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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels

Budget [time series]

revenues: $156 million expenditures: $175 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$276 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview (Economy-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 to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of 40% to 50% continues to be a major problem. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

85,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

427 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

180 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

total value: $39.6 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: hides and skins, coffee (in transit) (1995) partners: Ethiopia 45%, Somalia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia (1996)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year Communications

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

purchasing power parity-$520 million (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 3% industry: 20% services: 77% (1996 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$1,200 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

0.5% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $200.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products (1995) partners: France, Ethiopia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Thailand (1996)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3% (1996 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

3% (1997 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total: 282,000 by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 11%, services 14% (1991 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

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 Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations-1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

7,200 (1986 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

17,000 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

40%-50% (1996 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 22,000 sq km land: 21,980 sq km water: 20 sq km

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Climate [time series]

desert; torrid, dry

Coastline [time series]

314 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Asal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

11 30 N, 43 00 E

Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]

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

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: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 0% other: 91% (1993 est.)

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 hazards [time series]

earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Natural resources [time series]

geothermal areas

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

Constitution [time series]

multiparty constitution approved in referendum 4 September 1992

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the 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) head of government: Prime Minister BARKAT Gourad Hamadou (since 30 September 1978) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote to a six-year term; election last held 7 May 1993 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: President HASSAN GOULED reelected; percent of vote-NA

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 (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

27 June 1977 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, 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 Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members are elected to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 19 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-RPP 65; note-RPP (the ruling party) dominated

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Djibouti

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

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

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

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

Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy or FRUD, and affiliates; Movement for Unity and Democracy or MUD

Suffrage [time series]

NA years of age; universal adult

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$26 million (1989)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 104,450 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]

males: 61,319 (1998 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43% (male 94,399; female 94,154) 15-64 years: 55% (male 127,190; female 113,582) 65 years and over: 2% (male 5,877; female 5,525) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

41.75 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

14.69 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

102.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 51.07 years male: 49.06 years female: 53.15 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.2% male: 60.3% female: 32.7% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian

Net migration rate [time series]

-11.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

440,727 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.51% (1998 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: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.94 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

none DOMINICA

Transportation

Airports [time series]

11 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,890 km paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT (1997 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [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 note: in April 1998, Djibouti and Ethiopia announced plans to revitalize the century-old railroad that links their capitals