ABSTRACT
Emigration has been a feature of the Yemeni history for thousands of years. The economic arena in which the Yemeni migrant finds himself is far more restricted than that of his 18th century British counterpart. Migrants to Saudi Arabia and most of the Gulf states cannot become permanent residents in those countries and are thus discouraged from taking their families out of Yemen. Yemen is one of the least industrialized countries in the world today. Two other consequences of the economic forces at play in the country are: increased population, and at least for some migrants an latered migration pattern. Turning to the issue of migration patterns, up to this point emigration from Yemen has been dominated by adult males who left their families at home and returned every few years for a visit of several months. The population decline associated with the migration of families to the United States will be more than offset by population growth.
