in Yemen?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArabicAfro-Asiatic | 74% | Official | 23.8 million |
| EnglishIndo-European | 9% | Spoken | 2.9 million |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Yemen?
The official language of Yemen is Arabic. Arabic is spoken by an estimated 74% of the population, or roughly 23.8 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Arabic in Yemen?
An estimated 74% of Yemen's 32.1 million people speak Arabic, which works out at roughly 23.8 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Yemen
- Capital
- Sana'a
- Population
- 32.1 million
- Continent
- Asia
- Area
- 527,968 km²
- Currency
- YER
- Languages recorded
- 2
- Land borders
- 2
- ISO codes
- YE / YEM / 887
Which countries border Yemen?
Yemen shares a land border with two countries: Oman and Saudi Arabia. Arabic, the most widely spoken language in Yemen, is also spoken in Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.