2001 Edition

Administrative divisions

5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.58% (male 98,314; female 97,859) 15-64 years: 54.58% (male 132,619; female 118,841) 65 years and over: 2.84% (male 6,787; female 6,280) (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels

Airports

12 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) Djibouti Military

Area

total: 22,000 sq km land: 21,980 sq km water: 20 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Background

The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. A peace accord in 1994 ended a three-year uprising by Afars rebels. Djibouti Geography

Birth rate

40.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Budget

revenues: $133 million expenditures: $187 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Capital

Djibouti

Climate

desert; torrid, dry

Coastline

314 km

Constitution

multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Currency

Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Currency code

DJF

Death rate

14.66 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Debt - external

$356 million (1999 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald YAMAMOTO embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye Oudine chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

$106.3 million (1995)

Economy - overview

The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital city, the remainder being mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. It has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of 40% to 50% continues to be a major problem. Inflation is not a concern, however, because of the fixed tie of the franc to the US dollar. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors. The year 2001 will see only small growth as port activity should decrease now that Ethiopia has more trade route options.

Electricity - consumption

167.4 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

180 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Environment - current issues

inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%

Exchange rates

Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.721 (fixed rate since 1973)

Executive branch

chief of state: President GUELLEH Ismail Omar (since 8 May 1999); head of government: Prime Minister DILLEITA Mohamed Dilleita (since 4 March 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 9 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: GUELLEH Ismail Omar elected president; percent of vote - GUELLEH Ismail Omar 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6%

Exports

$260 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Exports - partners

Somalia 53%, Yemen 23%, Ethiopia 5%, (1998)

FAX

[1] (202) 331-0302

[253] 35 39 40

Fiscal year

calendar year Djibouti Communications

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center Djibouti Economy

GDP

purchasing power parity - $574 million (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3% industry: 22% services: 75% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (2000 est.)

Geographic coordinates

11 30 N, 43 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland Djibouti People

Government type

republic

Highways

total: 2,890 km paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1996)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

11.75% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

37,000 (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$440 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners

France 13%, Ethiopia 12%, Italy 9%, Saudi Arabia 6%, UK 6% (1998)

Independence

27 June 1977 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (1996 est.)

Industries

limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy products and mineral-water bottling

Infant mortality rate

101.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (2000 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.dj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

1,000 (2000) Djibouti Transportation

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Labor force

282,000

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 75%, industry 11%, services 14% (1991 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 508 km border countries: Eritrea 113 km, Ethiopia 337 km, Somalia 58 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 0% other: 91% (1993 est.)

Languages

French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Legal system

based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law

Legislative branch

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 19 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - RPP 65; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 51.21 years male: 49.37 years female: 53.1 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.2% male: 60.3% female: 32.7% (1995 est.) Djibouti Government

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Merchant marine

total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Military branches

Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$23 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.5% (FY97) Djibouti Transnational Issues

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 108,038 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 63,589 (2001 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Nationality

noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian

Natural hazards

earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Natural resources

geothermal areas

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar GELLEH]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy or FRUD and affiliates; Movement for Unity and Democracy or MUD

Population

460,700 (July 2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

2.6% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

Djibouti

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

52,000 (1997)

Railways

total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: Djibouti and Ethiopia plan to revitalize the century-old railroad that links their capitals by 2003

Religions

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Telephone system

general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country domestic: microwave radio relay network international: submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network

Telephones - main lines in use

8,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

203 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 5 low-power repeaters) (1998)

Televisions

28,000 (1997)

Terrain

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Total fertility rate

5.72 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate

50% (2000 est.)

Waterways

none