Airports [time series]

13 total, 10 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

2 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

2,900 km total; 280 km bituminous surface, 2,620 km improved or unimproved earth (1982)

Ports [time series]

Djibouti

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

the Ethiopian-Djibouti railroad extends for 97 km through Djibouti

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

fair system of urban facilities in Djibouti and radio relay stations at outlying places; 7,300 telephones; stations--2 AM, 1 FM, 2 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station and 1 ARABSAT; 1 submarine cable to Saudi Arabia

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army (including Navy and Air Force), paramilitary National Security Force, National Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$29.9 million, NA% of GDP (1986)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 89,519; 52,093 fit for military service

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for only 5% 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

Budget [time series]

revenues $131 million; expenditures $154 million, including capital expenditures of $25 million (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Djiboutian franc (plural--francs); 1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-89), $39 million; Western (non-US) countries, including ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1,035 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $149 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $35 million

Electricity [time series]

110,000 kW capacity; 190 million kWh produced, 580 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$190 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--hides and skins, coffee (in transit); partners--Middle East 50%, Africa 43%, Western Europe 7%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$355 million (December 1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$340 million, $1,030 per capita; real growth rate - 1.0% (1989 est.)

Imports [time series]

$311 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products; partners--EC 36%, Africa 21%, Asia 12%, US 2%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 0.1% (1989); manufacturing accounts for 4% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.7% (1989)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of over 40% continues to be a major problem. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last five years with a population growth rate of 6% (including immigrants and refugees) and a recession.

Unemployment rate [time series]

over 40% (1989)

Climate [time series]

desert; torrid, dry

Coastline [time series]

314 km Contiguous zone: 24 nm; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly larger than Massachusetts

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

vast wasteland

Land boundaries [time series]

517 km total; Ethiopia 459 km, Somalia 58 km

Land use [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

geothermal areas

Note [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Area (Total area) [time series]

22,000 km2; land area: 21,980 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Djibouti

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

NA

Constitution [time series]

partial constitution ratified January 1981 by the National Assembly

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Roble OLHAYE; Chancery (temporary) at the Djiboutian Permanent Mission to the UN; 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 4011, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 753-3163; US--Ambassador Robert S. BARRETT IV; Embassy at Villa Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti (mailing address is B. P. 185, Djibouti); telephone [253] 35-39-95

Executive branch [time series]

president, prime minister, Council of Ministers

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Chief of State--President Hassan GOULED Aptidon (since 24 June 1977); Head of Government--Prime Minister BARKAT Gourad Hamadou (since 30 September 1978)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Djibouti

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

only party--People's Progress Assembly (RPP), Hassan GOULED Aptidon

Suffrage [time series]

universal adult at age NA President--last held 24 April 1987 (next to be held April 1993); results--President Hassan GOULED Aptidon was reelected without opposition; National Assembly--last held 24 April 1987 (next to be held April 1992); results--RPP is the only party; seats--(65 total) RPP 65

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Birth rate [time series]

43 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

16 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

117 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

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

Languages (Language) [time series]

French and Arabic (both official); Somali and Afar widely used

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

46 years male, 50 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

48% (male 63%, female 34%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Djiboutian(s); adjective--Djiboutian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

3,000 railway workers

Population [time series]

346,311 (July 1991), growth rate 2.6% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.4 children born/woman (1991)