Who the Yemeni Arab are
Yemeni Arabs make up nearly all of Yemen's population, divided between Sunni and Zaydi Shia communities, with an ancient culture reaching back to the kingdoms of southern Arabia. Since 2014 war has devastated the country, and the United Nations has repeatedly described Yemen as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Yemeni believers are very few and live in great danger. Arabic Scripture and media reach some homes, and Yemenis displaced by war have met Christians and received practical help — but at home, faith in Jesus must be lived in secret.
Signs of hope
Arabic Scripture and media, and Christian aid workers whose love has opened doors in a time of crisis.
The honest difficulty
War, famine and displacement, and extreme danger for anyone who follows Jesus.
What "Frontier" means
Fewer than 1 in 1,000 follow Jesus, and there is no indigenous movement large enough to grow on its own. Most people in this group will never meet a Christian.
This describes access to the Gospel, not the worth of a people or the sincerity of anyone's faith.
How to pray for the Yemeni Arab
Take one of these for a week rather than all of them for a day.
- Pray for an end to the war in Yemen and relief for the suffering.
- Pray for the very few Yemeni believers, for protection and fellowship.
- Pray for aid workers serving at great risk.
- Ask God to meet Yemenis in their suffering through His Word.
Where the Yemeni Arab live
Each nation profile carries church size, unreached peoples, what is going well, what is hard, and four prayer points.
Questions people ask about the Yemeni Arab
Who are the Yemeni Arab people?
The Yemeni Arab (also called Northern and Southern Yemeni Arab) are a people group of roughly 30 million, living mainly in Yemen. They speak Arabic and are predominantly Islam (Sunni and Zaydi Shia). A people living through one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with very few believers among them. Population figures for people groups vary considerably by source and by how a group is defined.
Are the Yemeni Arab an unreached people group?
The Yemeni Arab are classified as frontier. Fewer than 1 in 1,000 follow Jesus, and there is no indigenous movement large enough to grow on its own. Most people in this group will never meet a Christian. Scripture status: Full Bible in Arabic.
How can I pray for the Yemeni Arab?
Pray for an end to the war in Yemen and relief for the suffering. Pray for the very few Yemeni believers, for protection and fellowship. Take one of these for a week rather than all of them for a day.