| Chapter 1: | Introduction |
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women, respectively). This represents a 14-year increase since 1990, but it remains 4 years below the average for less developed countries (Population Reference Bureau [PRB], 2002).
In regard to key social and economic indicators (notably, gross national product, exports, and debt), Yemen ranks among the 25 poorest and least developed countries in the world. According to the latest Human Development Report, Yemen is ranked 153 out of 177 in the Human Development Index (United Nations Development Program, 2008). This index measures the average achievements in a country in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living. Recent national surveys indicate that nearly three fourths of Yemen's population lives in rural areas. This has a significant impact on the character of Yemen society. There are marked differences in educational levels between men and women, with the highest gender gap (31%) occurring in enrollment rates (Central Statistical Organization [CSO] & Macro International, Inc. [MI], 1998). Furthermore, although nearly 90% of urban households have electricity, only 30% of rural households do. Approximately 48% of the population is younger than 15 years, and unemployment has reached 30%.
Marriage is nearly universal in Yemen; few men and women remain single throughout their lives. Children born outside of marriage are not common, and about 40% of marriages are consanguineous. Although the law sets the minimum age of marriage at 15, girls in Yemen marry as young as 12. Recent estimates, however, show that there has been a slight delay in first marriages in Yemen (PRB, 2008). As in the case of other traditional Middle Eastern societies, the reasons why people marry at such young ages in Yemen are deeply rooted in the social and cultural characteristics of that society. Age at marriage is important for understanding both the fertility behavior of Yemeni women