The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Djibouti

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Djibouti

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Map

Location: 11 30 N, 43 00 E -- Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia

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Description: 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

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Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia
Geographic coordinates: 11 30 N, 43 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 22,000 sq km
land area: 21,980 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total: 508 km
border countries: Eritrea 113 km, Ethiopia 337 km, Somalia 58 km
Coastline: 314 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: desert; torrid, dry
Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
lowest point: Asal -155 m
highest point: Mousa Alli 2,028 m
Natural resources: geothermal areas
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 9%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 91%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
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

Population: 427,642 (July 1996 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.)
Population growth rate: 1.5% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 42.5 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 15.26 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -12.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (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.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.15 years
male: 48.24 years
female: 52.12 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.08 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Djiboutian(s)
adjective: Djiboutian
Ethnic divisions: Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%
Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 46.2%
male: 60.3%
female: 32.7%

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
conventional short form: Djibouti
former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland
Data code: DJ
Type of government: republic
Capital: Djibouti
Administrative divisions: 5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura
Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)
Constitution: multiparty constitution approved in referendum 4 September 1992
Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
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
Legislative branch: unicameral
Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes): elections last held 18 December 1992; results - RPP (the ruling party) dominated; seats - (65 total) RPP 65
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
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

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.)
GDP real growth rate: -3% (1994 est.)
GDP per capita: $1,200 (1994 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 21%
services: 76% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1993 est.)
Labor force: 282,000
by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 11%, services 14% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate: over 30% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $164 million
expenditures: $201 million, including capital expenditures of $16 million (1993 est.)
Industries: limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy products and mineral-water bottling
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity:
capacity: 90,000 kW
production: 170 million kWh
consumption per capita: 398 kWh (1993)
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

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.)
Airports:
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.)

Communications

Telephones: 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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 17,000 (1993 est.)

Defense

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

Djibouti

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).