Largest Urban Areas by Population in Yemen (2026)

These figures are from the 2004 census, 22 years old.

62 cities and villages in Yemen with 10,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by population at the census of December 16, 2004 (by Central Statistical Organisation, Yemen).

Rank	City or Village	Native Name	Population
1	Sana'a (Ṣan'ā')incl. ar-Rawḍah	صنعاء	1,707,531
2	Aden ('Adan)	عدن	588,938
3	Taiz (Ta'izz)	تعز	466,968
4	Al-Hudaydah	الحديده	409,994
5	Ibb	إب	212,992
6	Al-Mukalla	المكلا	182,478
7	Dhamar	ذمار	146,346
8	'Amran	عمران	77,825
9	Bajil	باجل	55,760
10	Sa'dah	صعدة	51,870
11	Rada'	رداع	51,087
12	Say'un	سيئون	49,083
13	Tarim	تريم	48,079
14	Ash-Shihr	الشحر	47,663
15	Yarim	يريم	46,964
16	Bayt al-Faqih	بيت الفقيه	39,445
17	Al-Qa'idah	القاعدة	39,254
18	Hajjah	حجة	35,180
19	Al-Bayda'	البيضاء	29,853
20	Ja'ar	جعار	29,495
21	Harad	حرض	26,763
22	Lahij (Al-Hawtah)	لحج	25,881
23	Ma'bar	معبر	24,707
24	Al-Marawi'ah	المراوعة	23,147
25	Zabid	زبيد	21,576
26	'Ataq	عتق	21,505
27	Ghayl Ba Wazir	غيل باوزير	21,259
28	Al-Marhinah	المرهنة	20,925
29	Zinjibar	زنجبار	20,071
30	Al-Jarrahi	الجراحي	18,872
31	Az-Zaydiyah	الزيدية	18,504
32	Dhale (Aḍ-Ḍāli')	الضالع	18,352
33	'Abs	عبس	15,568
34	Khamr	خمر	15,230
35	Al-Milahah	الملاحة	15,190
36	Hays	حيس	15,048
37	Al-Qutay'	القطيع	14,990
38	Damt	دمت	14,877
39	Al-Mahabishah	المحابشة	14,225
40	Raydah	ريده	14,046
41	Al-Ghaydah	الغيظه	13,987
42	Al-Hazm	الحزم	13,658
43	Ad-Dis	الديس	13,594
44	Lawdar	لودر	13,578
45	Ad-Dahi	الضحي	13,517
46	Jiblah	جبله	13,325
47	Shibam	شبام	13,316
48	Beihan (Bayḥān, al-Qiṣāb)	بيحان	13,234
49	Al-Qatn	القطن	13,012
50	Al-Mahwit	المحويت	13,008
51	Shafar	شفر	12,894
52	Al-Khawkhah	الخوخه	12,434
53	Al-Mansuriyah	المنصورة	12,420
54	Ar-Rahidah	الراهدة	12,177
55	Sahhar	سحار	12,100
56	At-Tuhayta	التحيتا	11,808
57	Daihan	ضحيان	10,827
58	Maqbanah	مقبنة	10,644
59	Qa'tabah	قعطبه	10,604
60	At-Turbah	التربة	10,505
61	Al-Habilayn	الحبيلين	10,248
62	Al-Misrakh	المسراخ	10,141

Source: Central Statistical Organisation, Yemen (2004 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.

Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.Show moreShow less

Tokyo

33,338,852

Urban area

9,953,160

23 wards

Essen

2,709,375

Urban area

573,618

City of Essen

Ankara

3,630,865

Urban area

5,186,002

Metropolitan municipality

What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.

Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.

111 urban areas in Yemen with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.

