The Arabization movement that gained momentum after Prophet Mohammad in the seventh century had the effect of mobilizing large forces of armies from the Arabian Peninsula to more distant lands including Africa, Persia and parts of Europe. Many of the participants of the movement during several centuries originated from Yemen. It's religious indoctrination as with most of the Arab Peninsula has been the central tenant of life for many of its people. In more recent periods of time, outside influence from foreign nations came to effect the local tribal system.

The Ottoman Turks during the sixteenth century arrived to occupy parts of the land in fear of threat that Portugal would establish control there. As the Turkish Ottoman power demonstrated an ability to establish rule in many areas within the Arab World, there influence was significant. Some of the original architecture of these times included stone buildings with decorative open arched doorways and crescent shaped glass windows representing a nostalgic homage still very much a part of the culture today. A large resistance against the Ottomans occurred in the early seventeenth century causing them to mostly flee completely which left local rulers largely in charge of their own affairs particularly in the south. The arrival of larger European powers began to intervene during the early to mid-nineteenth century.

Britain established a port city at Aden with support of local tribes by negotiating a treaty that upheld the importance of local authorities and offered financial support to dismiss any other foreign occupiers. The Suez Canal’s opening around the same time under in Egypt greatly increased the activity of Yemen for trading vessels of different countries. With Britain’s colonial relationship in Egypt at a strong point during the nineteenth century, influence from both countries intervened in local Yemeni affairs, helping to make Aden a prosperous port city that soon became a large British military installation.

Despite representational power in Aden keeping close ties with Britain, compliance by the tribal sheiks to the British occupation weakened and a resistance movement against Brittain gained stronger favor among the majority of the Yemen people. After a military repression with Britain that lasted two years, the occupying government announced their plan for withdrawal and signed an agreement of independence in 1968. Around the same time the hostilities had culminated due to the strong forces of Arab nationalism taking hold across the Middle East, leading to alienation of the tribal leaders who had been so dependent on the British for financial support. A hardline movement of Arab sentiment grew and many accepted the Mao communist rhetoric which found favor as a replacement to British allegiance in the South.

A rise though of a more moderate faction in society, known as the Republics gained support in 1970 from Saudi Arabia which helped regain control and implement a Republican government under rule of a committee headed by Qadui Abd ar Rahman al-Irqani. From this, a reconciled union of the state existed for several years where Saudi assistance in the capital of Sanaa as well as payments to leaders of the different tribes helped bind the country together after the war in the south had cost several hundred thousand lives.

In 1974, intolerance among disheartened groups opposing the Republic campaigned for less dependence upon the Saudi government, aiming instead for Yemen democracy that took nearly four years of effort to implement. However in 1978, the leader of that movement was assassinated as was his short term successor, Ahmad al Ghashmi, who was a member of the powerful Hashid tribe. With a vacancy of position to lead the government, the military lieutenant Ali Abdullah Saleh emerged unexpectedly to vie for leadership of Yemen. He was nearly uncontested and in 1978 asserted his control which after a few tenuous years, gained a stable grasp on authority which sustained itself by aligning with tribal groups. President Saleh established a self-styled rule comprised mainly of family appointees and assigned a council to represent the various factions of the country.

The divided south however often was not in favor of Saleh’s rule and has largely considered itself independent of the north which has been accustomed to tribal authority that continued to receive funds from the Saudi government. Amicable negotiations were attempted in the early 90’s but Yemen's governmental loyalty to Sadam Hessian during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait worsened a faltering economic situation for the country. After a large resistance movement of Yemeni people against aggression towards Hussein’s army, Saudi Arabia expelled Yemeni workers from its country, prompting a halt on remittances sent back home that further crippled the country's economy. Tensions sparked even greater angst between the North and the South resulting in a brief civil war in 1994 that lasted several months.

The functioning of several political parties under the tenured leadership of President Saleh had long shown efforts for peaceful cooperation but anger in the south as a result of its more progressive thinking and the perceived lack of political representation further prevented the formation of an orderly government. The more secular ideology of the south is mostly of a Sunni population. The Islah party located mostly in the north is pro-Islamic and the hardline Shiite members are referred to as the Houthi. Still today the tribal groups such as the powerful Hashids in the north, Ben Jabir in the oil rich western region, Abeida of the central region, the Zaidis and the Baqil of the south, represent a continuing influence in society.

As the Arab protest movement took place during the spring of 2011, Yemen was an active participant in calling for major social reform. The disgrunteldness of many members of the country’s 23 million citizens, attracted a representational force mostly of young citizens who marched along the front of the government buildings in an area of Sanaa renamed “Liberty Square.” Similar to the process of other activist countries like Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, the demonstrations started as small gatherings but quickly gained popularity that consisted of tens of thousands who mildly called for effective government change.

The resentment against Saleh’s government was precipitated by unjust leadership that was corrupted by years of political deal making and outright selfishness by the President’s office. Despite a long standing cooperation from the United States with Yemen’s government, western support of Saleh’s resignation were expressed. The extent of violence that rattled other demonstrations like in Egypt and Libya, was less in Yemen although several incidents with the state military ensued resulting in the death of several hundred citizens.

The hold of Saleh’s government finally came to a turning point on March 18 when several important members of society including Sunni clerics, leaders of the largest tribes, political cabinet members as well as one of the highest ranking officers joined in renouncing the president’s authority. This was followed by debilitating injuries that Saleh received after an attack on his home. Days passed without knowledge as to the status of the president’s condition. The weakened physical condition of Saleh amplified his strain on leadership and his resignation soon was announced.

The situation since then has been under an appointed president from free elections who has pursued efforts to rebuild the government. Still economic conditions remain a major problem for most of the country despite oil revenue that represents the majority of the country's national wealth. The proliferation of Al Queda terrorists has been the biggest concern internationally, as the United States had maintained cooperation with the old regime to exert intelligence based attacks against threatening cells of terrorist members. Still the concern lingers that Al Queda of the Arab Peninsula has established active affiliations of several hundred highly committed members. The United State's assistance in supporting the new government has involved diplomatic talks and financial support.

Other notables of Yemen society is the widely accepted practice of chewing a narcotic known as Kyat that is of similar form to chewing tobacco but possess an affect similar to canabis. Efforts in reforming this custom in certain areas have been discussed.