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| Geography |
| Strategic location near world’s busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa |
| Location: |
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia |
| Geographic coordinates: |
11 30 N, 43 00 E |
| Area: |
total: 23,200 sq km land: 23,180 sq km water: 20 sq kmSize comparison: slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
| Land Boundaries: |
total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km |
| Coastline: |
314 km |
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: |
desert; torrid, dry |
| Terrain: |
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m |
| Natural resources: |
potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum |
| Land use: |
arable land: 0.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.96% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
10 sq km (2008) |
| Natural hazards: |
earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods volcanism: Djibouti experiences limited volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (elev. 298 m) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active |
| Current Environment Issues: |
inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species |
| International Environment Agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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| People |
| Population: |
757,074 (July 2011 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 35% (male 132,592/female 132,114) 15-64 years: 61.7% (male 206,323/female 260,772) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 11,349/female 13,924) (2011 est.) |
| Median age: |
total: 21.8 years male: 20.2 years female: 23.1 years (2011 est.) |
| Population growth rate: |
2.237% (2011 est.) |
| Birth rate: |
25.27 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Death rate: |
8.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) |
| Net migration rate: |
5.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.8 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: |
total: 54.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 47.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 61.14 years male: 58.69 years female: 63.66 years (2011 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: |
2.71 children born/woman (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate: |
2.5% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS: |
14,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS – deaths: |
1,000 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian |
| Ethnic groups: |
Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian) |
| Religions: |
Muslim 94%, Christian 6% |
| Languages: |
French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.9% male: 78% female: 58.4% (2003 est.) |
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| Government |
| Country name: |
conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland |
| Government type: |
republic |
| Capital: |
name: Djibouti geographic coordinates: 11 35 N, 43 09 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: |
6 districts (cercles, singular – cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah |
| Independence: |
27 June 1977 (from France) |
| National holiday: |
Independence Day, 27 June (1977) |
| Constitution: |
approved by referendum 4 September 1992; note – constitution allows for multiparties |
| Legal system: |
mixed legal system based primarily on the French civil code (as it existed in 1997) and Islamic religious law (in matters of family law and successions), and customary law |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: |
chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; president is eligible to hold office until age 75; election last held on 8 April 2011 (next to be held by 2016); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote – Ismail Omar GUELLEH 80.6%, Mohamed Warsama RAGUEH 19.4% |
| Legislative branch: |
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note – constitutional amendments in 2010 provided for the establishment of a senate elections: last held on 8 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote by party – NA; seats – UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH) 65 |
| Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court |
| Political parties and leaders: |
Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de l’Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People’s Progress Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party); Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed YOUSSOUF]; Union for a Presidential Majority or UMP [Mohamed Dileita DILEITA] (a coalition of parties including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD); Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International organization participation: |
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the 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 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador James C. SWAN embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40 |
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| Economy |
| The economy is based on service activities connected with the country’s strategic location and status as a free trade zone in the Horn of Africa. Two-thirds of Djibouti’s inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are 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. Imports and exports from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia represent 70% of port activity at Djibouti’s container terminal. Djibouti 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 nearly 60% in urban areas continues to be a major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti’s balance of payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% between 1999 and 2006 because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Djibouti has experienced relatively minimal impact from the global economic downturn, but its reliance on diesel-generated electricity and imported food leave average consumers vulnerable to global price shocks. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): |
GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.105 billion (2010 est.) $2.014 billion (2009 est.) $1.918 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): |
GDP (official exchange rate): $1.14 billion (2010 est.) |
| GDP – real growth rate: |
4.5% (2010 est.) 5% (2009 est.) 5.8% (2008 est.) |
| GDP – per capita (PPP): |
GDP – per capita (PPP): $2,800 (2010 est.) $2,800 (2009 est.) $2,700 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP – composition by sector: |
agriculture: 3.5% industry: 16.4% services: 80.2% (2010 est.) |
| Labor force: |
351,700 (2007) |
| Labor force – by occupation: |
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
| Unemployment rate: |
59% (2007 est.) note: data are for urban areas, 83% in rural areas |
| Population below poverty line: |
42% (2007 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 30.9% (2002) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.8% (2010 est.) 1.7% (2009 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $497.4 million expenditures: $506.4 million (2010 est.) |
| Agriculture – products: |
fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides |
| Industries: |
construction, agricultural processing |
| Industrial production growth rate: |
|
| Electricity – production: |
280 million kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity – consumption: |
260.4 million kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity – exports: |
0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity – imports: |
0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Oil – production: |
0 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil – consumption: |
12,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil – exports: |
19 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil – imports: |
11,230 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil – proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Natural gas – production: |
0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas – consumption: |
0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas – exports: |
0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas – imports: |
0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas – proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Current account balance: |
-$55.9 million (2010 est.) -$71.1 million (2009 est.) |
| Exports: |
$70.3 million (2010 est.) $77.4 million (2009 est.) |
| Exports – commodities: |
reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit) |
| Exports – partners: |
Somalia 80.4%, Yemen 4.1%, Egypt 4.1%, UAE 4% (2010) |
| Imports: |
$416.9 million (2010 est.) $450.7 million (2009 est.) |
| Imports – commodities: |
foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products |
| Imports – partners: |
China 18%, Saudi Arabia 17.7%, India 12.9%, Malaysia 7.5%, US 5%, Pakistan 4.7% (2010) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$230.6 million (31 December 2010 est.) $219.6 million (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Debt – external: |
$428 million (2006) |
| Exchange rates: |
Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar – 177.71 (2007) 174.75 (2006) 177.72 (2005) 177.72 (2004) 177.72 (2003) |
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| Communications |
| Telephones in use: |
16,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 198 |
| Cellular Phones in use: |
128,800 (2009) |
| Telephone system: |
general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country domestic: Djibouti Telecom is the sole provider of telecommunications services and utilizes mostly a microwave radio relay network; fiber-optic cable is installed in the capital; rural areas connected via wireless local loop radio systems; mobile cellular coverage is primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city international: country code – 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations – 2 (1 Intelsat – Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network (2009) |
| Radio broadcast stations: |
|
| Television broadcast stations: |
|
| Internet country code: |
.dj |
| Internet hosts: |
195 (2010) |
| Internet users: |
25,900 (2009) |
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| Transportation |
| Airports: |
13 (2010) country comparison to the world: 153 |
| Airports (paved runways): |
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): |
total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2010) |
| Railways: |
total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the 781 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is largely inoperable (2010) |
| Roadways: |
total: 3,065 km paved: 1,226 km unpaved: 1,839 km (2000) |
| Ports and terminals: |
Djibouti |
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| Military |
|
| Military branches: |
Djibouti Armed Forces (Forces Armees Djiboutiennes, FAD): Djibouti National Army (includes Coastal Navy, Djiboutian Air Force (Force Aerienne Djiboutienne, FAD), National Gendarmerie (GN)) (2011) |
| Military service age and obligation: |
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2008) |
| Manpower available for military service: |
males age 16-49: 170,386 females age 16-49: 221,411 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 16-49: 114,557 females age 16-49: 154,173 (2010 est.) |
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