Djibouti

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

11.30° N, 43.00° E

total: 23,200 sq km

land: 23,180 sq km

water: 20 sq km

slightly smaller than New Jersey

total: 528 km

border countries (3): Eritrea 125 km, Ethiopia 342 km, Somalia 61 km

314 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

desert; torrid, dry

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

mean elevation:

elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m

highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

agricultural land: 73.4%

arable land 0.1%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 73.3%

forest: 0.2%

other: 26.4% (2011 est.)

10 sq km (2012)

0.3 cu km (2011)

total: 0.02 cu km/yr (84%/0%/16%)

per capita: 24.84 cu m/yr (2000)

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

volcanism: experiences limited volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (elev. 298 m) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active

inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species

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

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 and the saltiest lake in the world

noun: Djiboutian(s)

adjective: Djiboutian

Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian)

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

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

828,324 (July 2015 est.)

0-14 years: 32.31% (male 134,166/female 133,479)

15-24 years: 21.82% (male 85,021/female 95,706)

25-54 years: 37.59% (male 129,382/female 182,021)

55-64 years: 4.67% (male 17,970/female 20,689)

65 years and over: 3.61% (male 13,422/female 16,468) (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 58.5%

youth dependency ratio: 51.9%

elderly dependency ratio: 6.6%

potential support ratio: 15.1% (2015 est.)

total: 23.2 years

male: 21.5 years

female: 24.5 years (2015 est.)

2.2% (2015 est.)

23.65 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

7.73 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

6.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

urban population: 77.3% of total population (2015)

rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

DJIBOUTI (capital) 529,000 (2015)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 0.89 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.71 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

229 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

total: 48.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 55.79 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 41.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

total population: 62.79 years

male: 60.28 years

female: 65.37 years (2015 est.)

2.39 children born/woman (2015 est.)

19% (2012)

8.9% of GDP (2013)

0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2006)

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2012)

improved:

urban: 97.4% of population

rural: 64.7% of population

total: 90% of population

unimproved:

urban: 2.6% of population

rural: 35.3% of population

total: 10% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 59.8% of population

rural: 5.1% of population

total: 47.4% of population

unimproved:

urban: 40.2% of population

rural: 94.9% of population

total: 52.6% of population (2015 est.)

1.59% (2014 est.)

9,900 (2014 est.)

600 (2014 est.)

8.5% (2014)

29.8% (2012)

4.5% of GDP (2010)

total: 6 years

male: 7 years

female: 6 years (2011)

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

etymology: the country is named after the capital city of Djibouti

republic

name: Djibouti

geographic coordinates: 11.35° N, 43.09° E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah

27 June 1977 (from France)

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

approved by referendum 4 September 1992; amended 2006, 2008, 2010 (2015)

mixed legal system based primarily on the French civil code (as it existed in 1997), Islamic religious law (in matters of family law and successions), and customary law

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the mother must be a citizen of Djibouti

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil MOHAMED (since 1 April 2013)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term; (constitution amended in 2010 to allow a third term); 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 for a third term; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH (RPP) 80.6%, Mohamed Warsama RAGUEH (independent) 19.4%

description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale, formerly the Chamber of Deputies (65 seats; 52 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 13 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held on 22 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018)

election results: percent of vote by party - UMP 61.5%, USN 35.6%, CDU 3.0%; seats by pary - UMP 43, USN 21, CDU 1

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA magistrates); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 magistrates)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court magistrates appointed by the president with the advice of the Superior Council of the Magistracy; magistrates appointed for life with retirement at age 65; Constitutional magistrates - 2 appointed by the president, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, and 2 by High Council of the Judiciary; magistrates appointed for 8-year, non-renewable terms

subordinate courts: High Court of Appeal; 5 Courts of First Instance; customary courts

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]

Movement for Development and Liberty or MODEL [Sheikh Guirreh MEIDAL]

People's Rally for Progress 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 (a coalition of parties including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD)

Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [Ismail GUEDI Hared]

Union for National Salvation or USN (an umbrella coalition comprising PRD, PDD, MODEL, ARD, and UDJ) [Ahmed Youssouf HOUMER]

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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; blue stands for sea and sky and the Issa Somali people; green symbolizes earth and the Afar people; white represents peace; the red star recalls the struggle for independence and stands for unity

red star; national colors: light blue, green, white, red

name: "Jabuuti" (Djibouti)

lyrics/music: Aden ELMI/Abdi ROBLEH

note: adopted 1977

Djibouti's economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location as a deepwater port on the Red Sea. Three-fourths of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scant rainfall and less than 4% arable land limits crop production to small quantities of 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, exports, and reexports - primarily of coffee 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 official unemployment rate of nearly 50% - with youth unemployment near 80% - continues to be a major problem. Inflation declined to 3% in 2014 due to low international food prices and a decline in electricity tariffs.

