Djibouti Population: 516,055
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| 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 Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second and final term in 2005. Djibouti occupies a 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. The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, but also has strong ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war on terrorism. |
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| Geography | |
| 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. | |
| Location: | Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia |
| Geographic coordinates: | 11 30 N, 43 00 E |
| Area: | total: 23,000 sq km land: 22,980 sq km water: 20 sq km Size comparison: slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km |
| Coastline: | 314 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | desert; torrid, dry |
| Terrain: | coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m |
| Natural resources: | geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum |
| Land use: | arable land: 0.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.96% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 10 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods |
| Current Environment Issues: | inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 516,055 (July 2009 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 43.3% (male 112,135/female 111,343) 15-64 years: 53% (male 141,298/female 132,360) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 9,502/female 9,417) (2009 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 18.1 years male: 18.5 years female: 17.8 years (2008 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.903% (2009 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 38.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Death rate: | 19.16 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | NA (2009 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 97.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 104.98 deaths/1,000 live births female: 89.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 43.37 years male: 41.89 years female: 44.89 years (2009 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 5.06 children born/woman (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 3.1% (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 16,000 (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 1,100 (2007 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian |
| Ethnic groups: | Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian) |
| Religions: | Muslim 94%, Christian 6% |
| Languages: | French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.9% male: 78% female: 58.4% (2003 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | name: Djibouti geographic coordinates: 11 35 N, 43 09 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah |
| Independence: | 27 June 1977 (from France) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 27 June (1977) |
| Constitution: | multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992 |
| Legal system: | based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 8 February 2008 (next to be held 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH) 65 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
| 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 [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) [Mohamed Dileita DILEITA]; Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ |
| 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, and UDJ) |
| International organization participation: | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| 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 FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador James C. SWAN embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40 |
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| Economy | |
| The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in the Horn of Africa. Two-thirds of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are 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. Imports and exports from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia represent 85% 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. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% between 1999 and 2006 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. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $1.889 billion (2008 est.) $1.782 billion (2007) $1.693 billion (2006) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $973 million (2008 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 6% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $3,700 (2008 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 3.2% industry: 14.9% services: 81.9% (2006) |
| Labor force: | 282,000 (2000) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
| Unemployment rate: | 59% in urban areas, 83% in rural areas (2007 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 42% (2007 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 5% (2007 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $135 million expenditures: $182 million (1999 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides |
| Industries: | construction, agricultural processing |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 3% (1996 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 250 million kWh (2006 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 232.5 million kWh (2006 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 12,170 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 19.18 bbl/day (2005) |
| Oil - imports: | 11,810 bbl/day (2005) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$212 million (2007 est.) |
| Exports: | $340 million f.o.b. (2006) |
| Exports - commodities: | reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit) |
| Exports - partners: | Somalia 66.4%, Ethiopia 21.5%, Yemen 3.4% (2007) |
| Imports: | $1.555 billion f.o.b. (2006) |
| Imports - commodities: | foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products |
| Imports - partners: | Saudi Arabia 21%, India 18.1%, China 9.4%, Ethiopia 4.7%, Malaysia 4.6%, Japan 4.2% (2007) |
| Debt - external: | $428 million (2006) |
| Currency (code): | Djiboutian franc (DJF) |
| Exchange rates: | Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar - 177.71 (2007), 174.75 (2006), 177.72 (2005), 177.72 (2004), 177.72 (2003) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 10,800 (2005) |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 45,000 (2007) |
| 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; mobile cellular coverage is primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city international: country code - 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network (2007) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 1 (2001) |
| Internet country code: | .dj |
| Internet hosts: | 161 (2008) |
| Internet users: | 11,000 (2006) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 13 (2007) |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
| Railways: | total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but remains largely inoperable (2006) |
| Roadways: | total: 3,065 km paved: 1,226 km unpaved: 1,839 km (2000) |
| Ports and terminals: | Djibouti |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2008) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 111,274 females age 16-49: 105,168 (2008 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 55,173 females age 16-49: 52,825 (2009 est.) |
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