Map of Djibouti | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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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.


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Location: Eastern Africa, at the entrance to the Red Sea between Eritrea and Somalia

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 22,000 km²
Land: 21,980 km²

Land boundaries: total 508 km, Eritrea 113 km, Ethiopia 337 km, Somalia 58 km

Coastline: 314 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive 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
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 9%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 91%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: prone to earthquakes, droughts

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


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Population: 412,599 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 2.71% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Djiboutian(s)

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

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

Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.71% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 42.94 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 15.8 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: desertification

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 111 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 49.23 years
Male: 47.42 years
Female: 51.1 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.21 children born/woman (1994 est.)

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: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 48%
Male: 63%
Female: 34%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
Conventional short form: former:French Territory of the Afars and Issas French Somaliland

Government type: republic

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

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution: multiparty constitution approved in referendum 4 September 1992

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal adult at age NA

Executive branch
Chief of state: President HASSAN GOULED Aptidon (since 24 June 1977); election last held 7 May 1993 (next to be held NA 1999); results - President Hassan GOULED Aptidon was reelected
Head of government: Prime Minister BARKAT Gourad Hamadou (since 30 September 1978)

Legislative branch: Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force), National Security Force (Force Nationale de Securite), National Police Force
Chamber of Deputies Chambre des Deputes: elections last held 18 December 1992; results - RPP is the only party; seats - (65 total) RPP 65

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Martin CHESES
From the us chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,005
From the us telephone: [253] 35-39-95
From the us fax: (202) 331-0302
From the us embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
From the us mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti
From the us FAX: [253] 35-39-40

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 in northeast Africa. 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 (an important supplement to GDP) to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of over 30% continues to be a major problem. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last five years because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees).

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -1% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,200 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for only 2% of GDP; scanty rainfall limits crop production to mostly fruit and vegetables; half of population pastoral nomads herding goats, sheep, and camels; imports bulk of food needs

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1991 est.), manufacturing accounts for 12% of GDP

Labor force: NA
Note:

Unemployment rate: over 30% (1989)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$170 million

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

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: $158 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodities: hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
Partners: Africa 47%, Middle East 40%, Western Europe 12%

Imports: $334 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
Partners: Western Europe 48%, Asia 25%, Africa 8%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $355 million (December 1990)

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
Capacity: 115,000 kW
Production: 200 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 580 kWh (1991)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: exchange rate conversion - $26 million, NA% of GDP (1989)

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: 13
Usable: 11
With permanentsurface runways: 2
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 2
With runways 1220-2439 m: 4

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs