2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 43.1% (male 98,796; female 98,202) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 129,492; female 116,953) 65 years and over: 3% (male 6,933; female 6,754) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels

Airports

13 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2002)

total

3

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m

3 (2002) Military Djibouti

Area

land

22,980 sq km

total

23,000 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. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve three consecutive six-year terms as president. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990's led to multi-party elections resulting in President Ismail Omar GUELLEH attaining office in May 1999. A peace accord in 2001 ended the final phases of a ten-year uprising by Afar rebels. Djibouti occupies a very strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. GUELLEH favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country. Geography Djibouti

Birth rate

40.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$182 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

revenues

$135 million

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

19.45 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$366 million (2002 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

Disputes - international

Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia including the Somali Transitional National Government in Mogadishu This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

$36 million (2001)

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 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. Another factor limiting growth is the negative impact on port activity now that Ethiopia has more trade route options.

Electricity - consumption

167.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

180 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Moussa Ali 2,028 m

lowest point

Lac Assal -155 m

Environment - current issues

inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species

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 - 177.72 (2002), 177.72 (2001), 177.72 (2000), 177.72 (1999), 177.72 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers responsible to the president

chief of state

President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)

election results

Ismail Omar GUELLEH elected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6%

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

head of government

Prime Minister DILEITA Mohamed Dileita (since 4 March 2001)

Exports

$70 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Exports - partners

Somalia 56.7%, Yemen 24.4%, Pakistan 4.8%, Ethiopia 4.4%, UAE 4.1% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 331-0302

[253] 35 39 40

chancery

Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone

[1] (202) 331-0270

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Djibouti

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 Economy Djibouti

GDP

purchasing power parity - $619 million (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.5%

industry

15.8%

services

80.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.5% (2002 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; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa People Djibouti

Government type

republic

Highways

paved

364 km

total

2,890 km

unpaved

2,526 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

11.75% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

37,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$255 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners

Saudi Arabia 18.2%, Ethiopia 10.5%, US 9.2%, France 8.6%, China 8.2%, Netherlands 4.1% (2002)

Independence

27 June 1977 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (1996 est.)

Industries

construction, agricultural processing

Infant mortality rate

female

98.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

114.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

106.96 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.dj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

3,300 (2002) Transportation Djibouti

Irrigated land

10 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Labor force

282,000

Labor force - by occupation

NA%

Land boundaries

border countries

Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

total

516 km

Land use

arable land

0%

other

100% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0%

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)

election results

percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats - RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

elections

last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held NA January 2008)

Life expectancy at birth

female

44.48 years (2003 est.)

male

41.82 years

total population

43.13 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

58.4% (2003 est.) Government Djibouti

male

78%

total population

67.9%

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

Median age

female

17.7 years (2002)

male

18.9 years

total

18.3 years

Military branches

Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$26.53 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.4% (FY02) Transnational Issues Djibouti

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

107,050 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

63,459 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Nationality

adjective

Djiboutian

noun

Djiboutian(s)

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 (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

11,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar GUELLEH]; Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED]; Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini AHMED]

Population

457,130 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

50% (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

2.13% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Djibouti

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios

52,000 (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

100 km 1.000-m gauge

note

railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2002)

total

100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)

Religions

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal adult

Telephone system

domestic

microwave radio relay network

general assessment

telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country

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

10,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

5,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2002)

Televisions

28,000 (1997)

Terrain

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Total fertility rate

5.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

50% (2000 est.)

Waterways

none