South Yemen--Poor, Barren and Marxist

South Yemen at a glance:

Geography: 112,075 square miles, or about the size of Nevada; bounded by Yemen to northwest, Saudi Arabia to north, Oman to northeast, Arabian Sea to south.

People: Population estimated at 2 million. Arabs make up 75%, Indians and Somalis the rest. Religion 91% Sunni Muslim, 9% Christian or Hindu. Arabic is principal language, English widely understood, a legacy of colonial days. Literacy 39%.

History: Territory known as Aden was held by British from 1869 to 1967. After a succession of nationalist governments, country was named People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen in 1970, and ties with Soviets, already close, were consolidated.

Economy: Poor and barren, South Yemen’s chief resource is its port capital, Aden, used for transshipment of goods, and its potential for control of naval access to Red Sea. Cotton is principal export. Soviets have naval base and submarine pens in Aden and major communications facility manned by East Germans. Cubans fly IL-21 bombers and fighter craft based there. Country lacks oil reserves and has one of Arab world’s lowest living standards. According to a 1981 government report, average per-capita income was below $300.

Government: Marxist, one-party state governed by Yemen Socialist Party. Ali Nasser Hasani appointed head of state April, 1980.