Map of Djibouti | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 314 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: desert; torrid, dry

Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation

Natural resources: geothermal areas

Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures; NEGL% forest and woodland; 91% other

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia


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Population: 328,758 (July 1989), growth rate 2.6% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Djiboutian(s; adjective - Djiboutian

Ethnic groups: 60% Somali (Issa; 35% Afar, 5% French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian

Languages: French (official; Arabic, Somali, and Afar widely used

Religions: 94% Muslim, 6% Christian

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 43 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 17 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: vast wasteland

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 121 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 45 years male, 49 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 20%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti

Government type: republic

Capital: Djibouti

Administrative divisions: 5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle; Ali Sahih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Dependent areas

Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France; formerly French Territory of the Afars and Issas)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution: partial constitution ratified January 1981 by National Assembly

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal adult

Executive branch: Chief of State - President Hassan GOULED Aptidon (since 24 June 1977; Head of Government - Prime Minister Barkat GOURAD Hamadou (since 30 September 1978)

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary National Security Force

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AfDB, Arab League, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB - Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE; Chancery (temporary) at the Djiboutian Permanent Mission to the UN; 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 4,011, New York, NY 10,017; telephone (212) 753-3,163; US - Ambassador Robert S. BARRETT IV; Embassy at Villa Plateau du Serpent Boulevard, Marechal Joffre, Djibouti (mailing address is B. P. 185, Djibouti; telephone Õ253å 35-38-49 or 35-39-95, 35-29-16, 35-29-17

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free-trade zone. 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 over 50% continues to be a major problem.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: livestock; limited commercial crops, including fruits and vegetables

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

Industrial production growth rate: - 1.6% (1986)

Labor force: NA, but a small number of semiskilled laborers at the port and 3,000 railway workers; 52% of population of working age (1983)

Unemployment rate: over 50% (1987)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $117 million; expenditures $163 billion, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1987 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $128 million (f.o.b., 1986)
Commodities: hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
Partners: Middle East 50%, Africa 43%, Western Europe 7%

Imports: $198 million (f.o.b., 1986)
Commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
Partners: EC 36%, Africa 21%, Bahrain 14%, Asia 12%, US 2%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $250 million (December 1988)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs (DF) per US$1 - 177.721 (fixed rate since 1973)


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Electricity access

Electricity production

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $29.9 million, 23% of central government budget (1986)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 12 total, 9 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs