Facts, stats & information on Djibouti

General Information on Djibouti:

Following the 1977 independnce from France, Djibouti suffered an authoritarian one-party regime for almost 20 years. However the Afars’ minority struggle for more recognition led to multi-party elections in 1999.

Moreover Djibouti occupies a very strategic geographic location as it is along the Red Sea borders. As a consequence it is an important commercial harbour but also an important military harbour since France keeps maintaining a significant military presence in the country.

Geographical information on Djibouti

Geographical Position: Eastern Africa, along the Red Sea, between Somalia and Eritrea.

Map Ref Latitude & Longitude 11 degrees 30’ North, 43 degrees 00’ East

Total Land & Sea Area Total: 20,000 square kilometres Sea Area10 square kilometres land area: 23,000 square kilometres

Land boundaries: Total: 500 kilometres Border countries: Eritrea 100 kilometres , Ethiopia 350 kilometres , Somalia 50 kilometres Coastal Length: 300 kilometres

Climatological Conditions:

Desert. Country terrain: Plains along the coast and plateau in the center.

Highest & Lowest Elevations: Lowest elevation: Lac Assal -150 meters highest point: Moussa Ali 2,100 meters

Natural resources: Geothermal power. Land use: arable land area: 0 percent permanent crops: none other: 100 percent Irrigated land area: 20 square kilometres

Natural hazards: Earthquakes; droughts; some cyclones as well as heavy rains and flash floods

Geographical information on Djibouti:

Strategic location in some of the busiest shipping lanes Population: 457,000 (July 2003 estimate.) Age structure: Under 15: 44 percent From 15 to 65: 54 percent Over 65: 2 percent Median age: Total: 18 years male: 19 years female: 17 years (2002) Population growth rate: 2 percent (2003 estimate.) Birth rate: 40 births per thousand population (2003 estimate.) Death rate: 19 deaths per thousand population (2003 estimate.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant per thousand population (2003 estimate.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43 years male: 42 years female: 44 years (2003 estimate.) Total fertility rate: 5 children born/woman (2003 estimate.)

Nationality: Djiboutian

Ethnicities: Somali 55 percent, Afar 30 percent, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5 percent

Religions: Islam/Muslim faith 95 percent, Christian 5 percent

Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar Literacy: definition: age 15 and more can read and write total population: 70 percent male: 80 percent female: 60 percent (2003 estimate.)

Government Djibouti

Republic of Djibouti Government type: Republic Capital city: Djibouti

Independence: June 1977 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, June (1977) Constitution: Multiparty constitution. Legal system: Based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: Head of State: President Head of government: Prime Minister cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies.

Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Economy information on Djibouti:

Economy - overview: Service ector is the basis of the economy in Djibouti through its free trade zone status. Nearly 70% of the inhabitants live in the capital city, the remainder being mainly nomads.

Farming suffers important rainfalls so that food must be imported as well as most if the manufactured products from the lack of natural resources. In addition Djibouti is a transit port and an international transshipment and refueling center.

But half of the population is unemployed and consumption decreased by 35 percent over the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate and immigration. GDP - Gross Domestic Product: - $USD620 million (2002 estimate.) GDP - Gross Domestic Product - growth rate: 3 percent (2002 estimate.) GDP - Gross Domestic Product - per capita: - $USD1,000 (2002 estimate.) GDP - Gross Domestic Product - composition by sector: agriculture: 4 percent industry: 16 percent services: 80 percent (2001 estimate.) Population below poverty line: 45 percent (2001 estimate.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3 percent (2002 estimate.) Labor force: 280,000 rate of unemployment: 49 percent (2000 estimate.)

Budget: incomes: $USD100 million spending: $USD200 million, Industries: construction, agricultural processing Industrial production growth rate: 3 percent (1996 estimate.)

Agriculture - products:

Fruits, vegetables; sheep. Exports: $USD50 million (2002 estimate.)

Exports - commodities: Mostly reexports, hides and skins. Exports - partners: Somalia 57 percent, Yemen 24 percent, Pakistan 5 percent, Ethiopia 4 percent, UAE 4 percent (2002) Imports: $USD250 million (2002 estimate.)

Imports - commodities: Foods and foods products, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products. Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 18 percent, Ethiopia 10. percent, US 9 percent, France 8 percent, China 8 percent, Netherlands 4 percent (2002) Debt - external: $USD360 million (2002 estimate.)

Currency: Djiboutian franc (DJF) Currency code: DJF

Communications: information on Djibouti:

Telephones: 10,000 (2002) Radio broadcast stations: Amplitude Modulation 1, Frequency Modulation 2, SW 0 (2001) Television stations: 1 (2002) Internet country code: .dj

Travel to Djibouti:

Railroad networks: Total: 100 kilometres Roading System: Total: 2,900 kilometres Airports: 15 (2002)

Military: information on Djibouti

Military branches: Djibouti National Army Military spending: - percent of GDP - Gross Domestic Product: 4 percent (Fiscal Year 02)

Now you know all about the information on Djibouti you can check out the history of French speaking countries.

More information on Djibouti, a French-speaking nation
History of French speaking countries | Flag of Djibouti

Information on Djibouti
Learn French Help – A Resource for the those Learning to speak French
32 Alverton, Great Linford, Milton Keynes, MK14 5EF, United Kingdom

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