The 2003 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

      Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

      Coastline: 314 km

      Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

      Climate:

       desert; torrid, dry

      Terrain:

       coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

      Elevation extremes:

       lowest point: Lac Assal −155 m

       highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

      Natural resources:

       geothermal areas

      Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

      Irrigated land:

       10 sq km (1998 est.)

      Natural hazards:

       earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the

       Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

      Environment - current issues:

       inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;

       desertification; endangered species

      Environment - international agreements:

       party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

       Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

       signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

      Geography - note:

       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

      People Djibouti

      Population:

       457,130 (July 2003 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 43.1% (male 98,796; female 98,202)

       15–64 years: 53.9% (male 129,492; female 116,953)

       65 years and over: 3% (male 6,933; female 6,754) (2003 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 18.3 years

       male: 18.9 years

       female: 17.7 years (2002)

      Population growth rate:

       2.13% (2003 est.)

      Birth rate:

       40.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Death rate:

       19.45 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female

       total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 106.96 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 98.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

       male: 114.8 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 43.13 years

       male: 41.82 years

       female: 44.48 years (2003 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       5.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       11.75% (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       37,000 (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       2,000 (2001 est.)

      Nationality:

       noun: Djiboutian(s)

       adjective: Djiboutian

      Ethnic groups:

       Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%

      Religions:

       Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

      Languages:

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

      Literacy:

       definition: age 15 and over can read and write

       total population: 67.9%

       male: 78%

       female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

      Government Djibouti

      Country name:

       conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti

       conventional short form: Djibouti

       former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

      Government type:

       republic

      Capital:

       Djibouti

      Administrative divisions:

       5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil,

       Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

      Independence:

       27 June 1977 (from France)

      National holiday:

       Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

      Constitution:

       multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992

      Legal system:

       based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and

       Islamic law

      Suffrage:

       18 years of age; universal adult

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)

       head of government: Prime Minister DILEITA Mohamed Dileita (since 4

       March 2001)

       cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president

       elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;

       election last held 9 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime

       minister appointed by the president

       election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH elected president; percent of

       vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6%

      Legislative branch:

       unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats;

       members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

       elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held NA January

       2008)

       election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats -

       RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

      Judicial branch:

       Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

      Political