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; Exclusive 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: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 9%; forest and woodland NEGL%; other 91% 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: 346,311 (July 1991), growth rate 2.6% (1991) Birth rate: 43 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 16 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 117 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 46 years male, 50 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Djiboutian(s); adjective--Djiboutian Ethnic divisions: Somali (Issa) 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5% Religion: Muslim 94%, Christian 6% Language: French and Arabic (both official); Somali and Afar widely used Literacy: 48% (male 63%, female 34%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) 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 Sabih, 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 National Assembly 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: National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) 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; National Assembly--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: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UNCTAD, UPU, 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 253 35-39-95 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 in northeast Africa. 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 40% continues to be a major problem. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last five years with a population growth rate of 6% (including immigrants and refugees) and a recession. GDP: $340 million, $1,030 per capita; real growth rate - 1.0% (1989 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (1989) Unemployment rate: over 40% (1989) Budget: revenues $131 million; expenditures $154 million, including capital expenditures of $25 million (1990 est.) Exports: $190 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--hides and skins, coffee (in transit); partners--Middle East 50%, Africa 43%, Western Europe 7% Imports: $311 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products; partners--EC 36%, Africa 21%, Asia 12%, US 2% External debt: $355 million (December 1990) Industrial production: growth rate 0.1% (1989); manufacturing accounts for 4% of GDP 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 only 5% 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 Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-89), $39 million; Western (non-US) countries, including ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1,035 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $149 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $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: 13 total, 10 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 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 (including Navy and Air Force), paramilitary National Security Force, National Police Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 89,519; 52,093 fit for military service