Sana'a - The Capital of Yemen

Population
2,961,837
Language
Arabic
Continent
Asia
Since
1962
Eco Ranking
-

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

About Sana'a

One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Sana'a became the capital of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) when the Imamate was overthrown by republican forces in 1962. Following the unification of North and South Yemen in 1990, Sana'a became capital of the unified Republic of Yemen. Sana'a is now a contested capital. Since the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) seized the city in September 2014 and formally took control in January 2015, the internationally recognised Yemeni government has been unable to govern from Sana'a. It relocated first to Riyadh and then to Aden, which functions as the de facto seat of the recognised government. A Saudi Arabia-led military coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the recognised government. The conflict has produced one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with millions facing famine and disease. Sana'a's medieval Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, has suffered damage from airstrikes.

About Yemen

Yemen is a republic in a state of active civil conflict. The internationally recognised Presidential Leadership Council is based in Aden, while the Houthi movement controls Sana'a and much of northern Yemen. The conflict, ongoing since 2015, involves multiple armed factions and the intervention of a Saudi Arabia-led coalition. Yemen is classified as one of the world's most severe humanitarian emergencies.

View Sana'a on the map

View Sana'a - The Capital of Yemen on the map

Flight time from Sana'a to other capitals

CityDistance (km)Flight Time
Abu Dhabi15001h 46m
Rome42004h 56m
Paris53006h 14m
London56006h 35m
Cape Town61007h 11m
Singapore67007h 53m
Tokyo950011h 11m
Washington, D.C.1140013h 25m
Buenos Aires1210014h 14m
Canberra1230014h 28m

Capitals with similar population to Sana'a

CityPopulation
Lisbon2,963,929
Kyiv2,962,180
Sana'a2,961,837
Caracas2,935,744
Guatemala City2,918,337
Tashkent2,906,000
Buenos Aires2,890,151

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who controls Sana'a today?

    Sana'a has been under the control of the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) since September 2014. The Houthis are not internationally recognised as the legitimate government of Yemen. The internationally recognised Yemeni government operates from Aden, in the south of the country, which has functioned as the de facto capital since 2015.

  • When did Sana'a become the capital of Yemen?

    Sana'a became the capital of North Yemen (the Yemen Arab Republic) when the republican revolution overthrew the Imamate in 1962. It became the capital of the unified Republic of Yemen in 1990 when North and South Yemen merged. South Yemen's former capital, Aden, became a secondary city in the unified state.

  • What is the humanitarian situation in Yemen?

    Yemen has experienced one of the world's worst humanitarian crises since the escalation of conflict in 2015. The United Nations has repeatedly designated Yemen as having the largest humanitarian crisis globally, with millions of people facing food insecurity, disease outbreaks including cholera, and displacement. The destruction of infrastructure, including water, health, and sanitation systems, has compounded the crisis.

  • Is Sana'a's Old City at risk from the conflict?

    Yes. Sana'a's Old City, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 and known for its distinctive tower houses with white gypsum decoration, has been placed on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger since 2015. Airstrikes and shelling have caused damage to historic buildings, and the conflict has severely disrupted conservation efforts.

  • Why did Yemen's civil war start?

    Yemen's conflict grew from the political transition following the Arab Spring. President Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down in 2012 under Gulf state pressure, but the subsequent government under Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi failed to stabilise the country. The Houthi movement, which had long fought against marginalisation of the Zaidi Shia community, exploited the political vacuum to expand territory, eventually seizing Sana'a in 2014.

Sights and landmarks

The Old City of Sana'a, inhabited for more than 2,500 years, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the architecturally most unique cities in the world. The traditional burj residential tower blocks, built from fired brick and decorated with geometric white gypsum motifs (qamaria windows with coloured glass panels), exist nowhere else in the world on this scale. The Al Saleh Mosque, the largest in Yemen, was built by the former president and is architecturally controversial but imposing. The National Museum of Yemen in the old imperial palace houses artefacts from the rich pre-Islamic civilisations of southwestern Arabia, particularly the Kingdom of Sheba. The old city market, the Souq al-Milh, offers traditional silverwork and janbiya daggers.

Climate and best time to visit

Sana'a has a highland climate, moderated by its location at around 2,250 metres above sea level — one of the highest-situated capitals in the world. Temperatures are pleasant year-round: daytime temperatures range between 22 and 28°C in the dry season. Night temperatures can drop to 5°C or lower in winter (December–February). The rainy season from July to September brings tropical rains that make the surrounding mountainous landscape bloom. Rainfall is irregular but totals around 250 mm per year. The climate is the most pleasant of all capitals on the Arabian Peninsula, contributing to its historically dense habitation.

Regional significance

Sana'a is the contested capital of a country that has been at war for more than a decade. Yemen borders Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the east, a location that makes it a direct security threat to Saudi territorial integrity in Riyadh's view. The Houthi movement, which controls Sana'a, has ties to Iran and has repeatedly attacked Saudi economic infrastructure with drones and missiles. In 2023–2024 the movement launched attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, causing international trade disruption. The UN-recognised government operates from Aden.

Economy

Yemen's economy has been virtually destroyed by the war. GDP has contracted by more than 50% compared to 2014 levels. Oil exports, the main source of revenue before the war, have almost stopped due to damaged infrastructure and ongoing fighting. Humanitarian aid has become the effective economic lifeline for millions of Yemenis. Sana'a itself lives under Houthi governance that finances its economy through local taxes, port levies and — according to Western and UN reports — drug trafficking and financing from Iran. The Houthis control revenues from the Central Bank in Sana'a, while the recognised government maintains a separate central bank in Aden. Reconstruction requires a political settlement that is not yet in sight.
Sana'a, capital of Yemen
Sana'a, capital of Yemen

Capitals quiz

Test how many of the 195 national capitals you can name, by continent or worldwide.

Start quiz
What is the capital of New Zealand?