Djibouti

Republic of Djibouti

republicIndependence 27 June 1977 (from France)

Djibouti as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 86 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

Position11 30 N, 43 00 E

Area22,000 sq km

LocationEastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red

Populationas each edition published it

427,642 people July 1996 est. · 337,386 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.5% 1996 est. · 2.7% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

50.15 years 1996 est. · 48.78 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.08 children per woman 1996 est. · 6.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

106.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 119 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,200 1994 est. · $1,030 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-3% 1994 est. · 1.2% in 1993

Geography

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red | Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia

15 fields

Land useshare of 22,000 sq km

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

Area

22,000sq km

land area: 21,980 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts

Coastline

314km

contiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

508km

border countries: Eritrea 113 km, Ethiopia 337 km, Somalia 58 km

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia

Terrain

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

lowest point:: Asal -155 m
highest point:: Mousa Alli 2,028 m

Environment

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 note

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

People

15 fields

Population

427,642

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 1.5% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

42.5Death

15.26Net migration

-12.28

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years50.15

48.24 · 52.12

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy46.2%

60.3% · 32.7%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

Age structure

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.)

Sex ratio

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.)

Infant mortality rate

106.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Djiboutian(s)
adjective:: Djiboutian

Ethnic divisions

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

Languages

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

Government

Republic; President HASSAN GOULED Aptidon (since 24 June 1977); Prime Minister BARKAT Gourad Hamadou (since 30 September 1978)

22 fields

Legislature, 65 seatsone dot, one seat

RPP 65

Name of country

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

Administrative divisions

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

Constitution

multiparty constitution approved in referendum 4 September 1992

Legal system

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

Executive branch

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

Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes)

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

Political parties and leaders

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

Other political or pressure groups

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

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye Oudine
chancery:: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone:: [1] (202) 331-0270

FAX

[1] (202) 331-0302

US diplomatic representation

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

FAX

[253] 35 39 40

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 in northeast Africa.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$1,200

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

-3%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

(1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

30%

over · (1994 est.)

GDP composition by sector(1993 est.)

agriculture 3%industry 21%services 76% (1993 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$164 millionExpenditures

$201 million (1993 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $16 million

Installed generating capacity, 90,000 kW

Electricity production

170 millionElectricity consumption per capita

398 (1993)

Economic overview

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).

GDP

purchasing power parity - $500 million (1994 est.)

Labor force

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

Industries

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

Agriculture

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels

Exports

$184 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
partners:: Somalia 48%, Yemen 42%

Imports

$384 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
partners:: France, UK, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, South Korea

External debt

$227 million (1993 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

5 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 11 in all

over 3 047 m

2 438 to 3 047 m

under 914 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

914 to 1 523 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

2,879Railways

Highways: paved: 363 km · unpaved: 2,516 km (1991 est.) · Railways: (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) · narrow gauge: 97 km 1.000-m gauge

Railways

total:: 97 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
narrow gauge:: 97 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways

total:: 2,879 km
paved:: 363 km
unpaved:: 2,516 km (1991 est.)

Ports

Djibouti

Merchant marine

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT (1995 est.)

Communications

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

9 fields

Fixed lines

7,200

(1986 est.)

Telephone system

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

males age 15-49:: 102,528
males fit for military service:: 60,076 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Djibouti.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/djibouti/1996.

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