Country: Djibouti - Geography Total area: 22,000 km2; land area: 21,980 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts Land boundaries: 517 km total; Ethiopia 459 km, Somalia 58 km Coastline: 314 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 24 nm; Extended economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis Climate: desert; torrid, dry Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains Natural resources: geothermal areas Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures; NEGL% forest and woodland; 91% other Environment: vast wasteland Note: strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia - People Population: 337,386 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990) Birth rate: 43 births/1,000 population (1990) Death rate: 17 deaths/1,000 population (1990) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990) Infant mortality rate: 119 deaths/1,000 live births (1990) Life expectancy at birth: 46 years male, 49 years female (1990) Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1990) Nationality: noun--Djiboutian(s); adjective--Djiboutian Ethnic divisions: 60% Somali (Issa); 35% Afar, 5% French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian Religion: 94% Muslim, 6% Christian Language: French (official); Arabic, Somali, and Afar widely used Literacy: 20% Labor force: NA, but a small number of semiskilled laborers at the port and 3,000 railway workers; 52% of population of working age (1983) Organized labor: 3,000 railway workers - Government Long-form name: Republic of Djibouti Type: republic Capital: Djibouti Administrative divisions: 5 districts (cercles, singular--cercle); Ali Sahih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France; formerly French Territory of the Afars and Issas) Constitution: partial constitution ratified January 1981 by the Chamber of Deputies Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977) Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers Legislative branch: Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Deputes) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Leaders: Chief of State--President Hassan GOULED Aptidon (since 24 June 1977); Head of Government--Prime Minister Barkat GOURAD Hamadou (since 30 September 1978) Political parties and leaders: only party--People's Progress Assembly (RPP), Hassan Gouled Aptidon Suffrage: universal adult at age NA Elections: President--last held 24 April 1987 (next to be held April 1993); results--President Hassan Gouled Aptidon was reelected without opposition; Chamber of Deputies--last held 24 April 1987 (next to be held April 1992); results--RPP is the only party; seats--(65 total) RPP 65 Communists: NA Member of: ACP, AfDB, Arab League, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE; Chancery (temporary) at the Djiboutian Permanent Mission to the UN; 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 4011, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 753-3163; US--Ambassador Robert S. BARRETT IV; Embassy at Villa Plateau du Serpent Boulevard, Marechal Joffre, Djibouti (mailing address is B. P. 185, Djibouti); telephone p253o 35-38-49 or 35-39-95, 35-29-16, 35-29-17 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 Overview: The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone. 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 over 50% continues to be a major problem. GNP: $333 million, $1,070 per capita; real growth rate - 0.7% (1986) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.0% (1987) Unemployment rate: over 50% (1987) Budget: revenues $117 million; expenditures $163 billion, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1987 est.) Exports: $128 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--hides and skins, coffee (in transit); partners--Middle East 50%, Africa 43%, Western Europe 7% Imports: $198 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products; partners--EC 36%, Africa 21%, Bahrain 14%, Asia 12%, US 2% External debt: $250 million (December 1988) Industrial production: growth rate - 1.6% (1986) Electricity: 110,000 kW capacity; 190 million kWh produced, 580 kWh per capita (1989) Industries: limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy products and mineral-water bottling Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP; scanty rainfall limits crop production to mostly fruit and vegetables; half of population pastoral nomads herding goats, sheep, and camels; imports bulk of food needs Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-88), $36 million; Western (non-US) countries, including ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $962 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $149 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $35 million Currency: Djiboutian franc (plural--francs); 1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs (DF) per US$1--177.721 (fixed rate since 1973) Fiscal year: calendar year - Communications Railroads: the Ethiopian-Djibouti railroad extends for 97 km through Djibouti Highways: 2,900 km total; 280 km bituminous surface, 2,620 km improved or unimproved earth (1982) Ports: Djibouti Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft Airports: 12 total, 9 usable; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: fair system of urban facilities in Djibouti and radio relay stations at outlying places; 7,300 telephones; stations--2 AM, 1 FM, 2 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station and 1 ARABSAT; 1 submarine cable to Saudi Arabia - Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary National Security Force Military manpower: males 15-49, 88,132; 51,260 fit for military service Defense expenditures: $29.9 million, 23% of central government budget (1986)