ARCHIVE // DJ // 1996

Djibouti

1996 Edition — sovereign

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Communications
Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]
Djibouti National Army (includes 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: 102,528 males fit for military service: 60,076 (1996 est.)
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios [time series]
NA
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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 international: submarine cable to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]
7,200 (1986 est.)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1
Televisions [time series]
17,000 (1993 est.) Defense
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]
fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels
Budget [time series]
revenues: $164 million expenditures: $201 million, including capital expenditures of $16 million (1993 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid [time series]
recipient: ODA, $NA
Economic 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. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital city, the remainder being 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. 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 six years because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees).
Electricity [time series]
capacity: 90,000 kW production: 170 million kWh consumption per capita: 398 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates [time series]
Djiboutian francs (DF) per US$1 - 177.721 (fixed rate since 1973)
Exports [time series]
$184 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: hides and skins, coffee (in transit) partners: Somalia 48%, Yemen 42%
Debt - external (External debt) [time series]
$227 million (1993 est.)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $500 million (1994 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 3% industry: 21% services: 76% (1993 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]
$1,200 (1994 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]
-3% (1994 est.)
Imports [time series]
$384 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products partners: France, UK, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, South Korea
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
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% (1993 est.)
Labor force [time series]
282,000 by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 11%, services 14% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate [time series]
over 30% (1994 est.)
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: inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification natural hazards: earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification
Geographic coordinates [time series]
11 30 N, 43 00 E
Geography - note (Geographic 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
Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]
none
Irrigated land [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 508 km border countries: 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, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia
Map references [time series]
Africa
Maritime claims [time series]
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources [time series]
geothermal areas
Terrain [time series]
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains lowest point: Asal -155 m highest point: Mousa Alli 2,028 m
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 (the ruling party) dominated; seats - (65 total) RPP 65
Constitution [time series]
multiparty constitution approved in referendum 4 September 1992
Data code [time series]
DJ
Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye Oudine chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (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 reelected to a six-year term by universal suffrage head of government: Prime Minister BARKAT Gourad Hamadou (since 30 September 1978) cabinet: Council of Ministers is responsible to the president
Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]
[1] (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)
International organization participation [time series]
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
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
Country name (Name of country) [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]
NA years of age; universal adult
Government type (Type of government) [time series]
republic
Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin L. CHESHES embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 43% (male 91,687; female 91,242) 15-64 years: 55% (male 123,699; female 110,530) 65 years and over: 2% (male 5,389; female 5,095) (July 1996 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
42.5 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate [time series]
15.26 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]
Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%
Infant mortality rate [time series]
106.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Languages [time series]
French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 50.15 years male: 48.24 years female: 52.12 years (1996 est.)
Literacy [time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 46.2% male: 60.3% female: 32.7%
Nationality [time series]
noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian
Net migration rate [time series]
-12.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Population [time series]
427,642 (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
1.5% (1996 est.)
Religions [time series]
Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female all ages: 1.07 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
6.08 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
total: 11 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 5 (1995 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 2,879 km paved: 363 km unpaved: 2,516 km (1991 est.)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT (1995 est.)
Ports [time series]
Djibouti
Railways [time series]
total: 97 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 97 km 1.000-m gauge