Updated
Overview
Yemen has 7.6 times the population of Oman: 41.77 million people against 5.49 million (2025).
Oman's economy is 5.1 times the size of Yemen's, at $109.60B versus $21.61B.
Per person, Oman is the wealthier of the two: $19,947 against $634 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Yemen | Oman | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $21.61B | Higher: $109.60B | 2018 / 2025 | — / $106.94B |
| GDP per capita | $634 | Higher: $19,947 | 2018 / 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.8% | Higher: 2.4% | 2018 / 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 8.1% | Lower: 1.0% | 2014 / 2025 | — / 1.0% |
| Unemployment | 17.3% | Lower: 3.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | — | 47 | — / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | — | $845 | — / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $3.97 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 41.77 million | 5.49 million | 2025 | 34.51 million / 3.97 million |
| Population growth | 2.9% | 4.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 18.4 yrs | 29.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 4.41 | 2.48 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 69.4 yrs | Higher: 80.2 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 37% | 79% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 17% | Higher: 95% | 2019 / 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 527,968 km² | 309,500 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 79.1/km² | 17.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 10 Mt | 83 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.2 t | 15.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $1.71B | $5.99B | 2014 / 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 4.0% | 5.6% | 2014 / 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 40,000 | 47,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Oman is growing faster: 2.4% annual GDP growth versus 0.8%.
Yemen runs the hotter price environment: 8.1% inflation versus 1.0%.
People and society
Yemen is the far younger society: median age 18.4 versus 29.7 years.
Life expectancy is 10.8 years longer in Oman (80.2 vs 69.4).
Oman is considerably more urbanized: 79% of people live in cities, against 37%.
Internet adoption is higher in Oman (95% vs 17% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Yemen is 71% larger than Oman: 527,968 km² versus 309,500 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Yemen is far more densely settled: 79 people per km² against 18.
Military
Oman spends 3.5 times as much on defence as Yemen: $5.99B versus $1.71B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Oman carries the heavier military burden: 5.6% of GDP versus 4.0%.
Oman fields the larger armed forces: 47,000 personnel against 40,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Yemen bigger than Oman?
- Yemen is larger by land area. Yemen covers 527,968 km² while Oman covers 309,500 km², so Yemen is 71% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Yemen or Oman?
- Yemen has the larger population: 41.77 million versus 5.49 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Yemen richer than Oman?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Oman is richer: $19,947 against $634. Total GDP tells the same story: $21.61B for Yemen versus $109.60B for Oman.
- Who spends more on their military, Yemen or Oman?
- Oman spends more: $5.99B versus $1.71B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).