Governorates
Following independence, South Yemen was divided into six governorates (Arabic sg. muhafazah), with roughly natural boundaries, each given a name by numeral. From 1967 to 1978 they were named officially by numerals only, from 1979 to 1990 - by new official names. The islands: Kamaran (until 1972, when it was seized by North Yemen), Perim (Meyun), Socotra, Abd-el-Kuri, Samha (inhabited), Darsah and others uninhabitated from the Socotra archipelago were district (mudiriyah) of the First/Aden Governorate being under Prime-Minister of the state supervision.
| Numeral | Name | Approximate Area (km.²) | Capital |
| I | 'Adan | 6,980 | Aden |
| II | Lahij | 12,766 | Lahij |
| III | Abyan | 21,489 | Zinjibar |
| IV | Shabwah | 73,908 | Ataq |
| V | Hadhramawt | 155,376 | Al Mukalla |
| VI | al-Mahrah | 66,350 | Al Ghaydah |
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