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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 13 usable: 11 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 4

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,900 km paved: 280 km unpaved: improved, unimproved earth 2,620 km (1982)

Merchant marine [time series]

1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT

Ports [time series]

Djibouti

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

the Ethiopian-Djibouti railroad extends for 97 km through Djibouti

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country; international connections via submarine cable to Saudi Arabia and by satellite to other countries; one ground station each for Indian Ocean INTELSAT and ARABSAT; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force), National Security Force (Force Nationale de Securite), National Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $26 million, NA% of GDP (1989)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 99,811; fit for military service 58,346

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $170 million expenditures: $203 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-89), $39 million; Western (non-US) countries, including ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $149 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $35 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 115,000 kW production: 200 million kWh consumption per capita: 580 kWh (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

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

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$355 million (December 1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

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

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

growth rate 3% (1991 est.); manufacturing accounts for 12% 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]

6% (1992)

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $500 million (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$1,200 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-1% (1992 est.)

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 (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).

Unemployment rate [time series]

over 30% (1989)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 22,000 sq km land area: 21,980 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts

Climate [time series]

desert; torrid, dry

Coastline [time series]

314 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: desertification natural hazards: prone to earthquakes, droughts international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

total 508 km, Eritrea 113 km, Ethiopia 337 km, Somalia 58 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

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; a vast wasteland

Terrain [time series]

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Djibouti

Legislative branch (Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes)) [time series]

elections last held 18 December 1992; results - RPP is the only party; seats - (65 total) RPP 65

Constitution [time series]

multiparty constitution approved in referendum 4 September 1992

Digraph [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: (202) 331-0270

Executive branch [time series]

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) cabinet: Council of Ministers; responsible to the president

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

(202) 331-0302

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

[253] 35-39-40

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)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

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, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas French Somaliland

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD) and affiliates; Movement for Unity and Democracy (MUD)

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

ruling party: People's Progress Assembly (RPP), Hassan GOULED Aptidon other parties: Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), Mohamed Jama ELABE; Democratic National Party (PND), ADEN Robleh Awaleh

Suffrage [time series]

universal adult at age NA

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Martin CHESES embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35-39-95

People

Birth rate [time series]

42.94 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

15.8 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

111 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 49.23 years male: 47.42 years female: 51.1 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

412,599 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.71% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.21 children born/woman (1994 est.)