Djibouti

republicIndependence 27 June 1977 (from France

Djibouti as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 70 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalDjibouti
Area22,000 km2
1990

Every edition of Djibouti

Populationas each edition published it
337,386 people July 1990 · 1.01m in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 2.7% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 18.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 48.78 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.4 children per woman 1990 · 2.09 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
119 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 44.3 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $1,030 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 1.2% in 1993

Geography

14 fields

Land useshare of 22,000 km2

permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 9%other 91%arable land 0% in allNEGL% forest and woodland
Total area
22,000km2
land area: 21,980 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts
Coastline
314km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundaries
517km total
Ethiopia 459 km, Somalia 58 km

Disputes

possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis

Climate

desert; torrid, dry

Terrain

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Natural resources

geothermal areas

Environment

vast wasteland

Note

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

People

14 fields
Population
337,386
(July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
43Death
17Net migration
0

Ethnic divisions

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

Religion

Muslim 94%Christian 6%

Infant mortality rate

119 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

46 years male, 49 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

6.4 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

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

Language

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

Labor force

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

Organized labor

3,000 railway workers

Government

Republic

17 fields

Chamber of Deputies, 65 seats, elected 24 April 1987one dot, one seat

RPP 65

Long-form name

Republic of Djibouti

Type

republic

Capital

Djibouti

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

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

Constitution

partial constitution ratified January 1981 by the Chamber of Deputies

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Executive branch

president, prime minister, Council of Ministers

Legislative branch

Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes)

Judicial branch

  • 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)

Political parties and leaders

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

Suffrage

  • 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;
  • Chamber of Deputies--last held 24 April 1987 (next to be held April 1992);
  • results--RPP is the only party;
  • seats--(65 total) RPP 65

Member of

ACP, AfDB, Arab League, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

  • 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] 35-38-49 or 35-39-95, 35-29-16, 35-29-17

Flag

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

Economy

The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone.

16 fields
Unemployment rate
50%
over · (1987)
External debt
$250million
(December 1988)

Budget

Revenues
$117 millionExpenditures
$163 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1987 est.)

Overview

The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone. 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 50% continues to be a major problem.

GNP

$333 million, $1,070 per capita; real growth rate - 0.7% (1986)

Exports

  • $128 million (f.o.b., 1986);
  • commodities--hides and skins, coffee (in transit);
  • partners--Middle East 50%, Africa 43%, Western Europe 7%

Imports

  • $198 million (f.o.b., 1986);
  • commodities--foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products;
  • partners--EC 36%, Africa 21%, Bahrain 14%, Asia 12%, US 2%

Industrial production

growth rate - 1.6% (1986)

Electricity

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

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 30% 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

Aid

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-88), $36 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, including ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $962 million;
  • OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $149 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-88), $35 million

Currency

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

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Airports, 12 total, 9 usable

runways over 3,659 m
nonepermanent-surface runways
1runways 2,440-3,659 m
1runways 1,220-2,439 m
4

Railroads

the Ethiopian-Djibouti railroad extends for 97 km through Djibouti

Highways

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

Ports

Djibouti

Civil air

2 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

  • 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

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary National Security Force

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49
88,132fit for military service
51,260
Defense expenditures
$29.9million
23% of central government budget (1986)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary National Security Force

Central Intelligence Agency. “Djibouti.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/djibouti/1990.

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