Rank	Urban Area	Population Estimate (2026)	Yearly Change	Land Area (km²)	Density (P/km²)	World Rank	Projections (2030)	Projections (2050)
1	Şan'ā' (Sana'a)	4,096,109	+1.89%	243	16,884	111	4,405,120	5,664,924
2	Ta'izz	1,624,940	+2.35%	89	18,299	304	1,777,742	2,422,896
3	Ibb	850,793	+2.80%	62	13,812	624	946,071	1,262,887
4	Hodeidah	839,876	+1.53%	61	13,859	631	891,333	1,147,757
5	Bi'r Rubak	725,623	+1.82%	57	12,686	742	778,362	1,031,606
6	Aden ('Adan)	541,149	+1.95%	55	9,911	1,029	583,452	800,975
7	Dhamar	417,033	+2.42%	42	10,025	1,368	457,448	690,754
8	Hawrah	406,969	+4.26%	73	5,606	1,407	476,281	769,788
9	Yarim	312,502	+2.62%	14	22,322	1,856	345,305	530,222
10	Al Majidi	287,865	+1.90%	11	26,170	2,036	309,744	600,554
11	`Amran	209,904	+1.51%	29	7,188	2,870	222,606	292,301
12	Bayt Sa`dan	208,294	+5.86%	30	6,943	2,902	257,125	567,432
13	Bajil	205,883	+1.54%	10	20,185	2,927	218,554	338,009
14	Al `Udayn	194,630	+2.04%	11	17,694	3,123	210,506	431,713
15	Ar Rijad	193,331	+2.39%	23	8,333	3,152	211,797	359,792
16	Sa`dah	187,806	+1.70%	33	5,657	3,249	200,577	280,976
17	`Abs	182,533	+2.17%	17	10,490	3,339	198,381	294,027
18	Hayfan	180,721	+2.53%	25	7,346	3,374	198,999	339,061
19	Zalmat Hubaysh	172,279	+3.27%	21	8,204	3,562	194,782	405,219
20	Ash Shajarah	164,649	+3.12%	14	11,761	3,714	185,223	361,724
21	Bayt al Faqih	162,475	+1.44%	8.20	19,814	3,770	171,850	224,644
22	Al Mahabishah	159,779	+1.59%	16	9,986	3,835	169,950	258,525
23	Rada`	159,629	+2.69%	22	7,126	3,838	176,798	270,996
24	Al Misrakh	159,245	+2.34%	7.20	22,117	3,853	174,141	285,480
25	Tarim	158,842	+2.14%	17	9,235	3,861	172,436	261,045
26	Fuwwah	154,026	+1.90%	24	6,418	3,982	165,749	215,491
27	Say'un	153,761	+2.29%	17	9,152	3,989	167,857	231,331
28	Mawza`	153,147	+1.86%	5.00	30,629	4,007	164,563	319,638
29	`Adan Barakah	146,705	+8.62%	6.40	22,923	4,198	197,262	366,492
30	Khayran	146,567	+5.68%	15	9,771	4,203	179,860	409,098
31	Manazil Baradan	143,898	+2.24%	18	7,994	4,287	156,763	311,854
32	Rihab	136,926	+7.74%	9.00	15,214	4,498	179,302	324,264
33	Al Jarrahi	136,769	+1.44%	10	13,677	4,505	144,668	188,395
34	Mukalla	133,360	+2.20%	22	6,117	4,627	145,119	191,995
35	Ar Rujum	131,255	+1.01%	2.00	65,627	4,713	136,538	189,520
36	Shihr	131,086	+2.09%	17	7,897	4,724	142,069	184,324
37	Ma`bar	129,754	+2.84%	14	9,138	4,768	144,477	230,226
38	Al Qal`ah	120,803	+4.65%	11	10,597	5,152	143,245	229,893
39	Shi`b al Ghayl	119,816	+4.14%	7.40	16,191	5,190	139,663	259,997
40	Ad Dala	115,967	+2.26%	8.40	13,806	5,369	126,434	191,896
41	Madinat Lab'ūs	115,578	+2.15%	22	5,254	5,390	125,510	223,035
42	Ar Rawnah	108,680	+6.78%	5.60	19,407	5,757	138,142	229,736
43	Ja`ar	104,760	+3.93%	8.40	12,471	5,976	121,208	165,863
44	Hajja	103,247	+1.40%	5.00	20,649	6,071	109,018	138,601
45	Zabid	102,159	+2.68%	6.80	15,023	6,117	113,101	150,597
46	Khamir	101,606	+1.40%	8.00	12,701	6,160	107,314	142,762
47	Qa`mal	101,023	+1.72%	18	5,612	6,186	107,968	145,734
48	Al Marawi`ah	100,988	+1.69%	6.20	16,288	6,191	107,811	137,389
49	Sharqi `Utmah	100,442	+5.39%	15	6,880	6,232	122,093	258,944
50	Lawdar	99,927	+2.49%	6.40	15,614	6,259	109,870	156,979
51	Az Zaydiyah	99,454	+1.51%	4.00	24,864	6,289	105,474	136,639
52	Bajjash	98,713	+4.61%	6.60	14,956	6,339	116,928	178,879
53	Al Mu`ayinah	96,291	+3.49%	5.20	18,518	6,490	109,715	144,041
54	Marib	94,734	+2.98%	20	4,644	6,603	106,030	191,250
55	At Tuhayta	92,811	+1.49%	4.00	23,203	6,756	98,342	126,339
56	Al Husaydhiah	92,716	+4.12%	15	6,181	6,768	107,980	150,772
