From 1969 to 1990, the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen or South Yemen became the only Marxist-Leninist state in the Arab world. Some of it's achievements include:
- The country pursued socialist economic policies like nationalisation, land reform, rent control, home ownership limits and central planning. GDP grew by 25% by 1973 and there was virtually no homelessness in the country.
- Women's rights were greatly expanded, women became legally equal to men, polygamy, child marriage and arranged marriage were all banned by law. Equal rights in divorce were also sanctioned.
- Secularisation of society and the education system.
- Having relatively peaceful relations with the US-aligned North Yemen, except for border skirmishes in 1972 and 1979.
After the discovery of oil, a civil war broke out in the country in 1986 which killed thousands of people and created 60,000 refugees. After this, an agreement was reached for reunification in the country in 1990, ending socialism in Yemen.