Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Donald YAMAMOTO 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 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 to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of 50% continues to be a major problem. Inflation is not a concern, however, because of the fixed tie of the franc to the US dollar. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last seven years 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. Another factor limiting growth is the negative impact on port activity now that Ethiopia has more trade route options.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $586 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 282,000
Labor force - by occupation: NA%
Unemployment rate: 50% (2000 est.)
Budget: revenues: $135 million expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Industries: construction, agricultural processing
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production: 180 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 167.4 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels
Exports: $260 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
Exports - partners: Somalia 53%, Yemen 23%, Ethiopia 5% (1998)
Imports: $440 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
Imports - partners: France 13%, Ethiopia 12%, Italy 9%, Saudi Arabia 6%,
UK 6% (1998)
Debt - external: $366 million (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $36 million (2001)
Currency: Djiboutian franc (DJF)
Currency code: DJF
Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.721 (fixed rate since 1973)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Djibouti
Telephones - main lines in use: 10,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas microwave radio relay network international: Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios: 52,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)
Televisions: 28,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .dj
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 1,400 (2000)
Transportation Djibouti
Railways: total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: Djibouti and Ethiopia plan to revitalize the century-old railroad that links their capitals by 2003 (2001 est.)
Highways: total: 2,890 km paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Djibouti
Airports: 12 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2001)
Military Djibouti
Military branches: Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 110,221 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 64,940 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $26.5 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.4% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Djibouti
Disputes - international: Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while politically supporting the Somali Transitional National Government in Mogadishu
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Dominica
Introduction
Dominica
Background: Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years.
Geography Dominica
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N, 61 20 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 754 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than four times the size of Washington,