Djibouti’s reliance on diesel-generated electricity and imported food and water leave average consumers vulnerable to global price shocks, though in mid-2015 Djibouti passed new legislation to liberalize the energy sector. The government has emphasized infrastructure development for transportation and energy and Djibouti – with the help of foreign partners – has begun to increase and modernize its port capacity.

$3.093 billion (2015 est.)

$2.904 billion (2014 est.)

$2.74 billion (2013 est.)

note: data are in 2015 US dollars

$1.743 billion (2015 est.)

6.5% (2015 est.)

6% (2014 est.)

5% (2013 est.)

$3,300 (2015 est.)

$3,100 (2014 est.)

$2,900 (2013 est.)

note: data are in 2015 US dollars

21.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

18.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

17.3% of GDP (2013 est.)

household consumption: 63.4%

government consumption: 33.6%

investment in fixed capital: 36.1%

investment in inventories: 0.4%

exports of goods and services: 40.1%

imports of goods and services: -73.6%

(2015 est.)

agriculture: 2.8%

industry: 16.4%

services: 80.8% (2015 est.)

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

construction, agricultural processing, shipping

4.5% (2015 est.)

294,600 (2012)

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

60% (2014 est.)

59% (2007 est.)

23%

note: percent of population below $1.25 per day at purchasing power parity (2012 est.)

lowest 10%: 2.4%

highest 10%: 30.9% (2002)

40.9 (2002)

revenues: $587.5 million

expenditures: $792.9 million (2015 est.)

33.7% of GDP (2015 est.)

-11.8% of GDP (2015 est.)

38.6% of GDP (2012 est.)

calendar year

2.4% (2015 est.)

2.9% (2014 est.)

12% (31 December 2015 est.)

12.69% (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.007 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$963.4 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.43 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.24 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$560.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$527.9 million (31 December 2014 est.)

-$547 million (2015 est.)

-$407 million (2014 est.)

$141.6 million (2015 est.)

$130.1 million (2014 est.)

reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit), scrap metal

Somalia 82.9%, Yemen 5%, UAE 4.4% (2014)

$983.9 million (2015 est.)

$969.7 million (2014 est.)

foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, clothing

China 29.3%, Saudi Arabia 16.3%, Indonesia 8%, India 7.7% (2014)

$905.5 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$832.8 million (31 December 2013 est.)

$1.367 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.102 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar -

177.7 (2015 est.)

177.72 (2014 est.)

177.72 (2013 est.)

177.72 (2012 est.)

177.72 (2011 est.)

335 million kWh (2012 est.)

311.6 million kWh (2012 est.)

0 kWh (2013 est.)

0 kWh (2013 est.)

131,400 kW (2012 est.)

98.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

1.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

8,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

19.18 bbl/day (2012 est.)

8,089 bbl/day (2012 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

1.796 million Mt (2012 est.)

total subscriptions: 21,900

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2014 est.)

total: 287,000

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2014 est.)

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 and EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable systems providing links to Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network (2009)

state-owned Radiodiffusion-Television de Djibouti operates the sole terrestrial TV station, as well as the only 2 domestic radio networks; no private TV or radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

1 (2001)

.dj

215 (2012)

total: 73,500

percent of population: 9.1% (2014 est.)

13 (2013)

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

total: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 2 (2013)

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 (2008)

total: 3,065 km

paved: 1,379 km

unpaved: 1,686 km (2000)

major seaport(s): Djibouti

Djibouti Armed Forces (Forces Armees Djiboutiennes, FAD): Djibouti National Army (includes Navy, Djiboutian Air Force (Force Aerienne Djiboutienne, FAD), National Gendarmerie (GN)) (2013)

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2012)

Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; Kuwait is chief investor in the 2008 restoration and upgrade of the Ethiopian-Djibouti rail link; in 2008, Eritrean troops moved across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupied Doumera Island with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea

refugees (country of origin): 12,363 (Somalia) (2015); 17,634 (Yemen) (2016)