The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afar minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 with a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Somali Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multiparty presidential election resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH as president; he was reelected to a second term in 2005 and extended his tenure in office via a constitutional amendment, which allowed him to serve a third term in 2011 and begin a fourth term in 2016. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and serves as an important shipping portal for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands and transshipments between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The government holds longstanding ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, and has strong ties with the US. Djibouti hosts several thousand members of US armed services at US-run Camp Lemonnier.

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia

11 30 N, 43 00 E

Africa

slightly smaller than New Jersey

314 km

desert; torrid, dry

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

highest point: Moussa Ali 2,021 m

potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

arable land 0.1%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 73.3%

10 sq km (2012)

most densely populated areas are in the east; the largest city is Djibouti, with a population over 600,000; no other city in the country has a total population over 50,000

earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species

strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa and the saltiest lake in the world

865,267 (July 2017 est.)

Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian)

French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Djibouti is a poor, predominantly urban country, characterized by high rates of illiteracy, unemployment, and childhood malnutrition. More than 75% of the population lives in cities and towns (predominantly in the capital, Djibouti). The rural population subsists primarily on nomadic herding. Prone to droughts and floods, the country has few natural resources and must import more than 80% of its food from neighboring countries or Europe. Health care, particularly outside the capital, is limited by poor infrastructure, shortages of equipment and supplies, and a lack of qualified personnel. More than a third of health care recipients are migrants because the services are still better than those available in their neighboring home countries. The nearly universal practice of female genital cutting reflects Djibouti’s lack of gender equality and is a major contributor to obstetrical complications and its high rates of maternal and infant mortality. A 1995 law prohibiting the practice has never been enforced.

Because of its political stability and its strategic location at the confluence of East Africa and the Gulf States along the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, Djibouti is a key transit point for migrants and asylum seekers heading for the Gulf States and beyond. Each year some hundred thousand people, mainly Ethiopians and some Somalis, journey through Djibouti, usually to the port of Obock, to attempt a dangerous sea crossing to Yemen. However, with the escalation of the ongoing Yemen conflict, Yemenis began fleeing to Djibouti in March 2015, with almost 20,000 arriving by August 2017. Most Yemenis remain unregistered and head for Djibouti City rather than seeking asylum at one of Djibouti’s three spartan refugee camps. Djibouti has been hosting refugees and asylum seekers, predominantly Somalis and lesser numbers of Ethiopians and Eritreans, at camps for 20 years, despite lacking potable water, food shortages, and unemployment.

2.16% (2017 est.)

23.4 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

7.5 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

5.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

most densely populated areas are in the east; the largest city is Djibouti, with a population over 600,000; no other city in the country has a total population over 50,000

DJIBOUTI (capital) 529,000 (2015)

229 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

2.31 children born/woman (2017 est.)

19% (2012)

10.6% of GDP (2014)

0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2012)

urban: 97.4% of population

rural: 64.7% of population

total: 90% of population

urban: 2.6% of population

rural: 35.3% of population

total: 10% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 59.8% of population

rural: 5.1% of population

total: 47.4% of population

urban: 40.2% of population

rural: 94.9% of population

total: 52.6% of population (2015 est.)

1.3% (2016 est.)

8,600 (2016 est.)

<1000 (2016 est.)

13.5% (2016)

29.8% (2012)

4.5% of GDP (2010)

semi-presidential republic

6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah

27 June 1977 (from France)

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

mixed legal system based primarily on the French civil code (as it existed in 1997), Islamic religious law (in matters of family law and successions), and customary law

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

Center for United Democrats or CDU [Omar Elmi KHAIREH, chairman]

Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]

Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]

Front for Restoration of Unity and Democracy (Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique) or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]

Movement for Democratic Renewal and Development [Daher Ahmed FARAH]

Movement for Development and Liberty or MODEL [Ismail Ahmed WABERI]

National Democratic Party or PND [Aden Robleh AWALEH]

People's Rally for Progress or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party)

Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Hasna Moumin BAHDON]

