2015 Edition

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 as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afar minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 with a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Somali Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multiparty presidential election resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH as president; he was reelected to a second term in 2005 and extended his tenure in office via a constitutional amendment, which allowed him to begin a third term in 2011. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and serves as an important shipping portal for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands and transshipments between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The government holds longstanding ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, and has strong ties with the United States. Djibouti hosts several thousand members of US armed services at US-run Camp Lemonnier.

Area

land

23,180 sq km

total

23,200 sq km

water

20 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate

desert; torrid, dry

Coastline

314 km

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

24.84 cu m/yr (2000)

total

0.02 cu km/yr (84%/0%/16%)

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 and the saltiest lake in the world

Irrigated land

10.12 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries (3)

Eritrea 125 km, Ethiopia 342 km, Somalia 61 km

total

528 km

Land use

arable land 0.1%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 73.3%

agricultural land

73.4%

forest

0.2%

other

26.4% (2011 est.)

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

Natural hazards

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

volcanism

experiences limited volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (elev. 298 m) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active

Natural resources

potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Terrain

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Total renewable water resources

0.3 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

32.31% (male 134,166/female 133,479)

15-24 years

21.82% (male 85,021/female 95,706)

25-54 years

37.59% (male 129,382/female 182,021)

55-64 years

4.67% (male 17,970/female 20,689)

65 years and over

3.61% (male 13,422/female 16,468) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

23.65 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

8% (2006 est.)

total number

13,176

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

29.8% (2012)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

19% (2012)

Death rate

7.73 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.6%

potential support ratio

15.1% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

58.5%

youth dependency ratio

51.9%

Drinking water source

urban: 97.4% of population

rural: 64.7% of population

total: 90% of population

urban: 2.6% of population

rural: 35.3% of population

total: 10% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2010)

Ethnic groups

Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian)

Health expenditures

8.9% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.59% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

600 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

9,900 (2014 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

female

41.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

55.79 deaths/1,000 live births

total

48.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

65.37 years (2015 est.)

male

60.28 years

total population

62.79 years

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

note

highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2013)

vectorborne disease

dengue fever

Major urban areas - population

DJIBOUTI (capital) 529,000 (2015)

Median age

female

24.5 years (2015 est.)

male

21.5 years

total

23.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Djiboutian

noun

Djiboutian(s)

Net migration rate

6.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.5% (2014)

Physicians density

0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2006)

Population

828,324 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

2.2% (2015 est.)

Religions

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 59.8% of population

rural: 5.1% of population

total: 47.4% of population

urban: 40.2% of population

rural: 94.9% of population

total: 52.6% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

6 years (2011)

male

7 years

total

6 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.89 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.71 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.82 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.85 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.39 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

77.3% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah

Capital

geographic coordinates

11 35 N, 43 09 E

name

Djibouti

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

approved by referendum 4 September 1992; amended 2006, 2008, 2010 (2010)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Djibouti

conventional short form

Djibouti

former

French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

local long form

Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti

local short form

Djibouti/Jibuti

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Thomas P. KELLY III (since 13 October 2014)

embassy

Lot 350-B, Haramouss, Djibouti

FAX

[253] 21 45 31 29

mailing address

B. P. 185, Djibouti

telephone

[253] 21 45 30 00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine (since 22 March 1988)

FAX

[1] (202) 331-0302

telephone

[1] (202) 331-0270

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)

election results

Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president for a third term; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH (RPP) 80.6%, Mohamed Warsama RAGUEH (independent) 19.4%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term; (constitution amended in 2010 to allow a third term); election last held on 8 April 2011 (next to be held by 2016); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil MOHAMED (since 1 April 2013)

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; blue stands for sea and sky and the Issa Somali people; green symbolizes earth and the Afar people; white represents peace; the red star recalls the struggle for independence and stands for unity

Government type

republic

Independence

27 June 1977 (from France)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA magistrates); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 magistrates)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court magistrates appointed by the president with the advice of the Superior Council of the Magistracy; magistrates appointed for life with retirement at age 65; Constitutional magistrates - 2 appointed by the president, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, and 2 by High Council of the Judiciary; magistrates appointed for 8-year, non-renewable terms

subordinate courts

High Court of Appeal; 5 Courts of First Instance; customary courts

Legal system

mixed legal system based primarily on the French civil code (as it existed in 1997), Islamic religious law (in matters of family law and successions), and customary law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale, formerly the Chamber of Deputies (65 seats; 52 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 13 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - in 2012, the electoral law was modified to include proportional representation for 13 seats

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLEH) 49, USN 16

elections

last held on 22 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Aden ELMI/Abdi ROBLEH

name

"Jabuuti" (Djibouti)

note

adopted 1977

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

National symbol(s)

red star; national colors: light blue, green, white, red

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]

Movement for Development and Liberty or MODEL [Sheikh Guirreh MEIDAL]

People's Rally for Progress or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party)

Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]

Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed YOUSSOUF]

Union for a Presidential Majority or UMP (a coalition of parties including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD)

Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [Ismail GUEDI Hared]

Union for National Salvation or USN (an umbrella coalition comprising PRD, PDD, MODEL, ARD, and UDJ) [Ahmed Youssouf HOUMER]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

Budget

expenditures

$647.7 million (2014 est.)

revenues

$563.3 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.5% (31 December 2014 est.)

11% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$436 million (2014 est.)

-$136.2 million (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$891.3 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$863.6 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40.9 (2002)

Economy - overview

Djibouti's economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location as a deepwater port on the Red Sea. Three-fourths of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scant rainfall limits crop production to small quantities of 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. Imports, exports, and reexports - primarily of coffee from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia - represent 70% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Djibouti 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 nearly 60% continues to be a major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of payments. Djibouti’s reliance on diesel-generated electricity and imported food and water leave average consumers vulnerable to global price shocks. The government has emphasized infrastructure development for transportation and energy and Djibouti – with the help of foreign partners – has begun to increase and modernize its port capacity.

Exchange rates

Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar -

177.7 (2014 est.)

177.72 (2013 est.)

177.72 (2012 est.)

177.72 (2011 est.)

177.72 (2010 est.)

Exports

$119.5 million (2014 est.)

$114.1 million (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit), scrap metal

Exports - partners

Somalia 82.9%, Yemen 5%, UAE 4.4% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

32.9%

government consumption

25.7%

household consumption

56.5%

imports of goods and services

-51%

investment in fixed capital

35.5%

investment in inventories

0.4%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.9%

industry

16.6%

services

80.5% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,100 (2014 est.)

$2,900 (2013 est.)

$2,700 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6% (2014 est.)

5% (2013 est.)

4.8% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.589 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.865 billion (2014 est.)

$2.703 billion (2013 est.)

$2.574 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

20.7% of GDP (2014 est.)

6.1% of GDP (2013 est.)

7.8% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.9% (2002)

lowest 10%

2.4%

Imports

$612.1 million (2014 est.)

$575 million (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, clothing

Imports - partners

China 29.3%, Saudi Arabia 16.3%, Indonesia 8%, India 7.7% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

4.3% (2014 est.)

Industries

construction, agricultural processing, shipping

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (2014 est.)

3.5% (2013 est.)

Labor force

294,600 (2012)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

Population below poverty line

18.8%

note

percent of population below $1.25 per day at purchasing power parity (2012 est.)

Public debt

38.6% of GDP (2012 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.43 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.24 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$790.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$645.6 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$569.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$494.1 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.011 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$877 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

35.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

60% (2014 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

1.796 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

306.9 million kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

130,000 kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

330 million kWh (2011 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

11,680 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

19 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

8,089 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned Radiodiffusion-Television de Djibouti operates the sole terrestrial TV station, as well as the only 2 domestic radio networks; no private TV or radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code

.dj

Internet users

percent of population

9.1% (2014 est.)

total

73,500

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Telephone system

domestic

Djibouti Telecom is the sole provider of telecommunications services and utilizes mostly a microwave radio relay network; fiber-optic cable is installed in the capital; rural areas connected via wireless local loop radio systems; mobile cellular coverage is primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city

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

country code - 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable systems providing links to Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network (2009)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

21,900

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

35 (2014 est.)

total

287,000

Television broadcast stations

1 (2001)

Airports

13 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

over 3,047 m

1

total

3

Airports - with unpaved runways

2 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

7

total

10

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Djibouti

Railways

narrow gauge

100 km 1.000-m gauge

note

railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is largely inoperable (2008)

total

100 km (Djibouti segment of the 781 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)

Roadways

paved

1,226 km

total

3,065 km

unpaved

1,839 km (2000)

Transportation - note

while attacks decreased significantly in 2012, the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden remain a high risk for piracy; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, contributed to the drop in incidents

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

221,411 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

170,386

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

154,173 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

114,557

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

8,602 (2010 est.)

male

8,360

Military branches

Djibouti Armed Forces (Forces Armees Djiboutiennes, FAD): Djibouti National Army (includes Navy, Djiboutian Air Force (Force Aerienne Djiboutienne, FAD), National Gendarmerie (GN)) (2013)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2012)

Disputes - international

Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; Kuwait is chief investor in the 2008 restoration and upgrade of the Ethiopian-Djibouti rail link; in 2008, Eritrean troops moved across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupied Doumera Island with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

25,219 (Yemen); 11,931 (Somalia) (2015)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Djibouti is a transit, source, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; economic migrants from East Africa en route to Yemen and other Middle East locations are vulnerable to exploitation in Djibouti; some women and girls may be forced into domestic servitude or prostitution after reaching Djibouti City, the Ethiopia-Djibouti trucking corridor, or Obock – the main crossing point into Yemen; Djiboutian and foreign children may be forced to beg, to work as domestic servants, or to commit theft and other petty crimes

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List – Djibouti does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute a significant effort toward meeting the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking; a national action plan was completed in 2014, but tangible efforts to prevent trafficking were minimal; authorities failed to investigate or prosecute any forced labor of child prostitution crimes, and no victim identifications were reported in 2013; foreign victims were deported to countries where they could face retribution (2014)