Djibouti

Djibouti

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Jumhouriyya Djibouti/Republic of Djibouti Area 23,200 sq km/8,957 sq mi Capital Djibouti (and chief port) Language French (official), Issa (Somali), Afar, Arabic Religion Sunni Muslim Time difference GMT +3 Major holidays 1 January, 1 May, 27 June (2 days), 25 December; variable: Eid-ul-Adha (2 days), end of Ramadan (2 days), New Year (Muslim), Prophet's Birthday, Al-Isra Wal-Mira'age (March–April)


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Tadjoura, Obock, Dikhil, Ali-Sabieh Physical features mountains divide an inland plateau from a coastal plain; hot and arid Airports one international airport and six domestic airports; total passengers carried: 180,500 (2003 est) Railways total length: 121 km/75 mi; (part within Djibouti of 781-km/488-mi track linking Djibouti with Addis Ababa, Ethiopia); total passenger journeys: 570,000 (2002) Roads total road network: 2,890 km/1,796 mi, of which 12.6% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 17.2 per 1,000 people (1999 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Ismail Omar Guelleh from 1999 Head of government Dileita Mohamed Dileita from 2001 Political system authoritarian nationalist Political executive unlimited presidency Administrative divisions five districts Political parties People's Progress Assembly (RPP), nationalist; Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), moderate left-of-centre; Democratic National Party (DND) Death penalty abolished in 1995 Armed forces 9,900; plus paramilitary forces of 2,500 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 4.1 (2004 est) Education spend (% GDP) 3.4 (1999 est) Health spend (% GDP) 3.8 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Djibouti franc GDP (US$) 702 million (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 4.2 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 807 million (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 2,240 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 3% (2006 est) Unemployment 50% (2004 est) Labour force 77.4% agriculture, 11% industry, 12.6% services (2003 est) Foreign debt (US$) 415 million (2005 est) Major trading partners Somalia, Saudi Arabia, India, China, Ethiopia, Yemen, France, UK Industries mineral water bottling, dairy products and other small-scale enterprises; an important port serving the regional hinterland Exports hides, cattle, coffee (exports are largely re-exports). Principal market: Somalia 63.8% (2005) Imports vegetable products, foodstuffs, beverages, khat, machinery and electrical equipment, mineral products. Principal source: Saudi Arabia 19.7% (2004) Arable land 0.04% (2006 est) Agricultural products mainly market gardening (for example, tomatoes); livestock rearing (over 50% of the population are pastoral nomads, herding goats, sheep, and camels); fishing


POPULATION

Population 806,800 (2006 est) Population growth rate 2.1% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 35 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 85 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 41%, 15–59 54%, 60+ 5% (2005 est) Ethnic groups population divided mainly into two Hamitic groups; the Issas (Somalis) (60%)in the south, and the minority Afars (or Danakil) (35%) in the north and west. There are also minorities of Europeans (mostly French), as well as Arabs, Sudanese, and Indians Life expectancy 53 (men); 55 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 126 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 10 Literacy rate 78% (men); 58% (women) (2003 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 1.3 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 2.5 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 3.1 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 1,200 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 82 (urban); 67 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 1.6 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 5.1 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 86 (1999 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 78 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 3.1 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 1.3 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

3rd century BC The north settled by Able immigrants from Arabia, whose descendants are the Afars (Danakil). early Christian era Somali Issas settled in coastal areas and south, ousting Afars. 825 Islam introduced by missionaries. 16th century Portuguese arrived to challenge trading monopoly of Arabs. 1862 French acquired a port at Obock. 1888 Annexed by France as part of French Somaliland. 1900s Railroad linked Djibouti port with the Ethiopian hinterland. 1946 Became overseas territory within French Union, with own assembly and representation in French parliament. 1958 Voted to become overseas territorial member of French Community. 1967 French Somaliland renamed French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. early 1970s Issas (Somali) peoples campaigned for independence, but minority Afars, of Ethiopian descent, and Europeans sought to remain French. 1977 Independence achieved as Djibouti, with Hassan Gouled Aptidon, leader of the independence movement, elected president. 1981 New constitution made People's Progress Assembly (RPP) the only legal party. Treaties of friendship signed with Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, and Sudan. 1984 Policy of neutrality reaffirmed. Economy undermined by severe drought. 1992 New multiparty constitution adopted; fighting erupted between government forces and Afar Front for Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD) guerrilla movement in the northeast. 1993 Opposition parties allowed to operate, but Gouled re-elected president. 1994 Peace agreement reached with Afar FRUD militants, ending civil war. 1999 Ismail Omar Guelleh elected president. 2001 Dileita Mohamed Dileita replaced Barkat Gourad Hamdaou as prime minister. 2002 Full multiparty democracy implemented (only four parties previously. 2003 First multiparty elections returned bloc of four pro-government parties (Union for the Presidential Majority) with all 65 parliamentary seats. 2005 President Guelleh re-elected as sole candidate. 2006 First human bird flu case in sub-Saharan Africa confirmed in Djibouti.


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