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 [Ilya Ismail GUEDI Hared]

Union for National Salvation or USN [Ahmed Youssouf HOUMED] (coalition includes ARD, MoDel, MRD, PDD, PND, UDJ)

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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; blue stands for sea and sky and the Issa Somali people; green symbolizes earth and the Afar people; white represents peace; the red star recalls the struggle for independence and stands for unity

red star; national colors: light blue, green, white, red

Djibouti's economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location as a deepwater port on the Red Sea. Three-fourths of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scant rainfall and less than 4% arable land limits crop production to small quantities of 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, exports, and reexports represent 70% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Reexports consist primarily of coffee from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An official unemployment rate of nearly 50% - with youth unemployment near 80% - continues to be a major problem. Inflation was a modest 3% in 2014-2016, due to low international food prices and a decline in electricity tariffs.

Djibouti’s reliance on diesel-generated electricity and imported food and water leave average consumers vulnerable to global price shocks, though in mid-2015 Djibouti passed new legislation to liberalize the energy sector. The government has emphasized infrastructure development for transportation and energy and Djibouti – with the help of foreign partners, particularly China – has begun to increase and modernize its port capacity.

$3.344 billion (2016 est.)

$3.1 billion (2015 est.)

$2.88 billion (2014 est.)

$1.889 billion (2016 est.)

6.5% (2016 est.)

6.5% (2015 est.)

6% (2014 est.)

$3,400 (2016 est.)

$3,300 (2015 est.)

$3,100 (2014 est.)

16.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

19% of GDP (2015 est.)

9.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

construction, agricultural processing, shipping

4.7% (2016 est.)

294,600 (2012)

60% (2014 est.)

48.4% (2012 est.)

23%

40.9 (2002)

32.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

-16% of GDP (2016 est.)

31.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

33.7% of GDP (2015 est.)

calendar year

2.7% (2016 est.)

-0.8% (2015 est.)

11.45% (31 December 2016 est.)

11.62% (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.323 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.182 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.652 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.572 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$639.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$597.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$-575 million (2016 est.)

$-547.8 million (2015 est.)

$139.9 million (2016 est.)

$133.6 million (2015 est.)

reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit), scrap metal

Ethiopia 39%, Somalia 17.8%, Qatar 9.4%, Brazil 9.1%, Yemen 5.1% (2016)

$1.128 billion (2016 est.)

$1.08 billion (2015 est.)

foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, clothing

UAE 25.8%, France 16.4%, China 10.4%, Saudi Arabia 8.4%, Ethiopia 7%, Yemen 4.8% (2016)

$1.519 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.222 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.483 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.084 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar -

177.72 (2016 est.)

177.72 (2015 est.)

177.72 (2014 est.)

177.72 (2013 est.)

177.72 (2012 est.)

405 million kWh (2015 est.)

376.7 million kWh (2015 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

130,000 kW (2015 est.)

100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

6,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

402.7 bbl/day (2014 est.)

6,509 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)

1.8 million Mt (2013 est.)

state-owned Radiodiffusion-Television de Djibouti operates the sole terrestrial TV station, as well as the only 2 domestic radio networks; no private TV or radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

.dj

J2 (2016)

13 (2013)

Djibouti Armed Forces (Forces Armees Djiboutiennes, FAD): Djibouti National Army (includes Navy, Djiboutian Air Force (Force Aerienne Djiboutienne, FAD), National Gendarmerie (GN)) (2013)

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2012)

while attacks continued to decrease, the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden remain a high risk for piracy; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, contributed to the drop in incidents; there were no incidents in the Red Sea in 2016, however one ship was fired upon during the first half of 2017; Operation Ocean Shield, the NATO/EUNAVFOR naval task force established in 2009 to combat Somali piracy, concluded its operations in December 2016 as a result of the drop in reported incidents over the last few years

Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; Kuwait is chief investor in the 2008 restoration and upgrade of the Ethiopian-Djibouti rail link; in 2008, Eritrean troops moved across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupied Doumera Island with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea