Over time the world has seemed to gain new technology and communication, but Yemen remains much as they were hundreds of years ago. Only in the major cities like Sana'a and Aden are there a fair number of computers, technology, and other modern-day luxuries. However, even in these cities the architecture, construction, and most aspects of life are still done how they were in the past as nearly every building in the capital was built by hand.
The greatest outside influence in Yemen is Islam. Most people in Yemen are fairly devout Muslims and interpret religious laws in a very conservative manner with strict punishments for disobeying. Relationships between the sexes are very restricted and no man can touch a woman unless they are married. These conservative measures are also carried over to other aspects of daily life and their diet. While Islam greatly alters the culture, it also unites the fragmented society with this similarity in faith and lifestyle.
Today little has changed in Yemen as most people prefer to remain isolated, live off the land, defend themselves locally, and are conservative Muslims. The largest change in recent decades is the people's awareness that there is a national government and that this government is trying to control them. Among many people, the government is viewed as unnecessary and every action taken is fought by some people, especially if the changes help or support any competing groups of people. To many Yemenis, their government is seen as a foreign occupier messing with their internal affairs and it is not needed or wanted. However, most people in some parts of the country have managed to avoid the government and their rule over time as little has changed in recent decades.