57	Suq Shamar	92,531	+2.27%	14	6,804	6,776	100,931	214,597
58	Ad Darumah	88,276	+7.96%	8.20	10,765	7,132	116,362	175,307
59	Al Qatan	87,593	+2.93%	11	8,264	7,185	97,842	147,800
60	As Saddah	87,516	+2.02%	19	4,606	7,190	94,598	141,932
61	Dawran AlJadeedah	84,755	+4.80%	7.60	11,152	7,450	101,029	334,423
62	Mawfad	83,928	+3.96%	6.40	13,114	7,518	97,214	140,211
63	Ar Rahidah	83,784	+2.58%	19	4,364	7,527	92,423	141,913
64	Al Jurah	83,014	+7.24%	9.40	8,831	7,616	107,058	167,865
65	Manakhah	78,028	+0.64%	2.00	39,014	8,101	80,028	119,245
66	Al Ghawl	77,945	+3.46%	7.20	10,826	8,112	88,727	146,540
67	Haydan	77,821	+2.35%	4.40	17,687	8,126	85,140	129,166
68	Madinat ash Sharq	77,330	+2.40%	5.00	15,466	8,177	84,764	150,337
69	Buwaysh	77,275	+1.99%	16	4,770	8,184	83,430	119,988
70	Hammam Damt	75,557	+1.67%	9.00	8,395	8,348	80,618	119,632
71	Harad	74,996	+2.10%	11	6,696	8,406	81,298	127,467
72	Qu`ad Husayn	74,979	+3.16%	2.40	31,241	8,409	84,454	195,029
73	Al Qutay`	73,198	+1.62%	5.20	14,077	8,604	77,939	108,001
74	Al Beidha	72,582	+1.63%	12	6,049	8,670	77,306	106,417
75	Al Hidab	70,692	+1.47%	6.00	11,782	8,884	74,859	98,529
76	Ar Ram	69,710	+23.27%	6.80	10,251	9,003	134,305	256,902
77	Hays	67,906	+1.70%	7.00	9,701	9,237	72,531	99,521
78	An Nadirah	67,438	+2.00%	5.00	13,488	9,301	72,824	105,971
79	Maghribat ash Sha`bah	67,217	+8.15%	8.00	8,402	9,336	89,104	149,413
80	Qa`tabah	66,920	+3.98%	7.80	8,579	9,376	77,576	156,027
81	Bayt al Kabsh	66,606	+6.43%	8.00	8,326	9,424	83,740	210,194
82	Bani `Amr	65,902	+16.29%	6.40	10,297	9,531	108,746	228,549
83	Ghayl Ba Wazir	65,421	+1.84%	10	6,542	9,598	70,224	105,419
84	As Sahlah	64,051	+3.40%	7.00	9,150	9,807	72,758	173,402
85	Tabayqul	62,479	+9.31%	10	6,008	10,064	85,736	129,939
86	Al Habilayn	60,074	+4.23%	6.80	8,834	10,420	70,230	109,294
87	Al Wadi	59,895	+11.82%	4.60	13,021	10,446	88,181	128,446
88	Al Nashmah	59,734	+1.88%	3.00	19,911	10,474	64,216	97,061
89	Al Burayqah	59,701	+2.65%	13	4,455	10,480	66,029	100,803
90	Bayhan	59,573	+1.57%	5.00	11,915	10,501	63,304	99,483
91	`Ozlat Habat	59,344	+3.57%	2.20	26,975	10,537	67,806	112,507
92	As Sanahi	59,189	+2.60%	7.20	8,221	10,566	65,337	157,627
93	Ad Darb	59,178	+1.08%	4.00	14,794	10,568	61,736	115,166
94	Zahrat ad Dahami	58,864	+3.17%	10	5,660	10,618	66,329	208,942
95	Raydah	58,593	+1.70%	10	5,859	10,656	62,586	89,171
96	Sabir	58,068	+3.06%	6.60	8,798	10,738	65,173	99,008
97	Al Qaflah	57,422	+2.29%	16	3,589	10,860	62,677	104,093
98	`Ataq	57,175	+2.11%	6.20	9,222	10,916	62,002	93,709
99	Ad Dahi	56,879	+1.31%	3.00	18,960	10,980	59,853	77,208
100	Habil al Jazi`	56,078	+5.96%	7.20	7,789	11,124	69,434	119,926
101	Al Jobin	55,982	+1.36%	4.00	13,996	11,139	59,018	73,495
102	Al Khabb	55,482	+1.37%	5.00	11,096	11,233	58,524	119,518
103	Al Maqtar	55,375	+4.64%	2.40	23,073	11,260	65,654	116,399
104	Al Ahad	55,054	+1.46%	3.00	18,351	11,307	58,276	100,149
105	As Safih	54,400	+6.38%	5.00	10,880	11,442	68,289	116,726
106	At Tawilah	54,265	+1.59%	2.20	24,666	11,478	57,723	82,419
107	Al `Inan	54,170	+1.51%	4.00	13,542	11,499	57,437	77,922
108	Markaz ash Sharman	54,076	+3.38%	4.40	12,290	11,520	61,389	93,913
109	Hadiboh	53,778	+2.10%	7.00	7,683	11,572	58,304	86,655
110	Hababah	52,757	+1.34%	4.00	13,189	11,760	55,579	74,077
111	Hazm	52,646	+2.28%	3.00	17,549	11,779	57,444	96,597

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.

Data topics

Reference

Tools

Largest Urban Areas by Population in Yemen (2026)

See also