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.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 4 years male: 5 years female: 4 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
8.4% of GDP (2006)
Government
Djibouti
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:
multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992
Legal system:
based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 8 February 2008 (next to be held 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
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; Union for a Presidential Majority or
UMP (a coalition of parties including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD);
Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, and UDJ)
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, 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
Flag 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
Economy
Djibouti
Economy - overview:
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 85% 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% 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). Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.738 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$841 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.2% industry: 14.9% services: 81.9% (2006)
Labor force:
282,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
59% in urban areas, 83% in rural areas (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
42% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%